By Katie Ryu
On Saturday, February 15, 2020, all four of Granada Hills Charter’s (GHC) acapella groups will be competing at the International Competition for High School Acapella (ICHSA). Acafellas, Happily Ever After, Once Upon A Time, and Syncopella qualified and will sing at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City, California. The groups qualified for the quarterfinals.
The qualification process was a selective and competitive one, with groups from the United States and Canada submitting an audition tape with three songs. The organization hosting ICHSA, Varsity Vocals, has brought acapella groups together for competitions every season since 1995.
Acapella is music without instrumental accompaniment, with all the percussion made by the voices of the performers. High school acapella at GHC takes its form through various groups of students from different grades, programs, and activities singing together.
The GHC groups are now one of the top acapella groups in California. Groups who rank top three in the state will qualify to semifinals in Salem, Oregon. The ultimate goal is to reach finals. All competing groups in the ICHSA will be performing three new songs in their sets.
It is extremely rare and unprecedented that all four of GHC’s acapella groups qualified, with only two groups having qualified together in years prior. All their sets, showcases, and performances have led to this incredible opportunity.
“We’ve been working so hard all semester and we are so excited to showcase that in February,” junior and Happily Ever After baritone Elisabeth Dominguez said.
The groups will be paying for the trip with their own money, which will be earned through fundraisers, one of which will be their Winter Show at Vincenzo’s Pizza in Granada Hills on December 20. All acapella groups will be performing and any one can attend to show his/her/their support. Be sure to attend this show and support acappella’s endeavours at ICHSA.
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