National Championship of High School A Cappella Takes Stage in Washington

National Championship of High School A Cappella Takes Stage in Washington

Regional Champions Strive for Inaugural National Title

WASHINGTON, May 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Championship of High School A Cappella will be held May 8 at George Washington University's Lisner Auditorium. The event will include vocal performances by five high school groups that earned invitations by winning regional contests in April. The winner of the May performance will be named the first National Champion of High School A Cappella.

The show, beginning at 3 p.m. will open with a performance by powerful professional a cappella headliners, Blue Jupiter. It is the culmination of the 2005 NCHSA, a tournament-style competition series that began in late 2004 with a taped audition process, selecting the competitors for the state-level championships, followed by regional events in early 2005. Regional winners from around the country will be competing for this one-of-a-kind title.

"The presence and level of showmanship these students have exhibited in each step of the competition thus far has been extraordinary," said Mark Surprenant, executive director of NCHSA. "The National show is sure to bring out the absolute best of the best.

"In opening the doors for these student groups to compete, we've created a stage where high school a cappella ensembles can strive for excellence and interact with each other on a national scale, thereby adding to the development and expansion of contemporary a cappella at the high school level and beyond."

Tickets for the May 8 show are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 1-866-483-1615. Tickets range in price from $10 to $25. A limited number of tickets are available at the Lisner Auditorium box office. More information on the tournament is available at http://www.hsacappella.org/ . Participating high school groups in the National Championship are as follows:

* Burlington High School Burlington, WI A Cappella Choir * Cherry Hill High School West Cherry Hill, NJ Fermata * Cheyenne Mountain High School Colorado Springs, CO Crimson * Leon High School Tallahassee, FL Mane Event * The Masters School Dobbs Ferry, NY Dobbs 16

"A Cappella" music, or singing without instrumental accompaniment, has existed in its most traditional form for well over a thousand years. The contemporary version of the art form, developed over the last century, has seen an evolution that now includes more modern genres from doo-wop to jazz to rock, R&B, and other popular styles. This trend toward more popular contemporary music is fueled by high-profile professional groups such as The Nylons, Rockapella and The House Jacks, as well as thousands of collegiate and high school groups. Contemporary a cappella is one of the fastest growing musical styles today.

About The National Championship of High School A Cappella (NCHSA):

The National Championship of High School A Cappella is the first and only national-scale contemporary a cappella competition in the United States specifically targeted toward high school ensembles. Founded in 2004, NCHSA provides high school ensembles with performance experiences, opportunities to learn and develop, and the chance to collaborate with each other on a national stage. NCHSA joins national-scale events for professional and collegiate groups as the only competition specifically for high school a cappella ensembles.

Source: The National Championship of High School A Cappella

CONTACT: Mark Surprenant, Executive Director of The National Championship of High School A Cappella, +1-734-483-1615; or Kelly Hoover of John Bailey & Associates Public Relations, +1-248-362-4200, khoover@baileypr.com

Web site: http://www.hsacappella.org/

NOTE TO EDITORS: To arrange an interview with a NCHSA representative or participating student group, please contact Kelly Hoover at +1-248-362-4200 x245. Live performances the morning of the show (May 8), and also the morning after the show (May 9) may also be scheduled based on group availability. Please contact Kelly Hoover at the above number to book a live performance on your morning show. Thank you!

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