ACA-Idol is a fast-paced competition with big money at stake!
Groups perform for 10 minutes. A panel of judges gives live feedback.
You, the audience vote by cel phone to decide which group -College or Pro- wins $1,000! (Rules here).
Competitors each give their best 10 minutes. Bid at the Silent Auction too! Competors will all compete for your love and votes in this show!
Competitors are announced here as they complete their confirmation process!
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!
Gather at 10:15 in the main theatre. And please be silent as there are other sound checks occurring!
At 10:30 SHARP it will be YOUR turn to soundcheck! Follow the instructions of your director and the sound engineer and enjoy the massive sound system and multitudinous wireless microphones!
Click here for information on the Single Singers, SingStrong’s open group that anyone can join!
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.
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!
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!
Kevin Child Hosts performances of SYNG Select, Unaccompanied Minors, Noteworthy and Heartfelt.
Anyone with a ClassPass, VIP Pass, Full Weekend Pass or Discount Weekend Pass may attend for FREE!
Pro, Semi-Pro, Collegiate and sometimes even HS groups of all types strut their stuff in a casual, non-competitive showcase.
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!
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.
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.
7PM -8:30 with these Pro Groups !
See the best professional groups in fast-paced sets. Each Pro Show is different!
The Weekend’s Performers
The Concert Schedule
Doors open 30 minutes in advance. Stadium seating.
9:30 with Pro Groups and more!
See the best professional groups in fast-paced sets. Each Pro Show is different!
The Weekend’s Performers
The Concert Schedule
Doors open 30 minutes in advance. Stadium seating.
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.
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 !
Pro Show 3 with pro artists and more!
The Weekend’s Performers: http://newyork.singstrong.org/performers.html
The Concert Schedule: http://newyork.singstrong.org/concert-schedule.html
Doors open 30 minutes in advance. Stadium seating.