UVM Zest — the newest musical addition to the University — is determined to bring more opportunity for student involvement in the singing community.”We are a group of down-to-earth individuals that want to bring together UVM students in an atmosphere that is accepting, energetic and full of fun,”  sophomore and UVM Zest member Emily Abernathy said.The group is the fourth a cappella group functioning on campus.Although they are currently composed of nine girls, they plan to audition for male parts in the fall, which will make them the second co-ed a cappella group at UVM, along with Hit Paws, Abernathy said.”Rachel Koh, our founder, held auditions to start a new a cappella group at UVM in November because there are so many more singers on campus than there are spots in the existing groups,” Abernathy said.Although UVM Zest is not yet recognized by the SGA as an official club, they expect to be recognized by the end of this year, so that they can start receiving funding next fall.Hannah Lebel, music director of Cat’s Meow, the all- girls a cappella group already established on campus, said having another a cappella group at UVM is a positive thing, not a competition.”At a lot of schools there are far more than three a cappella groups, so I think it’s great that we are expanding,” Lebel said.”It’s so hard with so many students and interested persons, so this opens another door for those interested,” she said. Sophomore Hannah Hutton said she often attends a cappella performances on campus and is looking forward to hearing the new group.”I think it is great that UVM is getting another group. I know there are a lot of students interested in a cappella on campus, and I’m excited to see how this new one differs from the others,” she said.UVM Zest does not have a set number of members that they will accept to in the group, but they instead hope to include as many students as possible, Abernathy said.”If there are a lot of people who show up for tryouts in the fall it could become competitive, but that should not stop anyone from trying out,” she said.Kyle Rhodes, also a member of Cat’s Meow, said she thinks having another a cappella group on campus would be beneficial, as she had to try out for her group multiple times before becoming a member.”Our group gets more than 50 girls who come to audition each semester,” Rhodes said. “I personally think it is so great that there is another group, — it allows for more people to be involved with and perform this sort of music.”UVM Zest plans to sing out on the campus green and in front of the library, when the weather permits, to demonstrate the spontaneity that will set their group apart, Abernathy said.”One of our goals is to be really present on campus with lots of spontaneous singing and crazy fun,” she said. “We want people to know who we are and be able to sing along with us.”