Bottoms up: alumni cantus band

Stage 3 min. Swaans Communicatie

During the Alumni Day celebrating 90 years of Tilburg University, the Cantus was one of the absolute highlights. So the program of this year’s Alumni Day in celebration of the 95th anniversary of Tilburg University simply had to include one as well. The band, too, was already excited in anticipation of their gig. Jochem, the keyboard player of Beauty and the Band, tells you more about the Cantus band and their preparations for Alumni Day.

Cantus band Beauty and the Band was founded in 2018 as an offshoot of student association St. Olof’s house band. A couple of members so enjoyed making music together that they decided to continue after graduation. The current line-up includes – apart from keyboard player Jochem Bruijninckx – lead singer Kim van Santvoort, drummer Nils Pouderoyen, bassist/singer Jos de Fuijk, and guitarist Jelmer Hermsen. Nearly all of them have roots in Tilburg and/or have studied here.

Jochem: “I joined Beauty and the Band later, to succeed the former keyboard player. I had replaced him during a gig once before; they invited me, having heard from me through word of mouth. I so enjoyed that show that I told them to call me straightaway if they ever needed me again. And now I can say from experience: it never gets old! The band has always specifically catered to cantuses. They come in all shapes and sizes. In a classical cantus, the musicians perform in white tie and there are all kinds of rules for the participants, for instance, that they cannot go to the toilet. Any infringements will be “punished”. Our format is more contemporary. If our client agrees, we wear white suits rather than white tie and tails. And our rules aren’t very strict either. Before a gig, we always contact the organizer about these kinds of things.”

The magic of a cantus

The music Jochem makes with his other band is totally different. “We write our own music: jazzy pop. When we perform, it is usually in an intimate setting. The people who come and listen to us, love music and are interested in discovering new things. The contrast with the Beauty and the Band gigs could hardly be bigger. But that’s what makes it super cool. I’m really in it for the vibe. The audience is sure to go wild. And that is the magic of such an evening.”

In addition to cantus classics, the band also likes to play modern music, as long as these are songs that you can easily sing along with. “For instance, we consulted with the Tilburg University alumni officer, who said that ‘Het regent zonnestralen’ had to be on the list for October 8,” Jochem says. His personal favorite? “‘I’m so excited’ by The Pointer Sisters, because it has a nice piano solo. And when we start to play ‘Narcotic’ by Liquido, you instantly have a party atmosphere. The intro only has three notes, but as soon as people hear them, the audience go wild. You can feel the floor vibrate.”

We don’t what the audience to think it is some kind of trick

High level

At some cantuses, they simply play a tape or select a playlist. The live music of Beauty and the Band takes a cantus to a higher level. “We spend a lot of time and effort on our set list and performances. We regularly rehearse new music, modern repertoire. We do so to keep things interesting for ourselves but naturally also for our audiences. Sometimes we are invited back to the same event and we don’t want our audience to think we are performing a trick. Of course there are songs that are always part of our program. For instance, we always open with the national anthem, that’s part of every cantus. And we like to play ‘Piano Man’ by Billy Joel. You never tire of the real cantus classics. It’s not for nothing that these evergreens have remained so popular during cantuses over the years.”

At the moment, we mainly rehearse before gigs because we have busy jobs and most of us have moved away from Tilburg

Preparing for Alumni Day

During the pandemic, the band rehearsed a lot, despite the fact that all gigs were canceled. “We really enjoy playing together. And it was a good opportunity to get out of the house,” Jochem grins. “At the moment, we mainly rehearse before gigs because we have busy jobs and most of us have moved away from Tilburg.”

According to Jochem, the Alumni Day cantus is extra special for the band. “We are all really looking forward to this cantus. We have strong ties to Tilburg. Four of our five band members studied at Tilburg University. I have recently become an alumnus myself: this summer I successfully completed my Econometrics studies.” What’s in store for the visitors? “Since it is an Alumni Day, we’ve brushed up many cantus classics. We put ourselves in the shoes of our target audience, also those of former students who graduated decades ago. Back to the roots. But one thing is certain. It’s going to be one big party!”

One big party!

Beauty and the Band went on to provide visitors with a wonderful evening during the alumni charity cantus! The diverse group of former students had classic fun during the Cantus. There was a lot of songs and laughter, and many toasts. Do take a look!