Juxtaposition marks 30 years of echoing melodies

Juxtaposition, Virginia Tech’s first all-male a cappella group, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

Mark Cirnigliaro ’99 sang in an a cappella group in high school called Multi-Colored Ties, where he experienced the culture of a cappella groups and their influences across college campuses. When Cirnigliaro arrived at Virginia Tech in the fall of 1994, he was ready to audition — only to learn that no such group existed.

Cirnigliaro was determined to fulfill his dream of being in an a cappella group and immerse himself in the culture. A few of his handmade flyers around campus led to a meeting of six interested students showing up at Squires Student Center. The meetings continued, as did the flyers, and over the next few weeks a surprising number of students showed up to audition. 

Cirnigliaro said that while in a rehearsal, fellow member Mark Smith saw a music terminology sheet left on a music stand. Smith saw the word “juxtaposition” and presented it as an option for a group name. Members agreed that the name reflected the contrasts in their group.

“We looked at each other and thought, ‘That’s kind of like us,' these 12 guys who didn’t know each other but were here to do something together,” Cirnigliaro said.

Early on, the group faced minor challenges with the music department and were forced to recalibrate rehearsal rooms, find faculty advisors, and invite voice and music majors to audition.

“None of that got in the way of our success," said Cirnigliaro. "In fact, it probably turned out to be a good thing because we reached a broader section of the Virginia Tech community, both with our members and those who came to hear us."

One of those members was Diego Prieto ’00, the first music major to join Juxtaposition. The connection between the a cappella group and interested music majors on campus created extracurricular opportunities for the wider community.

“It opened the door for my fellow music majors. The collective thought was that anything dealing with music outside of the music department wasn’t serious and with a regimented and challenging major like music, spending any time doing something else could work against you,” Prieto said.

Prieto, who majored in music voice performance and Spanish with a theatre minor, said he saw that kind of thinking quickly change. Prieto was able to write and arrange music for the first time, conduct and lead rehearsals, and improve his piano proficiency. As the group performed at more places across campus, such as the Drillfield, sorority houses, the Lyric Theatre, and even in residence hall rooms, Juxtaposition was taken more seriously and set a precedent on Virginia Tech’s campus.

The love of music is only one aspect of Juxtaposition that strengthens the camaraderie among students and alumni. Diego Muro, a sophomore mathematics major and Juxtaposition's social media and marketing chair, said he has forged long-lasting relationships through the group.

“It is by far the best decision I made in college. We all love doing everything together. My best friends are in Juxtaposition or other a cappella groups on campus,” Muro said.

The group has produced 14 studio albums, has multiple award-winning members, and won first place at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella Southern Quarterfinal in 2023.

Alejandro Molina, a senior communications major with minors in political science and national security and foreign affairs, encouraged students who enjoy achievement and teamwork to try out for an a cappella group.

“Some of the music we do is not easy and takes a lot of working together to make everything just right. The fulfilling part comes when the group sings an arrangement together and the voice parts all fall right into place, or finally getting one difficult measure just right,” said Molina.

All generations of Juxtaposition encourage and welcome anyone interested in the art of a cappella. Current members recently performed at Gobblerfest and hosted a booth to share information about their organization with others.

Sophomore Kane Georges said the group has served as a constant during his college career.

“It is a great way to meet all kinds of people you may not have met otherwise. Our group is like a brotherhood. We are each other’s biggest supporters,” said Georges, a sports media and analytics major.