Acaville Podcast Network Feed

You know when you watch a performer and you are immediately captivated by their magic? That's what you get from ARORA's Rachel Bearer, both on and off stage. On this week's Vocal HERspective, you'll hear about her slightly unconventional path into the ethereal, original electro-cappella sound we've come to know and love. Plus, more about all of the cool things she's working on now.

Members of Ann Arbor Skyline Blues talk about their new album, Light at the End, as well as what they are looking forward to now that they are back together. Listen to the album on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/artist/4ySggu9Fy1iAX8IX924j1a Check out the group's YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/user/AASkylineBlues

Talkappella is back and host Elicia Edwards makes a visit to San Francisco. This week's guest is Robert Lee, founder of The Vocal Gym , a member of the award-winning group, Ro Sham Bo, and an alumnus of The Jabberwocks of Brown University.

Blair Brown is trailblazing in the barbershop community - not just for women, but for all. A member of Double Date and the first ever non-male member of the Barbershop Harmony Society, she's also part of the most recent class of judge candidates. There's lots to unpack, but suffice to say, barbershop is in good hands with people like Blair. The interview premieres on Vocal HERspective at 6 pm Paci...

There's a lot to manage when putting on a big event or festival - from venues to performers to attendees or competitors. With all of the uncertainty in each of these areas, we wanted to check in with festival organizers about their approaches. We assembled Allison Miller Thompson, Conventions Director for Harmony, Inc.; Shannon McNulty, Co-Producer of NACC; and Pat Silver, Co-Producer of SING! Tor...

Pitch Fight is a 15 piece all-female identifying a cappella group from the University of Bristol. The group is competitive in competitions like VoiceFest and the ICCAs, in addition to being featured in Sky One's Sing: Ultimate A Cappella, and participating in Edinburgh Fringe. Rachael sits down with Helen, Emily, and Aashna to talk about the group's latest single, Thumbs, opb Sabrina Carpenter. Li...

On this episode of Aca-Education, Justin speaks with Wisconsin educator Lee Stovall about his work incorporating audio production into his classroom. Lee talks about how his a cappella beginnings and high level of interest in recording helped springboard the development of a ProTools-focused classroom for his high school students. Looking to incorporate recording in your classroom too? Lee has got...

This week on Vocal HERspective, Amanda catches up with the beautiful and talented human being that is Clare Wheeler. Accomplished performer, arranger, composer, conductor, and coach, you may know her best from her 11 years with The Swingles, but you'll want to hear the whole story!

Our panel - co-founders of The Ozarks, the Hawkettes, Inside Voices, and Fine Tuned - has started groups from scholastic through post-collegiate, and each has encountered bumps (and amazing experiences) along the way. We talk with them about their journeys, and what they've learned. From initial startup to knowing when to leave, we cover the whole process in this great episode!

Who knew an electric bassist would alter the landscape of a cappella recording forever? Bill Hare sits down on The Pulse for a special hour-long episode to talk about how it all came to be - the fortunate, unfortunate, and sometime bizarre series of events that have had an enormous impact on the art form. Learn more about Bill Hare at https://www.billhareacappella.com

On Episode 95, Amanda Pitts of Adrenaline chats about her life in barbershop - and don't let her age fool you - she was one of the youngest women ever to take the stage for Sweet Adelines International! Plus, there's lots more on the horizon.

On this episode of Aca-Education, Justin speaks with Sean Altman, co-founder of the legendary a cappella group , Rockapella. Sean talks about his time on Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, how he co-wrote the iconic theme song, and the many projects he has taken part in during his storied career. Resources: Sean Altman Website --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make...

From the racist foundations of BHS and Sweet Adelines to the current issues around opening barbershop to all genders - and making all feel welcome, included, and at home - there are many issues around inclusion in the close harmony world. From the culture of choruses and areas/regions to competition, we discuss many aspects in this episode, featuring Kohl Kitzmiller, Shana Oshiro, and Katie MacDon...

Kris and Amanda head to Toronto to chat with Jordana Talsky, an incredible performer and songwriter introduced to the wider world of a cappella through her involvement with the Sing! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival. The interview covers looping, the writing process, being in the studio, live performance and just the heart of what being a creative artist means. And even a little taste of her latest...

As collegiate a cappella groups are starting to meet in person again for the first time in over a year, there's a renewed emphasis on rebuilding, and working on cultural and musical needs. So where does competition fit into that picture? We talk with leaders from groups in the US and UK, including from the VCU Ramifications, UO Mind The Gap, and Exeter Illuminations, about their decision making pr...

When you think of barbershop families, the McAlexander family is impossible to miss. A fixture at conventions and a leader in community conversations, Ann McAlexander talks about how barbershop become integrated into their family life, watching her kids grow into their own in the artform, the direction she'd love the community to take, and why you should just come up and say hi.

EPISODE 50! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT EVERY WEEK! On this episode of Aca-Education, Justin speaks with Educator and Author Jen Rafferty, about finding our “Why”, our purpose and reasoning for how we approach our teaching, and how this philosophy translates into the classroom and a cappella world. Jen also discusses her new international virtual project, Sing Together...

For the most part, college campuses are back in person as they begin the 2021-22 school year. But what about student groups and ...gasp!... singing? And how do groups bounce back from a year in which most never connected in person and performances were virtual? We talk with directors from UCLA's Pitch Please, Penn's The Pennchants, Kings College London's Rolling Tones, and Buffalo's The Buffalo Ch...

On this episode of Aca-Education, Justin speaks with Amanda Hanzlik, choral director at E.O. Smith High School in Storrs, CT about her path to discovering contemporary a cappella and how she has incorporated it into her classroom. Justin and Amanda also discuss a variety of ideas and resources on how to find appropriate contemporary a cappella repertoire for your ensembles! Resources: ArrangeMe Al...

This week, Kris and Amanda sit down with Lynique Webster. Lynique cut through the crowd to have some of the most memorable collegiate performances in recent memory. From there, she took a chance on JUNE and launched Nomadic, a group with a bright future ahead. She shares her journey through grief and how her mom inspired to to cut to the chase.

It's almost Fall 2021, and Covid is still changing lots about our lives - so how are artists and groups adapting? How do you create - and live, if you're a professional musician - in a world where planning ahead means next week? Handling impacts on recruiting and group retention, deciding how and when to bring singers together to rehearse or perform, and when a box video makes sense. We cover it a...

There's a lot to be celebrated about taking risks, and Ariel Arbisser did just that. We promised to have her back to celebrate the release of her solo album, Risk of Love, and that moment is here! Hear more about the album, the process, and the importance of trust and collaboration in Episode 91!

On this episode of Aca-Education, Justin speaks with Nate Altimari, co-director of Rock Voices, America’s Community Rock Chorus. Nate talks about how his days in Hyannis Sound set the tone for his love of a cappella music, what Rock Voices is all about, and the value and importance of storytelling in solo singing. Resources: Rock Voices --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to...

On this episode of Aca-Education, Justin talks with composer Roger Emerson. With over 500 choral titles in print and over 15 million copies in circulation, Roger talks about his career as a music educator and composer, offers advice for teachers at all levels, and discusses some of the ins and outs of Copyright and Licensing. Resources: Roger Emerson ArrangeMe --- This episode is sponsored by · An...

On the Season 2 Premiere of Aca-Education, Justin talks with Justin Crichfield, vocal percussionist, arranger and producer about his musical journey. From his beginnings in Dayton, Ohio to his current work with ReVoiced, Justin talks about the extraordinary people he has worked with along the way and what lies ahead. Resources: ReVoiced EarCandy A Cappella Academy --- This episode is sponsored by...