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story by Grace Sly, audio by Caroline Fiss
The new STA choir “Starmonics” will perform for the first time in the Spring Concert Tuesday. Auditions for music teacher Greg Monsma’s new a cappella (without music) singing group, formerly known as “rockapella,” were held Jan. 11 in the M&A Building’s music room. Those who auditioned were required to prepare a pop song to sing a cappella for their audition. This is a mash up recording of the following auditions:
- Sophomore Hillary Talken singing “Shake It Out” by Florence + the Machine
- Senior Taylor Rees singing “It Will Rain” by Bruno Mars
- Junior Katherine Viviano singinging “Who You Are” by Jessie J
- Freshman Torie Richardson singing “Give Your Heart a Break” by Demi Lovato
- Freshman Catherine Whitmer singing “Good Girl” by Carrie Underwood
If someone were to listen into the music room during Thursday’s lunch/activity period, they might hear voices singing. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but there is a difference. A listener would hear not only lyrics, but also seemingly nonsense syllables and beats. There is one thing that they wouldn’t hear: musical instruments.
A new Rockapella choir, an all-vocal group who performs popular music, has been formed at STA by music teacher Greg Monsma. Monsma says their first performance will be at the spring concert March 12. The group currently practices Thursdays during lunch/activity.
According to Monsma, Rockapella is a genre of singing where all music is made without musical accompaniment and whose performances focus on popular songs. The group will decide on an official name at a later meeting. Much like the well-known band Rockapella, STA’s company will use their mouths as instruments in making music.
“The whole idea is to take music that you hear on the radio or CDs or a concert and create the sounds with voices,” Monsma said. “For example, altos will be bass guitars and sopranos can be rhythmic guitars.”
This is not a new venture for Monsma, who has created a Rockapella group at every school he has taught at. Monsma believes that it is a fun, educational way for kids to experiment with a different style of singing.
Senior Kate Sanders agrees, saying Rockapella is a great way for people to be introduced to choir.
“I think this group is a great addition to the STA environment,” Sanders said. “It’s a way for students who aren’t in choir or who love pop music to get involved with the music program.”
This is the case for sophomore Catherine Whitmer, who has never sung in a choir before.
“I auditioned because one of my friends coaxed me to try out with her,” Whitmer said. “I’ve never been in this sort of thing before. It’s exciting.”
Sophomore Quinn Kernell is familiar to the style but has never performed in a group like Rockapella.
“I have done some a cappella pieces with my choir [Allegro Kansas City’s Children’s Choir], but I have never been in a solely a cappella group,” Kernell said.
Despite the transition, Kernell is excited.
“Excited is an understatement,” Kernell said. “I love it.”
The choir is rehearsing Rihanna’s “We Found Love” for their upcoming concert, according to Monsma.
The song, which has multiple sections, is challenging but fun for Whitmer.
“It’s going really good,” she said. “It rocks. There are so many parts… we sound like the actual [instruments used in the song].”
Sophomore Lizzy Sanders sums up the group in two words: “It’s awesome.”
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Increased popularity
The musical style a cappella, though hundreds of years old, has found a resurgence in youth through popular culture.
On TV shows, there are many references to all-vocal singing groups, such as character Andy Bernard’s pride in being a part of Cornell’s a cappela group on “The Office.” In 2009, NBC aired a show called “The Sing-Off,” a musical competition that made several a cappella groups famous.
In movies such as the new hit “Pitch Perfect,” a cappella is glamorized and made into “Rockapella,” much like the Rockapella group at STA. The stars of the film are part of a college-level voice choir, which follows the trend of a cappela groups on college campuses.
According to the Washington Post, a cappella is a popular elective at many Ivy League, private and public colleges. At Georgetown University, students rush to sign up for auditions and are looked upon as a type of “celebrity.”
So, why is a cappella so popular?
“People are impressed with how voices can make different layers with different sounds,” sophomore and a cappella fan Maggie Hutchison said. “It’s a different way of looking at songs and appeals to some people more [than others].”
Rockapella member Hillary Talken agrees, pointing out a cappella is harder than it sounds.
“It’s hard to find a group of people to do [a cappella] with,” Talken said. “If one thing is off, then everything is. It makes it kind of a competitive atmosphere, and the music people here at STA are just as competitive as the girls in athletics.”
According to Dr. Thomas Carroll, a voice specialist and director at Tufts Medical Center, “You’re putting everything out in the open with nothing but the voice box, lips, teeth, and tongue to shape the music being made.”
Part of a cappella’s appeal may be an awe-factor, NBC news writer Cari Nierenberg said. People see musicians take on challenging songs, armed with nothing but the instruments of the body. No matter the reason, a cappella has become popular and will likely continue to be.
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