A cappella loses senior members

Ryan Carlin and Grant Lindeman knew they were the typical “music kids” in high school.

It wasn’t until the two started studying at Boyer College of Music & Dance that they realized they were surrounded by people just like them.

“Conversations that you couldn’t have with your friends back in high school about certain artists, styles, or performances, you can now have,” Carlin, a senior music education major and president of Broad Street Line, Temple’s all-male a cappella group, said.

Carlin and Lindeman, a senior music therapy major, are two of the five graduating members of Broad Street Line. Mechanical engineering major Jonah Fowler, music education major Gary Clarke and music therapy major Dave Balmer round out the group of departing members. Broad Street Line performed its last concert of the semester on April 19.

Carlin joined Broad Street Line in the fall semester of his freshman year. Enthusiastic to begin, he brought arrangements of songs he wanted to perform with the group. At the time, the setlist was already decided, but the group would eventually perform a song he helped arrange.

“The guys might have found me even a little bit annoying,” Carlin said. “I was  … excited to be a part of it.”

As a sophomore, Carlin served as the vice president of Broad Street Line and oversaw the production of the group’s 2013 album “No Girls Aloud.” Carlin served as the president of the group for the past two years.

His roles within the group have allowed him to develop himself as a future educator.

Freshman music therapy major and Broad Street Line singer Robert DiBartolomeo said he has grown as a member since joining the group.

DiBartolomeo said Carlin is someone he has looked up to throughout the year due to his professionalism and leadership within the group.

Lindeman joined the group in the spring semester of his sophomore year and was elected vice president quickly thereafter.

“It took over my life. … In a good way,” Lindeman said.

Due to scheduling complications, Broad Street Line lost two weeks of rehearsal time prior to its final concert. The group meets three times a week for two-hour practices throughout the semester.

“I could only imagine how we would have sounded if we had those 12 hours because I was very, very pleased with what we did this semester,” Carlin said.

The lost time meant increased pressure on the group to prepare for the final performance.

“We went into the last few weeks pushing a lot of new material,” Lindeman said, “making sure that the best product is put out for the public … for ourselves so that everyone in the group, including seniors have a great memory to end the semester or end their time in Broad Street Line.”

The group prepared each week for both the audience and themselves.

“You are always performing for an audience, but as [musicians] we are performing for ourselves as well,” Carlin said.

Both Carlin and Lindeman plan to continue performing after graduation. Carlin said performing will help balance his work as an educator.

“As a music educator, you’re working for other people to perform and am trying to bring out their best performance practice,” Carlin said. “To keep yourself feeling fulfilled, you have to find time for yourself to perform. I know that I’m not done. I’ve always wanted to be in a small jazz vocal combo group. That could be next for me.”

Lindeman said he has considered joining one of the many Temple-based ensembles comprised of community members.

“I’ve been learning through my music therapy training that there is a sense of community,” he said. “It’s not performance, it’s enjoying music – enjoying the atmosphere of music with people in your neighborhood or community.”

Regardless of where their careers will take them, Carlin and Lindeman said they are confident that performing will always be a constant in their lives.

“I have to keep performing,” Carlin said. “It’s an itch.”

Tim Mulhern can be reached at tim.mulhern@temple.edu.