Sophomore Cory Duplantis and a group of his friends spend a lot of their time hanging out in the oddest places.
Along with freshman Blake Ulmer, junior Carl Curtis and seniors Rob Jackson and Ryan Case, the computer engineering major can often be found seeking the acoustical solace of stairwells and racquetball courts to practice his hobby.
Duplantis and his group of merry men, all fraternity brothers of the music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, seek out places that provide melodic resonance to rehearse the unique musical styling of barbershop quartet harmonies.
Though they are more than a quartet, Duplantis said it is more about the style of music than the number of members singing it.
"Music is a way of bringing people together in harmony and being able to sing something outside the norm. It's a way of pulling people into the music," Duplantis said. "The barbershop style, with its intricate harmonies and loud chords, is a fun kind of music to sing and listen to. We sing to brighten people's days. If we can spend a few minutes and bring a smile to someone's face, that's why we are doing it."