Vocal HERSpective

We've reached Episode 25 (!) tonight with a woman who excels in many avenues of a cappella. Whether it be on stage with Musae or creating some of the best recorded a cappella out there, Angela Ugolini stands out. And she's just getting started.

On Episode 24 we chat with Cassie Greene, a member of Business Casual. Even though this group isn't a full-time endeavor, they've seen some incredible success- including a National Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival title, winning the VoiceJam Festival and earning a ticket to Vocal Asia, and two trips to the Varsity Vocals AcaOpen Finals.

We are back with the first episode of 2020 with none other than Lisa Forkish! From Divisi, to Vocal Rush to HIVE and even more in between, Lisa is a champion of inclusivity in the a cappella community. Whether it be through the many years of work with the Women's A Cappella Association, being the driving force behind WeSing, writing original music, or being a constant mentor and coach to all, Lisa...

If there were a poster woman for girl power, Judy Fontana Minkoff might just be it. This DC area native has taken the NYC a cappella scene by storm, leading the SingStrong Single Singers and founding the 2016 Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival Champions and headliners for SoJam and Kettering National A Cappella Festival, Stiletta. And, as all of the Acaville original content, we'll be on brea...

Vocal HERspective is back for Episode 21 with quite possibly the most genuine human on the planet - Hannah Juliano! From a late start in singing, to success with Pitch Slapped, national tours, Super Bowl commercials, and now a second year on stage with the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes, there is just so much to learn from her journey. Plus she's the perfect feel good interview for this week of g...

What started as a fun experience in a service oriented a cappella group at UCLA has led to a full career in sound engineer at Stanford. In addition to working as a lecturer in studio engineering, Elena Georgieva also records and runs live sound for the a cappella groups at Stanford.

Since 2003, Sara Yood has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to keep Varsity Vocals growing and running smoothly. These days you can find her backstage orchestrating Finals in NYC and doing it with incredible poise. All on top of her day job as an IP lawyer in NYC.

College isn't too early to start making an impact. Amanda Purdue is the music director of the ACAbellas at Central Connecticut State University. She's also been a part of the leadership team of the school's a cappella society for the last few years. Under her guidance, the a cappella community at CCSU has grown significantly stronger, with more involvement, more outreach, and more impact on the co...

Owner of Viridian Productions and owning the stage with Musae, Mel Daneke is changing the game. Studying Vocal Performance, Audio Production, and Music Education at Ithaca College, Mel got her a cappella start with Premium Blend. She’s gone on to tour the world and has landed tracks on all of the major compilations. Rachael and Amanda also discuss how to plan ahead for what to do after your compet...

Vocal HERspective is back with Episode 16 for an interview with another leader in the NYC a cappella scene. All-Night Yahtzee alumna Caitlin Nelson now sings with Concrete among many other projects.

Treble has been successfully navigating the post-collegiate a cappella scene since before the latest crop of recent grads was born. Longtime music director, Meredith Strang is a large part of their continued success and she has plenty of advice to offer on longevity, group dynamics, arranging for treble voices and more.

This week we're talking with Giorgia Renosto of Women of the World. She started in a family full of musicians in Italy with a dream of attending Berklee College of Music. Making that dream come true led her to becoming part of one of the most powerful quartets in the world.

Kristina Adams is a two-time Harmony Queen and longtime music educator. We like to call her the barbershop whisperer as what this singer does is nothing short of magic. Kris talks about singing, teaching, and even some new way she is incorporating music into her life and career.

Tonight on Vocal HERspective Amanda & Rachael sit down with Esin Ozlem Aydingoz, part of the music team for DCappella. This Berklee College of Music grad is not only chasing her dreams, but making them a reality.

Episode 11 and we're feeling super lucky to sit down with Meron Mogos! Think you might be interested in event planning? You don't want to miss this golden advice from CASA - The Contemporary A Cappella Society's Director of Events. She also happens to be the powerful and sultry voice that brings the low notes for VXN, a successful long distance vocal group.

Episode 10! We've hit double digits! This week we are featuring the incredible Shana Oshiro, of HALO Quartet/HALO, Incorporated whose quartet is taking barbershop well beyond entertainment with their Race and #RealTalk seminars.

Ellie Brigida brings drive and confidence that we wish more people had. Mix that with her strong natural talent and skills acquired of several years of focused work, she also strongly believes in the concept that the sky is brighter with more than one star.

Anne Bureau is Musical Director of The Liberty Belles Chorus and North Pennsmen Barbershop Chorus, Music Judge, International Quartet Champion and true QUEEN in every sense of the word. Anne brings an exuberant energy to everything she does and her joy is nothing short of infectious.

Amanda and Rachael interview Gina Deaton. If you don't know this name yet, you should - she keeps CASA running and running well! Learn more about the initiatives of the latest generation of CASA leadership and how the organization's commitment to the community goes far beyond the music.

Currently on the leadership team of Haunted Harmonies, Amy Malkoff is a foundational member of the a cappella community who continues to be a driving force in the management and development of a lot of the things we all hold dear. Amanda and Rachael also discuss the ups and downs of the inner circles of the a cappella community and groups. Learn more about Amy at: https://www.amymalkoffmusic.com.

This week Rachael chats with guest Amanda Newman, Executive Director of Varsity Vocals! The collective wisdom of women in leadership roles in a cappella is tremendous and this episode is another great example of that. Learn more about Amanda and Varsity Vocals at: http://varsityvocals.com.

This week Amanda and Rachael chat with 3 time Harmony Queen, Katie Taylor. A barberbrat turned barbershopper at the age of 12, we learned a lot from this amazing singer, teacher, and community leader. Also, find out why we brought up Hannah Juliano, The Edge Effect, Hamilton, and Shoshana Bean! Learn more about Katie on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/katie.taylor.146612

Amy Engelhardt spent 13 years as the sole female member of Grammy-nominated vocal "band without instruments," The Bobs, winning numerous ASCAP songwriting and ACA vocal performance awards for her writing, arrangements and vocals with the band. Learn more about Amy on her website: http://amy-engelhardt.blogspot.com.

Kari Francis has a long and storied a cappella history - from her college days with The Tritones and The Daughters of Triton to founding Musae to her most recent turn with the Sirens of Gothem - she has an unparalleled depth and breadth of knowledge. Check out what Kari has to say about her experience in a cappella and her thoughts on the roles female and female-identifying persons play! Learn mor...

Hosts Amanda Cornaglia and Rachael Schoenbaum interview each other in this very first episode of Vocal HERSpective!