Over the last three semesters the Xtension Chords have become some of my best friends, and the group’s audiences have been among the greatest I have ever had the privilege to sing for.  As I leave the University of Illinois to attend Berklee College of Music, I leave behind a great group of guys who sure run one heck of a Registered Student Organization!  We all make it happen together, and I know it will continue to be great.

I am grateful to the people who have made my time in the group memorable and enjoyable: the XChords themselves, our parents, our fans, high school teachers who host us on our tours, and everyone else who supports us in some way or another.  We wish you all a safe, relaxing, and happy holiday season.  Goodbye and thank you,

-Jim

Arr. Heath Morber

Arr. Jeff Grider

Arr. Stephen Ladner

Arr. Thomas W. Engelhardt

Arr. Jeff Grider

As we head back to school we have two exciting events to tell you about–

1. We are appearing with our friends Beyond All Reason from Saint Louis University as guests in their big fall semester show! The concert is this Friday, December 2 at 7:00 at the Busch Student Center; more info on the Facebook event. Beyond All Reason was a guest group in XFest and we are honored to be returning the favor!

2. On Saturday, December 3 we are singing the national anthem at the Fighting Illini men’s basketball game against Gonzaga! The game is at 2:15 pm at Assembly Hall.  We are thrilled about this opportunity and we hope to see a loud, proud, orange-clad crowd there!  Go Illini!

Have a safe trip back to campus and good luck with the end of the semester!

Thank you to the Patnaiks and the Ryans for housing us–this tour would not have happened without their incredible hospitality.

Thanks to all the Ex-Chords who joined us at our annual alumni dinner–we are able to do what we do today because of their dedication to the group in years past.

Finally, we want to wish you all a happy Thanksgiving!

-The Xtension Chords

We would like to remind you all that we are holding auditions Monday, November 7 from 6:00-10:00 pm in the basement of the music building!  Please contact Stephen Ladner at stephenladner@gmail.com to sign up for a time slot or to ask any questions you may have.

Lastly, be sure to check back here for information on high school tour shows, basketball game appearances, and any other news we may have to share!  Thanks for being the best fans a group could ask for!

-The Xtension Chords

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This is our biggest performance of the fall semester and it will feature not only us but also three very special guest groups: St. Louis University’s Beyond All Reason, The University of Chicago’s Voices in Your Head,  and UIUC’s own Chai-Town!

The show is Friday, November 4, 7:30 pm at Foellinger Auditorium.  Doors open at 7–get there early to get a good seat!

Tickets are available on the quad during the week of the show–$5 (students) or $10 (general admission), and they will also be available at the door for the same prices!

So, don’t miss your opportunity for The Xtension Chords to rock your socks off, make you laugh, cry, and provoke other miscellaneous emotional responses by presenting you with an excellent evening of music and fun times!! See you there!!

The show is Friday, November 4 at 7:30 pm at Foellinger Auditorium.  Doors open at 7–get there early to get a good seat!

Tickets are available on the quad during the week of the show–$5 (students) or $10 (general admission), and they will also be available at the door for the same prices!

So, don’t miss your opportunity for The Xtension Chords to rock your socks off, make you laugh, cry, and provoke other miscellaneous emotional responses by presenting you with an excellent evening of music and fun times!! See you there!!

Funny you say good evening, Stone, very funny, because you and I both know, Stone, that it’s only 4:59pm and evening does not start until 5pm.  Anyways, good evening Stone.  I always knew it would happen like this.

Happen like what?

Yes, I sing the vocal part typically described as “bass”, if you will, Stone.  And yes, I am from Rockford, Illinois.  And also, yes, I was actually born on March the 8^th, the year circa nineteen hundred and ninety-three.

I…I didn’t ask you any of those questions, Jordan.

No, no you didn’t stone.  But I took the liberty of answering them. Because Lord knows with a name like Stone, we’d be here all day.  I like you Stone, I really do, you’ll do alright, but ya know, being an interviewer, and letting the interviewee ask and answer all of his own questions really speaks to your character and competence not only as a news anchor, but as a human being.

Thank you, Jordan.  I needed that.  So, I’ll go ahead and ask the question that I think we all have been wondering:  Do you exist?

Well, contrary to popular belief Stone, yes, I do, in fact, exist.  But then again, what is existence, really? And really, Stone, what are you?

In our brief period of knowing each other, Jordan, I have to be honest and tell you that sometimes I just want to strike/smite you.  Also, what year in school are you and what do you want to be when you grow up?

I am a freshman, currently majoring in Nothing, and I wish to follow in the footsteps of Stephen Ladner.  And then Adam Welch.  And then Jim Ryan, Isaac Robert, Suraj Patnaik, Scott Rausch, Tyler Bayne and Jeffta Rahardja.  And then laugh at the lonely, lonely footsteps of Rundy.

Disclaimer:  Just kidding, I love Rundy.

Have you ever had fun?

Yeah I had that one time.  It was cool.

What is a fun fact about yourself?

Rundy used to raise fainting goats.

What is your favorite place on campus?

South of the Japanese Gardens and the Veterinary campus, out by the Pollinatarium.

Do the names Moses and Maggie mean anything to you?

Why yes Stone! Moses is my boxer and he turns 4 on October 27^th! And Maggie is my chocolate lab and she turned 2 this past June 28^th!  They’re two of a kind.

Well I appreciate your cooperation Jordan, and I honestly have to say, I barely know anything more about you now than I did before this interview, but at least now I think it’s fair to say you just might exist.  Any last thoughts?

The great East Indian spiritual leader Paramahansa Yogananda once said, “Let my soul smile through my heart and my heart smile through my eyes, that I may scatter rich smiles in sad hearts”.  Thank you Stone.

Tenor 1.

Birthday?

November 5^th, 1989.

You’re old?!

*Sigh* Yes, currently the oldest member in the group. And also the shortest. *Another sigh*

Year in school and major?

Senior in Actuarial Science.

Why?

Numbers and statistics excite me in a weird, but good way.

Anyway, what kind of music do you like?

I appreciate all music, but I’m an indie-alternative music enthusiast. The Trees and The Wild, Pomplamoose, The Honey Trees, Imogen Heap, Bon Iver, Foals, Varlet, Friendly Fires, Quebec Antique, Kings of Convenience… To be honest there are too many to be named here.

I’ve never even heard some of the bands you mentioned!

Yeah, I’m hipster like that.

Any sounds you hate?

The laughing sound from a stuffed-monkey is pretty darn annoying.

Any hobbies?

Trying new coffee shops, reading and jogging. Not at the same time though. I also enjoy hoarding nerdy stuffs.

Like what exactly?

Like a clock with math equations instead of numbers. Or a hoodie that has the first few hundred digits of pi written on it.

You really like numbers, do you?

*Realizing how dorky all those stuffs are*

Tell me something interesting about you.

I am from Jakarta, Indonesia. It’s an interesting place, but really doesn’t make me any more interesting than a pile of rock.

Indonesia?! That’s so exotic! Do you have TV and internet there?

…Just because it sounds exotic doesn’t mean it’s a primitive place. So insensitive, geez.

I’m so sorry. As a way of apologizing, I will introduce you to a prince who will give you a million dollars. All I need is your email address.

Really??!! It’s jeffta.rahardja@gmail.com