HS Competitors arrive and get settled, warmed-up and ready to show the judges what they’ve got!
Note that all competing HS groups should attend the orientation. You will need the information we give you there.
Soundcheck will follow. Note that soundcheck are generally open for other (quiet) competitors to view. It’s a great learning experience!
Once a group has completed their own sound-check, their members may stay or are free to attend classes, Spotlight Showcases, their group’s coaching and more.
Have fun!
All high school competitors start off right here to soundcheck.
If you are a HS Competitor, your schedule may look like this.
Harmony in the morning?! Yes please! Early birds will delight and late risers will get the blood going as members of the incredible, award-winning Midtown barbershop quartet teach everyone a few tags! And, for non-barbershoppers, what are tags? They are the best part of the songs, the rich part, the part that sends it over the top. And YOU’LL be the one singing, so pick your part and come out to this hands-on class! Competitors, this just might be the class that helps you take your blend to the next level! So don’t think it only applies to barber shoppers. This class is for all singers!
You’ve never tried beatboxing before?! Well here’s your chance! Spiderhorse and friends will get you from zero to hero in no time! Bring your boots and cats! (It’s your first lesson! Say “boots-and-cats” quickly and you’ll be beatboxing in no time!
Learn to sing two notes at the same time.
Do you really need more information than that? Ok. Maybe you do!
Overtone Singing is a technique that enables one vocalist to produce and, with a bit of practice, control two notes simultaneously.
Overtone singing can be used in various contexts, from emulating synthesized sounds to full self-polyphony. When multiple voices come together to sing in this style, a relaxing, glowing atmosphere is created. This workshop will explain the theory behind overtone singing and teach the basic techniques of producing them.
Singing in harmony can challenge even the most talented of singers. Learn the techniques that make ensembles come alive right from the reigning NY and National Harmony Sweepstakes Champions, Resolve!
Lip buzz is a technique that any gender can use to generate deep rumbling pitches -exactly the kind you need for modern music. Throat Bass is another vocal technique that accomplished this goal. It’s common to both Tuvan overtone singers and beatboxers. Using this approach, singers can generate a pitch which is one octave lower than a typical bass’s lowest sung notes. Some feel the sound is reminiscent of the Mongolian region while others feel the sound is more akin to electronica and dubstep. Whatever your connotations, this unique style adds a wealth of potential expression and power to any group.
Spiderhorse, winner of the 2019 ACA-OPEN and International and American Beatbox championships leads this exploration of these specialized vocal techniques.
You may have more questions – and hopefully you will find the answers in this workshop. We will look at a selection of arrangement examples and explore different methods, ’rules’ and arrangement techniques within modern Scandinavian vocal music.
Star of Lifetime’s TV show, “PitchSlapped,” Diana Preisler is known as “The ACA-COACH.”
Diana says this: “They see you louder than they hear you.”
The Broadway performer, film actress (Oscar Nominated “Chico and Rita”), singer and manager of Blue Jupiter will show you how to make that message work for you. Groups will hop on stage and have their performance crafted to perfection.
This seminar is one of our most popular! Have your group come ready to perform!
Your vocal health means everything! Trained singer turned Speech Pathologist, Lynda Antonetti shows singers and beatboxers the path to a healthy voice.
Beatboxers, have you ever wondered about the impact of your sound effects on your vocal folds? Lynda will discuss the surprising implications of beatboxing on your vocal health.
Singers, have you noticed that some artists “can’t do it live”? For some singers using some techniques, the sound they achieve in studio isn’t sustainable in a live setting. It does too much damage to the vocal chords. How can you tell if you’re doing things the healthy way or not?
This class examines the voice as an instrument and the singer as an athlete. Lynda helps you determine what type of voice user you are, and most importantly, points out the common pitfalls that hurt singers and how to avoid them.
Lynda A. Antonetti MS, CCC-SLP holds a Bachelors of Science in Speech Pathology from SUNY Geneseo, and her masters from NOVA Southeastern University. She’s been a certified Speech Language Pathologist since 1998, but she’s been a singer all her life with formal vocal lessons beginning at the age of 9. Lynda’s focus is on the need for Speech Pathology in the world of entertainment. Her clients include both adults and children with a variety of disabilities, however her passion is to educate those who use their voices for their career.
With just a quick touch upon the basics, this class will quickly move on to more advanced concepts in overtone singing, including varying styles and techniques and the application of overtone singing within the ensemble setting.
Improvising Vocal Arrangements -even with a choir-sized group – is easier than you think! Using a combination of improvisation games from Bobby McFerrin, Rhiannon, Roger Treece, Michelle Weir and more, participants will learn several methods of creating pop vocal arrangements.
All the games and exercises can be applied to any singing group -whether your ensemble is large or small, or even occasionally sings (gasp!) with instruments (we won’t tell anyone).
World renown beatboxers display their impressive beatboxing chops and then show you how the magic is made!
Author/performer/conductor Tine Fris-Ronsfeld from Postyr and SYNG Selected will lead a playful workshop based on the book “ICEBREAKERS– A PracticalApproach To Group Dynamics”.
Icebreakers are games and exercises that bring people of all ages
together. Through icebreakers the participants share new experiences.
Icebreakers facilitate a positive atmosphere and strengthen the social
bonds of a group, using music and games to get there.
During this workshop you will be introduced to different approaches to
working on group dynamics. We will practice some exercises to improve
the cooperation, communication, concentration and grounding skills of
the group, and use games and much more.
With a fun and playful approach, the workshop will be a combination of
exercises, games and reflection.
About
Tine Fris
Tine Fris is a Danish singer well-known through out the choir and vocal
music scene for her remarkable voice and stage presence, her innovative
arrangements for the Danish pop choir sensation Vocal Line and for her
catchy compositions for the electronic vocal group Postyr Project, with
whom she has been touring Europe, the US and Asia since 2011.
Tine Fris is a graduate of The Royal Academy of Music in Denmark, where
she had the honor of performing for Her Royal
Majesty the Queen of Denmark.
As a teacher, Tine Fris has more than 10 years of experience teaching
soloists, choirs and vocal groups from amateur to professional level in
singing, performance and icebreakers.
This rehearsal is for the Single Singers, an open a cappella group that YOU can join!
This group is for any singer at any level who is willing to learn the material on his or her own, prior to coming to SingStrong, and willing to perform on stage after just one day together!
We won’t have time to plunk notes so make sure you know your part! (You’ll also need a weekend pass (discount, adult or VIP) or a class pass to participate.)
Contact your director for learning materials, and get ready to sing your heart out!
Participation will cause you to miss a portion of the Saturday 2PM HS Finals in which the top 8 (or more) HS Groups compete.
You will be performing at the Saturday 2PM concert during the judge’s deliberations.
HS groups performing in the Sat 2PM Show have a backstage call for the HS Competition at this time.
You will be led to your assigned green room/backstage area.
2:00 HS Finals begins! Break a leg!
Hello Judges for the Saturday 2PM HS Competition!
2:00 HS Finals begins!
Judge wisely!
The best High School groups get only 8 minutes of stage time to impress a team of respected a cappella experts as they compete for trophies. The Single Singers, an open a cappella group that you can join, perform while the judges deliberate.
These Swedes have a distinctive approach to creating their sound. From blend to philosophy, let this award winning group share the knowledge they’ve accumulated in over 20 years of making original, groundbreaking a cappella.
Show business is a trap for the unwary!The laws and customs of the business we call “show” are often unintuitive and confusing. What you don’t know can hurt you and knowledge definitely is power! But don’t get scared, get empowered, the fun way with Kris Vicencio, Esq.! Kris will help you avoid the big dangers and grasp the key concepts that every musician needs to know. Yes it’s #adulting but that’s so much better than #waitingtablesinsteadofperforming
The Science of Sound
- Can science really teach you how to sing better? Come get a glimpse into the exciting and nerdy world of vocal pedagogy.
For the first time in history, a world renown beatbox “ensemble” has won a major contemporary a cappella competition. Beatbox skills alone don’t account for their win. Arranging played a pivotal role. Spiderhorse, the 2019 Aca-Open Champions will break down their unique arranging style. Texture, register and harmonic choices all play a part in creating impactful arrangements under their approach. This is a class that’s as appropriate for beginners as it is for advanced students.
What’s the difference? Are they the same? Is it one, or the other? Can you be both? Learn when and how to apply these different titles when performing to take your artistry to the next level.
No words. Just an entire class of meditative drone and shimmering, soaring harmonics to lift the spirits. All participants and teachers will be singing together.
(Ok. There might be just a few words…)
Some bass technique. Some vocal percussion. And most importantly, the insane skill of doing both at the same time. Whether you learn it for bragging rights, just for a hot moment in your show, or to pay one less person in your pro group, this is a skill worth having! Learn the ins and outs of this art form from Sebastian Rilton, founder and one-man rhythm section of the award winning Swedish powerhouse, Riltons Vanner.
Live Looping allows performers to expand what a soloist can do and what “in the moment” really means. Using simple technology, any sung line can be repeated, or looped, allowing the singer to harmonize with herself. This process allows a single performer to create a dense, multi-layered performance without the need for pre-recorded tracks or additional singers. Come see how the award-winning composer/performer Grace McLean approaches this unique art form!
Famed composer Jason Robert Brown describes Grace McLean as “unlike anything I have ever experienced in a theater in my life. At every moment, there is a fierce pioneering inventiveness.” Huff Post calls her “Electrifying!” Fans know her from Broadway musical, “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812″ as well as her season-long run at Lincoln Center starring in the original musical which she composed, “In the Green”. She is the 2017 recipient of the Hunt Family Emerging Artist Award through Lincoln Center. Manhattan User’s Guide writes, “This pop and jazz singer writes seriously infectious melodies with seriously antic lyrics. Her voice can raise the roof, or she can slide off a note and break your heart.” Compared to artists like Kimbra and Julia Easterlin, once McLean begins, you won’t be able to take your eyes off her for a moment.
Singing in harmony can challenge even the most talented of singers. Learn the techniques that make ensembles come alive right from the reigning NY and National Harmony Sweepstakes Champions, Resolve!
Beatbox
Christian Fris-Ronsfeld teaches this class about stage presence and energy!
How do I find the right energy on stage ?
How do we ensure that our choir performance doesn’t just sound great, but also looks great ?
How can we unify and synchronise our movements as a group while still maintaining our individuality and perform with integrity ?
In this workshop we learn a few methods of how we can move in a choir with a sense of style and authenticity.
These methods are not just theoretical, but we will apply them straight away with songs and pieces of sample
music. Our focus is on how to be in contact and interaction with our fellow singers and on being conscious how our movements can affect an audience.
We’ll work with different levels of energy that can help amplify the musical expression.
Expect this to be fun – Let’s get the party started !
Arranging is hard enough when it’s only about notes. Add syllables in and you face a completely separate challenge. What’s too busy? What’s too plain? What’s off-putting? What enhances the music and what distracts? John David Maybury leads an interactive class that explores emotional intention and artistry as drivers behind the selection and performance of background syllables. So come on! Get’s doo-doo-doo this! Feel free to bring YOUR arrangements for coaching as part of the class! Heartfelt are on board to share their arrangements! Maybe you will too!