Sounds of awe, amusement and appreciation fill the air as student singers pack the dance studio, clapping and laughing along to a night of music and comedy at the high school’s Acappellafest. In anticipation of the annual event, several alumni of the high school’s singing groups returned to the dance studio venue.
Held on March 13, Acappellafest featured student-directed a cappella groups Note-a-fy, Perfect Pitch, Bass Value and the high school’s A cappella Choir. The improv troupe Needs Improvment emceed. The event showcased months of preparation and brought the performing community together, as each group performed popular songs or comedy pieces.
According to choir director Michael Driscoll, the annual concert is intended to highlight all of the vocal groups at the high school while creating a memorable experience for the audience. Driscoll said he hopes to inspire more students to take part in choir classes through these performances.
“I hope [the audience] appreciates all the talent and time that everybody puts into performing and learning the music and putting on the show,” Driscoll said. “I hope lots of students will come out and join the classes, become better singers and better musicians and enjoy performing.”
President of Perfect Pitch, senior Iris Braun, has been a member of the all-female a cappella group since her sophomore year. Braun said the group’s camaraderie is what makes it special and that performing together has become one of her favorite memories. Perfect Pitch performed several songs, including “Cheap Thrills” by Sia, “Rehab” by Amy Winehouse and “Yellow Flicker Beat” by Lorde.
“I honestly just love the energy of it,” Braun said. “We usually have one show every two to three months on average. We work really hard on Thursday and Sunday nights for a few hours, just running songs and perfecting them. Being able to show off what we’ve worked so hard for is a lot of fun.”
Sophomore Noah Karp is a member of both Camerata Choir and Bass Value, and with the latter performed “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys, “Africa” by David Paich and Jeff Porcaro and “Life Could Be A Dream” by the Chords. Karp said he’s grateful for the environment of the singing group and is proud of what they accomplished together at Acappellafest.
“Even though we’re just rehearsing music, it’s a nice place to relax and be around people that I’m comfortable with and have something pretty special in common with,” Karp said. “And we were doing this because not only does it make us happy, but a part of it is also just making the people watching happy.”
Braun said the group’s friendship goes beyond their love of singing, which makes performing fun for members as well as for the audience.
“I love showing off what we’ve been working toward, and it makes me feel really united, not just with my own group, but with the people in the other a cappella groups, the friends who come to support me and the people who leave feeling inspired to audition,” Braun said. “It really comes through when we perform that we are genuinely in love with being in a cappella.”
Karp said that rehearsals are a relaxing space and that he looks forward to the practices.
“I think we all love doing it and we love being around each other, and there isn’t one of us who is doing it because someone’s made them or they’ve been forced into it,” Karp said. “We all get excited when we’re working on something good or in rehearsal when something sounds good. It makes us all happy.”
Braun said that she is grateful for the unconditionally supportive environment she has found, an experience she looks forward to passing on to younger members.
“Being in this group has meant the difference between a great high school experience and just a good one. It’s made me feel special and loved,” Braun said. “And now, being the leader and hopefully creating that same kind of environment for the new freshmen and sophomores in the group, that means a lot to me, too.”
