Rita Pfeiffer ’15 did not expect much to come out of her band-mate Maeve Bell entering their band’s song into a Battle of the Bands contest. In mid-August, however, Pfeiffer got a call from Bell that their band had won the contest. The band, called “Bea, Rita & Maeve,” submitted a song called “The River” to Studio 360’s “Battle of the High School Bands.” Studio 360 is a weekly public radio program centered on arts and culture and produced by Public Radio International and New York City’s National Public Radio (NPR) station, WNYC. Contestants submitted songs written and recorded during high school, even if they had graduated long ago. Studio 360 started the contest in late May, and judges Andrew W.K. and Thao Nguyen – of the band Thao & the Get Down Stay Down – blogged about the over 300 entries they received all summer before picking a winner in mid-August. The contest’s judges also picked their favorite band names, which included “Intense Jello,” “The Electric Nachos,” “Monkey Shrapnel,” and “The Walking Dead Don’t Eat Brains.”
In addition to creative and diverse band names, entries ranged in genre, style, age, and theme. Bea, Rita & Maeve’s entry, recorded in 2011, was younger than many other submissions, which dated back as far as 1967. Pfeiffer had recorded songs during her senior year of high school with Bell and friend Bea Troxel. After senior year, each band member went off to college, so the three girls had to put their collaborations on hold until the summer. Each summer they reconnected in Nashville to play some shows and even record a full-length album.
Pfeiffer recalls that when Bell called her to relay the good news, it did not sink in.
“You don’t really process what that means until you see it all in print. We were kind of in shock for awhile,” said Pfeiffer.
Pfeiffer explained that her band’s song seemed to be the natural choice to submit for a contest of this kind because it tends to be everyone’s favorite. Its three-part harmonies and instrumentation reflects the overall sound of the band, which Pfeiffer described as a fusion of “Indie Americana Folk.” Bea, Rita & Maeve use a variety of instruments, including guitar, violin, banjo and electric guitar, which contributes to their unique and appealing sound.
Judges W.K. and Nguyen had great things to say about the song. W.K. highlighted the timeless quality of the song.
“It ruined my entire perception of myself in high school,” he said.
Nguyen complimented the musicianship of the three girls and found the idea of “music that’s just made for the joy of it” to be a refreshing change from the professional world of music.
The judges of the contest also covered the winning song, interpreting “The River” in a new way. The cover incorporated heavier drums and layered instruments on top of one another, producing a sound distinct from the original folk version. Pfeiffer expressed that having one of their songs covered was a novel experience.
“It was interesting to see how professional musicians interpreted the songs and what they saw in the songs,” she said.
Pfeiffer felt that the publicity garnered from winning the contest, along with having their song covered by professional musicians, was a humbling experience, but the best part of winning the contest was the honor of getting to be part of the project.
“Being part of NPR was kind of a mind-blowing experience in itself,” she said.
Born and raised in Nashville, a major music hub, Pfeiffer grew up surrounded by musical opportunities. She began to play the violin at age six, and credits Nashville as one of the reasons she became so involved with music.
“So many profound musicians are living right next door; everyone is trying to ‘make it big in the business,” said Pfeiffer.
Pfeiffer enjoyed the opportunity to play gigs around Nashville in the summer with Troxel and Bell, a change from the classical recitals she was used to. She describes her role in the band as “connecting the pieces together.” Since she plays many instruments and sings, she can provide instrumentation and harmony to the pre-existing “skeleton” of the song, which, in the case of “The River,” Troxel created. Pfeiffer credits artists such as Nickel Creek, Gregory Alan Isakov, Bon Iver, and the Fleet Foxes as having influence on the music she produces.
Pfeiffer says one challenge she’s faced in music is songwriting.
“I’ve always been in tune with the sound of the music and not as much with the words,” she said. “Trying to conform your thoughts into more coherent ideas to articulate to others, that’s been a little bit out of my comfort zone.”
Though Pfeiffer, a neuroscience major, is not planning a career focused in music, she knows it will always be a part of her life: “Music is kind of my source of sanity, it’s a way that I can express myself. Be able to express anything that I’m not able to find the words for. It’s been such a part of my life it’s hard to imagine life without it.” She has continued with music here at Middlebury, both academically, as a music minor, and outside the classroom, playing gigs on and off campus at venues such as 51 Main. Though she plans to continue on in neuroscience, she may be able to connect neuroscience with her love for music by studying music and the brain.
Whatever field she ends up in, Pfeiffer knows she will keep making music.
“Music is an art form,” said Pfeiffer. “It is something that people are able to relate to; it’s kind of a universal language. You don’t have to speak the language of the words to have a certain connection to it.”
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