A Capella Jamboree

This Monday, January 11th, West Chester University’s all-male a capella group, the Suspensions, is hosting an A Capella Jamboree at the Madison Community House to raise money for their Florida tour this spring. Joining them in the jamboree will be Madison High School’s own a capella Anonymous and Grace Church’s Daughters of Zion, an all-female group. The event will begin at 7:30pm. Tickets cost ten dollars at the door, or five dollars if reserved early. To reserve tickets, email [email protected]. Food will be served, and it is not a night to be missed!

MHS’s a capella Group, A Capella Anonymous, was formed by senior Grace Van Cleef, an avid participant in the music and theatre program here at MHS. It was formed last year, and this year it has about twelve members. The group rehearses on Mondays during lunch, and the group’s advisor is Ms. Wagner.

“We arrange most of our own pieces by listening to the songs we want to do and figuring out a baseline, some countermelodies, and assigning a soloist. It’s faster, easier, and cheaper than buying arrangements, and I think it’s pretty cool,” says Van Cleef. “That’s what we did for ‘I Want You Back’, we just arranged it ourselves. The other two songs we do we learned from more specific arrangements, but we still never really used sheet music or anything.”

A Capella Anonymous has made several appearances around Madison during various events and are now appearing in next week’s A Capella Jamboree. Also performing in the jamboree is Grace Church’s all-female high school singing group, the Daughters of Zion. The group features several MHS students, including Van Cleef, and is conducted by Dr. Anne Matlack. They have a variety of songs in their repertoire, featuring many a capella songs.

The group hosting this A Capella Jamboree event is none other but West Chester University’s male a capella group. In this group is freshman Robert Keller, an alumni of Madison High School, who graduated last year.

Come support the WCU Suspensions, MHS’s own A Capella Anonymous, and Grace Church’s Daughters of Zion on Monday, January 11th, at 7:30pm. All proceeds go to fund the Suspensions’ spring tour to Florida. Hope to see you there!