CMU hosts first Acapellapalooza this Saturday

A capella singers will gather together Saturday night in Plachta Auditorium for the first Acapellapalooza on campus.

A capella music involves solely the vocals of the artists and no instrumental background. The featured groups in this A capella concert are The MountainTown Singers, Ebb N’ Flow, Fish ‘N Chips and 2008 International Quartet champions O.C. Times.

Lake City senior Craig Johnson, a member of MountainTown Singers since 2009, said he has been planning this event, set to begin at 7 p.m., since January and is excited to showcase the unique aspect of a capella music.

“We are a chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, and many chapters like ours across the nation host an annual show in their communities. Our organization has been around since 2004, but never have had a true chapter show,” Johnson said.

Fish ‘N Chips member Taylor Remy is also looking forward to the event. He said the group loves to perform at events and sharing this experience with O.C. Times is going to be fun.

The O.C. Times are a quartet group from California which won the 2008 International Quartet Contest. They have performed in nine countries across the world, but have only sang in Michigan once.

“They have really encouraged young people to get involved with music in their communities by being camp counselors at music camps across the country,” Johnson said. “They have tried to combat the negative stereotype of barbershop quartets, which are typically old men in straw hats with pinstripe suits singing boring songs from the early 1900s.”

MountainTown Singers member Jeff Rayburn refers to himself as an “old guy” because he has been singing Barbershop music for 37 years.

Rayburn said this year’s group has a great sounding mixture of both seasoned singers and youth in their sound. Rayburn said the older members bring experience and knowledge and the younger members bring the energy.

“For the show, we will have a great sounding harmony that everyone in the audience will appreciate,” Rayburn said.

Acapellapalooza is $10 for students and $15 for the general public, a portion of the proceeds are donated to Art Reach of Mid Michigan.

Johnson said he wanted to put a philanthropic angle on the event because of the members having a connection to art in this community.

“It’s going to be a fun time, and have great music, so we would love to see everyone there,” Remy said.