As the lights dim, the first a capella group assembles around their lead vocalist. Together they string together a complex series of beats, notes and voices, coming together to bring fresh perspectives to familiar songs.

On Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. in the Black Box, four of the high school’s Acapella groups; Glee Club, Pitch-Perfect, Bass Value and Note-a-Fy, performed a variety of different songs by artists ranging from Elvis Presley to Billie Eilish. Throughout the evening, the range of performances and enthusiasm of the singers provided an engaging experience beyond just the music.

After a brief introduction from the evening’s master of ceremonies, senior Sasho Eash, the evening began with two pieces sung by Glee Club: a combined rendition of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and “Teenage Dream” by Elvis Presley and Katy Perry respectively and “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” by Megan Trainor.

The two performances stood in contrast with each other and displayed the wide range of roles an acapella performance can take on. From the start of their take on “Teenage Dream,” I was struck by the involvement of the supporting cast of background singers and the rhythm they provided the soloists. To me, even while the soloists were singing, I was more impressed by the backup singers’ energy and enthusiasm, especially during the choruses.

The opposite was true for “Like I’m Gonna Lose You,” in which the background singers took a more subdued role. The strong solos from senior Ivy Bass and junior Lil Kuklewicz blew me away. The range of both performances set the bar for an impressive evening.

The second group to sing was Perfect Pitch, or as they called themselves for the Halloween season, the Perfect Witches, to complement the costumes they had donned for the night. They performed four songs for the audience, which were all of the more recent pop varieties, including “Wildflower” by Billie Eilish and “Irreplaceable” by Beyoncé.

I was personally very impressed with the last song the group performed, “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” by Adele. The song itself is incredibly complex, with a wide range of tone changes and incredibly high notes that soloists junior Abby O’Halloran and senior Antonia Duffield hit perfectly. The joy and passion in the group’s performance were evident and infectious. I found myself smiling as the song reached its climax.

Bass Value was the next singing group, and they came out with a contagious energy. The performers ran out hooting and hollering as they began to sing “The Longest Time” by Billy Joel. Throughout their performance, the singers swayed back and forth, snapped their fingers and appeared deeply involved in their performance. Their next song, “September” by Earth Wind and Fire, was no different. I enjoyed watching the soloists reach toward the song’s high notes, as each soloist attempted to one-up the other.

Note-a-fy was the last group to perform, and, dressed as the cast of the minions, they closed out the evening with four blockbuster songs. Between “Erase Me” by Lizzy McAlpine, in which the soloists put on a masterclass in conveying emotion in a nuanced rendition, to “Bottom of the River” by Delta Rae, where the group stomped and engaged the audience in a dramatic performance, the group brought about a fitting conclusion to a magical evening.

Throughout the night, I was impressed not only by the evident musical talent of the groups but also by how much the singers were able to put on a show for the audience. Each song was shown in a light I had never seen and each group brought a different energy that kept everyone on their toes. It was a musical experience that can’t be captured in only one article, which is why I wholeheartedly recommend attending the next performance.