We are excited to offer a reimagined A Cappella Festival, which will provide students with a full day of learning, a mass choir experience, and an evening concert. A Cappella groups of various levels are encouraged to participate. Intermediate/Advanced ensembles can opt into a featured performance spot in the evening concert and a one-on-one Master Class with our clinician. Beginning ensembles and individual A Cappella singers are encouraged to join by performing with the mass choir and observing clinics and performances throughout the day. 

High school and junior high/middle school contemporary and pop a cappella ensembles are welcome to attend! This is a non-adjudicated festival that features performances of genres such as jazz, barbershop, novelty, pop, contemporary a cappella, and more. We know that your students are doing beautiful work at Solo and Ensemble and Choral Festival, but here is a way to showcase the great work that your students are doing in these alternative genres.

Be the Audience! We strongly encourage groups to participate as audience members as well as performers for as much of the festival as possible.

Registration & Payment

• Intermediate/Advanced Ensemble Registration: Ensembles wishing to reserve a spot in the evening concert and a Master Class with our Clinician

• • Fees: $200

  • These students will perform in the Mass Choir, which will feature an arrangement by Rob Dietz.

  • First come/first serve, with adjustments to the schedule to accommodate as many groups as possible

  • Audition may be required if we have more groups than expected.

  
  

• Beginning Ensembles: Ensembles of four or more, wishing to participate by observing and performing in the Mass Choir

• • Fees: $100/per ensemble

  • These students will perform in the Mass Choir,
    

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• Individual Participation: Individuals wishing to participate by observing and performing in the Mass Choir 

• • Fees: $25/per performer. 

  • These students will also perform in the Mass Choir, which will feature an arrangement by Rob Dietz
    

• Audience: Audience members-suggested gift is $10 to help provide more quality a cappella experiences for MSVMA members. 

• • Evening Concert Only

  • No registration. Gifts can be made at the door. All are welcome!

Payment can be made by school check or director’s personal check payable to MSVMA and must be postmarked by the deadline. Fees can also be made via credit card. Purchase orders are acceptable at the postmark deadline, but the State Office must receive payment one week prior to the festival.

MSVMA

P.O. Box 1131 

Big Rapids, MI 49307

Festival Information

Each ensemble will perform one to three pieces of music in a contemporary A Cappella style (music is not to 

exceed 12 minutes) and will work with a clinician who will provide expert advice from within the field of A Cappella. For the groups that are able to sing more than one piece of music, we suggest one of the pieces be performed in a “classic” A Cappella style (open to interpretation at this point). It is expected that participants will follow the spirit of copyright law.

Movement or choreography appropriate to the style of your selections is encouraged, but choreography is

not required.

The festival will be recorded for archival purposes and the director of each group will receive a copy of their

group’s performance.