The four ACA groups will perform at the ACA Winter “Snow”case Dec. 6, starting at 6 p.m. They’re focused on the event, but all groups also qualified for this year’s International Championship of College A Cappella (ICCA) quarterfinal competition.
Note to Self, Ladies' Choice, Unexpected Resolution and SedOctave will perform a variety of songs Dec. 6, including pieces they have worked on throughout the semester and some holiday songs. The showcase will also feature guest performers Kara Swallow and The Parallels as opening acts.
Admission is free, but ACA will accept cash or non-perishable food donations for Cardinal Kitchen, Ball State’s on-campus food pantry.
ACA will also raffle items including autographed posters and holiday baskets. Tickets are $1 for one and $3 for five, and all proceeds will benefit ACA members.
Each group is taking steps to prepare for this year’s competition.
Ladies’ Choice wants to focus on its staging and choreography, said senior music education major Samantha Doub, coordinator of Ladies’ Choice.
However, Note to Self is preparing for the quarterfinals in a different way, choosing to work on techniques by doing breathing and positional exercises.
It's also making sure to perform frequently in order to become comfortable onstage. Preparation is important because of how detail-oriented the performances can be.
“Being in an a cappella group takes so much skill because you have no instruments to cover up messed up notes or rhythms,” said Michaela Upchurch, a junior and general music education major. "We all have to really listen to one another and rely on each other to make the sound that we produce.”
The groups all share a common goal.
“I would love for Ladies' Choice to place in the top three,” Doub said. “I've been in this group since it started in 2012, and I want nothing more than for us to place, or better yet, move on to the next round.”
SedOctave placed third at quarterfinals last year, but it didn’t get to continue on in the competition. That honor went to the first and second place finishers.
Place is a hope for Braidon Nutting, a freshman music media production major and member of Note to Self. But he also said he hopes attending the competition is a good experience.