FEBRUARY 15, 2018
Perfect Pitch: WCU Hosts National A Cappella Competition
If you're a fan of a cappella like in the Pitch Perfect movies, check out some outstanding local college talent this weekend. The road to the Varsity Vocals International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) begins this Saturday, Feb.17, right here on campus, as West Chester University hosts the ICCA Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinals.
Two of the University's a cappella groups — Under A Rest and High Street Harmonix — will preview their competition sets in a free show on Friday at 6 p.m. in Sykes Student Union Ballrooms. Both groups are entered in the quarterfinal competition on Saturday, which begins at 7 p.m. in Asplundh Concert Hall. The top two finishing groups at this event will advance to the ICCA Mid-Atlantic Semifinal. Tickets for the Saturday competition are $20 for students with ID and $25 for the general public and are available online.
Under A Rest was founded in the fall of 2014 and is WCU's first and only co-ed a cappella group. At the ICCA 2016 Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinals, the group took third overall and earned special awards for outstanding choreography and outstanding arrangement. At the 2017 Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinals, the group captured second and again won awards for outstanding choreography and outstanding arrangement. While the group did not place at the 2017 ICCA Semifinals in Wilmington, Del., they enjoyed performing and learning from the experience.
High Street Harmonix is a men's bass and tenor contemporary a cappella ensemble that was founded in the spring of 2013. They placed third in the Mid-Atlantic ICCA Quarterfinal in 2015.
Both groups share several characteristics: Their members come from a broad array of majors and they are passionate about creating a cappella art with their voices. For a sample of the wonderful music the two competing groups create, listen for Under A Rest and for High Street Harmonix.
WCU has two additional a cappella groups: women form the Gracenotes and men are in the Suspensions.
Varsity Vocals International Championship of A Cappella is the only international tournament that showcases the art of a cappella singing by high school and college students.
