Acaville Podcast Network Feed

What better time to highlight educators in the a cappella community than right now? In Episode 37, we sit down with Amanda Roeder, the choir director at Chelmsford High School who works with The Crescendos and The Thursdays as well as many a cappella events in the Boston area.

On Episode 105 of Talkappella, Brian and Elicia chat with all 4 members of GQ! 3rd place medalists for Sweet Adelines International, this group not only embraces barbershop, but also many other styles and influences of music. Get to know more about this award-winning quartet at 8 pm EDT/5 pm PDT - free at acaville.org!

Hum A Cappella was founded in 2001 and is the South Asian a cappella group at the University of Texas at Austin. Hum blends cultures and puts a unique spin on both Hindi and English songs. From its six-member inception, Hum has evolved into a group of highly dynamic vocalists who arrange all of their songs by themselves. They have competed at a variety of local and national competitions including...

In Hindi, ‘Dhunki’ means ‘spellbound.’ The name also contains the Hindi word ‘Dhun,’ which means ‘tune’ or ‘melody.’ This Hindi name symbolizes this group’s focus on the areas of South Asian music and culture. The group's goal is to spread their culture throughout the community by the means of a unique style of music in which Eastern and Western themes collide in intricately arranged mashups. Lear...

One of the many purposes of art is to challenge yourself and your audience and sometimes that spurs a little controversy. Brittany Russell and Gestalt are making waves and that's one of the topics of discussion in Episode 36 .

Talkappella is back tonight with Episode 104 and Elise Hackl of Varsity Vocals, talking about the behind the scenes work of ICCA and ICHSA, the real benefits of competition, and what happens next.

SoundWave is SDSU's first and only co-ed a cappella group. SoundWave's goal is to splash the audience with a powerful wave of sound, leaving them wet and wanting more. Their musical repertoire consists of the best guilty pleasures of the past and present, with diverse musical genres. Get ready for a wild ride full of amazing music and exciting choreography. We sat down with the group after their I...

This week on Episode 35, we went a little unconventional. Leslie Kekuewa and Pitches Be Crazy don't fit the mold of typical a cappella and they embrace it in a way we hope more singers will. Tune in for an interview that talks diving in, real commitment, and putting on a show.

The Smiffenpoofs originated in 1936 after a group of Smithies attended a Yale picnic where the Whiffenpoofs performed. The Smithies were so impressed by the Whiffs' camaraderie and musicality that they decided to form the first women's collegiate a cappella group in the nation, modeling it after the Whiffs and adopting a similar name in their honor. As the story goes, it was on November 23, 1936,...

On Episode 34, Amanda and Rachael sit down with former Acaville Radio Intern, McKinley Merritt, who was a founder of VOLT. Explore the process of concept through finding success in the collegiate scene, with great tips on getting your own collegiate group off the ground.

While in the Boston area earlier in 2020, we were delighted to spend some time with Voices of Soul from Brandeis University. In 2019, they launched a new event bringing together collegiate groups from around Boston, and we talked about where that might go in the future, along with how they had been taking advantage of a low-turnover year. We also lament the death of their "King Of Getting Things D...

Led by Christopher Diaz, the Ars Nova from Dayton, Ohio's Miami Valley School hasn't been around all that long - but in only a handful of years, they've developed a sound that's impressive. The school (Pre-K through 12th grade) has only about 500 students, and we talk with the group about arts programs in such a small school. We discuss the decisions they're making around their first album, and lo...

We sat down with The Conchords from Guildhall School of Music back in January and are airing our interview with the group from back then, along with their 2020 ICCA set, which earned the the right to compete in finals. Originally aired March 30th, 2020. (Note: Due to the coronavirus, all ICCA and ICHSA competitions have been cancelled. We reached out to competing groups to give them a chance to sh...

Their school year may have been cut short, but there's still plenty to talk about with Beauties and the Beat A Cappella on this episode of Talkappella! Join us as we discuss the complexities and challenges of being an all-female a cappella group, as well as take a deep dive into the group's award-winning 2020 ICCA set. PLUS, we welcome a brand new co-host with Episode 103. Elicia Edwards of Invers...

An interview with a cappella group The Hofbeats from Hofstra University. Originally aired March 30th, 2020. (Note: Due to the coronavirus, all ICCA and ICHSA competitions have been cancelled. We reached out to competing groups to give them a chance to share their sets and talk about them and present them here for you unedited and in their entirety.) You can watch the set in its entirety here: http...

An interview with a cappella group The Pitchmen from Belmont University. Originally aired March 30th, 2020. (Note: Due to the coronavirus, all ICCA and ICHSA competitions have been cancelled. We reached out to competing groups to give them a chance to share their sets and talk about them and present them here for you unedited and in their entirety.) You can watch the set in its entirety here: http...

An interview with a cappella group PFC from MacArthur High School in San Antonio, TX. Originally aired March 30th, 2020. (Note: Due to the coronavirus, all ICCA and ICHSA competitions have been cancelled. We reached out to competing groups to give them a chance to share their sets and talk about them and present them here for you unedited and in their entirety.) You can watch the set in its entire...

Hailing from Brisbane, MVP are a new band that are blurring the lines of pop music and a cappella. Blending vocal harmonies and percussion with loop stations, samplers and effects, every sound made by MVP is produced by the human voice. The girls have been making a name for themselves in the contemporary a cappella world, winning awards for their arrangements and original music through AUSACA (the...

On Episode 33, Amanda and Rachael chat with Lisa McNulty. From classical training at Peabody Conservatory to blazing trails with Ember, Lisa is one to watch. Listen in to find out why!

An interview with a cappella group Duly Noted from Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport TN. Originally aired March 23rd, 2020. (Note: Due to the coronavirus, all ICCA and ICHSA competitions have been cancelled. We still aired our interview in its entirety and unedited to give the affected groups the chance to still share their stories and their music.) The group shared their entire 2020 ICHSA s...

An interview with a cappella group The Buffalo Chips from SUNY at Buffalo. Originally aired March 23rd, 2020. (Note: Due to the coronavirus, all ICCA and ICHSA competitions have been cancelled. We still aired our interview in its entirety and unedited to give the affected groups the chance to still share their stories and their music.) Learn more about the group here: https://www.facebook.com/TheB...

An interview with a cappella group The Choralaires from Silverton High School in Silverton, OR. Originally aired March 23rd, 2020. (Note: Due to the coronavirus, all ICCA and ICHSA competitions have been cancelled. We still aired our interview in its entirety and unedited to give the affected groups the chance to still share their stories and their music.) Learn more about the group here: https://...

An interview with a cappella group Hawkward from Roger Williams University. Originally aired March 23rd, 2020. (Note: Due to the coronavirus, all ICCA and ICHSA competitions have been cancelled. We still aired our interview in its entirety and unedited to give the affected groups the chance to still share their stories and their music.) Learn more about the group here: https://www.facebook.com/rwu...

In the spring of 1949 a group of MIT students came together to form the Logarhythms, MIT’s premier all male a cappella group. Building upon the influence of barbershop tunes they swiftly began singing all over campus, building a fan base throughout Cambridge. Over the next few decades the ‘Logs’ introduced gospel, doo-wop, and modern hits, performing at several MIT events including Commencement. W...

A teacher. A director. A performer. At the heart of the huge undertaking that is The National A Cappella Convention. For Episode 32 of Vocal HERspective, Amanda and Rachael sit down with Shannon McNulty, to talk about all of these things and more.