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American A Cappella Alliance Formed |
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Written by Rol Sharette
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Tuesday, 22 November 2005 |
On October 12, 2005, a new a cappella organization was officially launched to serve avocational singing groups across the North American continent. Its goal is in harmony with other organizations such as the Contemporary A Cappella Society and the Barbershop Harmony Society, but its aim is perhaps more specific.
This new consortium of a cappella ensembles, incorporated in the District of Columbia as the American A Cappella Alliance, includes ten member organizations at this point, each of which provides a representative for the AACA board of directors. The board held its first official meeting on November 5, 2005 in Boulder, CO. The current president is Roland Sharette of Colorado member group New Wizard Oil Combination and the vice president is Gretchen Boehmler of Philadelphia area ensemble Counterparts. Other members include groups in the Chicago, New Jersey, Connecticut, Washington and Detroit areas. The AACA is a nonprofit corporation seeking to support a cappella jazz and other contemporary programs on behalf of its member groups and the public at large.
The new organization, as its first priority, will operate an annual singers' convocation known as "Spring Sing," founded in 1957 by singer Wat Stewart, who now resides in Maryland and serves AACA as its Chairman ex officio. Some three dozen ensembles have performed at Spring Sings in the almost half century of these gatherings, with guest groups (from colleges and the professional music world) such as the Princeton Nassoons, DaVinci's Notebook, Yale's Whiffenpoofs, the Arbors and m-pact participating.
Spring Sing will assemble its 49th annual musical weekend on May 5-7, 2006 in Boulder, CO, hosted by the New Wizard Oil Combination and the Colorado Vocal Jazz Society. Guests will include the LA-based m-pact, Colorado's Groove Society and UNC's Northern Colorado Voices. Other vocal groups will also be on hand as well as the member ensembles, mostly from the eastern seaboard. The American A Cappella Alliance will oversee the weekend events and begin planning the May 2006 50th anniversary Spring Sing to be held in Philadelphia, hosted by the Counterparts.
AACA will assume administrative oversight of Spring Sing this year and will formulate its support of Spring Sing and other activities devoted to providing communications, ideas, enthusiasm and good will among vocalists, their families, fans and friends, who enjoy performing and experiencing a cappella group presentation of vocal jazz and contemporary music, and to broaden interest in a cappella music performance as an avocational outlet for singers of all ages. The organization will support training and consultation for members of groups and others on topics of importance to the genre, such as ensemble techniques, CD recording and production, and music business methods and procedures. It will also coordinate the assembly of arrangements, recordings and other materials describing the unique musical genre celebrated by this organization. This collection already resides in the Library of Congress.
Avocational a cappella ensembles of 4 to 20 singers that prepare their own repertoire and strive to perform - with excellence - contemporary, popular, folk, novelty and vocal jazz repertoire are encouraged to contact the AACA for information about membership. Its administrative offices are located in Shepherdstown, WV under supervision of newly-appointed AACA executive director William Howard.
AACA has no website as yet, but information about Spring Sing may be found at www.springsing.org.
Roland Sharette: rjsharette@cvjs.org
William Howard: bill@springsing.org
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Last Updated ( Monday, 28 November 2005 )
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