Blockbuster A Cappella Fundraiser to Remember Catherine Malatesta, 16 Year Old Local Cancer Victim

ARLINGTON, MA - On January 20, 2017, at 7:00 p.m. in the Lowe Auditorium at Arlington High School, six spectacular local a cappella singing groups will assemble for a beautiful tribute and benefit concert, the A CATpella Festival to Belt Out Cancer. The event will honor the bright life and beautiful spirit of Catherine Malatesta of Arlington, Mass. who died in August 2015 from epithelioid sarcoma, an extremely rare form of cancer, after a courageous seven-month battle. The festival will benefit the Sarcoma Foundation of America and the Catherine J. Malatesta Scholarship Fund.

Headlining the program is Vocal Revolution, one of New England’s top-ranked male vocal ensembles and the Season 2 Champions of WGBH’s “Sing that Thing” amateur singing competition show. Tufts Beelzebubs, Tufts University’s oldest all male a cappella group and runner-up on NBC’s “The Sing Off,” will headline the collegiate and high school line up. The Master of Ceremonies will be singer and actress Alexandra Socha, Broadway actress and star of the Amazon Prime series, Red Oaks.

Other featured acts include:

• Bentley University’s Off the Clock co-ed ensemble
• Arlington High School’s Madrigal Singers
• Winchester High School’s Octets
• Wellesley High School’s Inchordination

“The Sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA) is honored not only to be the beneficiary of the ‘A CATpella Festival to Belt Out Cancer,’ but also to be a part of a night that honors the memory of Catherine (Cat) Malatesta,” said Bert E. Thomas IV, CEO of SFA.. “Sarcoma is a devastating and rare cancer (1% of all cancers) that is unfortunately more prevalent in pediatric and young adult groups (15%). Events like this not only raise much needed awareness for the disease, but also generate vital funds that aide the SFA in our mission to find the cure for sarcoma. Money raised from the festival will help us in our efforts to fund and encourage the innovative research that will lead to new therapeutic options for all sarcomas, including Epithelioid sarcoma, of which there are less than 12 new cases a year in the United States.”

Catherine Malatesta died one month before she was to enter her senior year at Arlington High School. An honors student who had been voted Student Council President and field hockey captain, Catherine also rowed Varsity Crew and was a beloved friend to all who knew her. Her light shined most bright on stage where from a very early age Catherine sang in her church and elementary school choruses and in local musicals. By middle school, Catherine advanced to the select chorus where she loved the challenge of the complex choral pieces and landed the leads in school plays. In high school, Catherine participated in the Gilbert & Sullivan Club school plays and earned a coveted spot in the Madrigal Singers group. Catherine loved the feeling of camaraderie and community that singing in a group provided. Her last performance was on May 2, 2015, during the throes of chemotherapy treatments, a mere three months prior to her death.

The festival will also benefit the Catherine J. Malatesta Scholarship Fund. The scholarship will be awarded to two graduating, college bound seniors at Arlington High School whose high school experiences mostly closely mirror Catherine’s in the areas of performing arts, varsity sports, and strong leadership skills.

Tickets are $15 per person and are available online at www.catherinemalatesta/a-catpella-festival. There is a snow date of Sunday, January 22, 2017 at 2pm.

For more information about the benefit concert, please visit www.catherinemalatesta.com/a-catpella-festival or call 781-710-7823.