Random Act of Culture

On April 12, students and others in the Arkansas Union Living Room Lounge were surprised by a "Random Act of Culture" when members of the Northwest Arkansas Community College Chamber Singers broke into song. The singers were just sitting as part of the crowd of people who study, visit and eat in the Arkansas Union, until they stood up and began singing.

According to a New York Times article published Feb. 4, “professionally shot videos of Random Act events have become something of an Internet sensation. The biggest hit by far has been the Oct. 30 performance of Handel’s Hallelujah chorus, also organized by the Philadelphia opera, for which more than 650 singers burst into song in the Grand Court of Macy’s Center City accompanied by the store’s legendary organ. The clip now has over seven million views and has inspired countless other Hallelujah flash performances around the world.”

Chancellor G. David Gearhart saw several Random Acts of Culture videos online and thought it would be great to create an experience like that on the University of Arkansas campus. That’s when things went into motion. The student president of University Programs, Matt Chavez, has a friend who is in the NWACC Chamber Singers. He approached them with the idea. The group’s conductor by Miles Fish was aware of the Random Acts performances and thought it would be great exposure for his students, and a nice way for them to visit the University of Arkansas campus.

The group sang The Lonesome Road, written by Nathaniel Shilkret and Gene Austin in 1927.