High School Music Festival Bringing Night Of 'A Cappella' To Newtown

NEWTOWN, PA — In what is expected to be another musical extravaganza, some of the best high school singers from across the region will be taking the stage at Council Rock North for this year’s “A Cappella at the Rock.”

Scheduled for Saturday, March 21 beginning at 7 p.m. at Council Rock High School North in Newtown, the high energy evening will open with performances by high school choirs from Bucks, Philadelphia and Delaware counties.

Making an appearance this year's show will be the Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush High School in Philadelphia (Rush Arts Chamber Singers), Council Rock High School North (Rhythm of the Rock), Council Rock High School South (The South Vocal Ensemble), Neshaminy High School (Select Choir), Philadelphia Performing Arts (String Theory Singers) and Ridley High School (Rhapsody).

“There are no instruments whatsoever. It’s just singing,” explains Council Rock North choir director Heather Brewer. “A lot of the schools will have choreography and dancing that will go along with the songs. It’s a lot like ‘Pitch Perfect,’” she said, referring to the popular comedic movie about the Barden Bellas, an all-female a cappella group.

After a short intermission, the show continues with a performance by the internationally known a cappella group, “Six Appeal,” a world-class vocal ensemble that originated in Minnesota while its six members were attending college there.

Members of the Rhythm of the Rock at last year's event with Walter Chase, one of the professional clinicians. (Courtesy of Council Rock)

Six Appeal will be performing as part of the special evening of music. (Courtesy of Six Appeal)

Six Appeal is now a two-time global champion of the genre after competing against nearly 200 groups from 26 different countries. Over their decade in the industry, Six Appeal has collaborated with notable artists Andy Grammer, Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, and Thundercat.

The evening reaches a crescendo when the six choirs join Six Appeal on stage for a combined performance of the song “Happy” by Pharrell Williams from the “Despicable Me” movies.

“It’s going to be an awesome show,” said Ben, a senior at North and a member of Rhythm of the Rock. “Just watching the hard work of the different groups coming together is amazing. And then you get to see the professional group perform. It’s the perfect balance of music and interaction. It’s a great event to experience.”

Brewer adds, “We already have more than 250 tickets sold so it’s definitely going to be a big crowd. The show is going to be high energy and very entertaining. It’s going to be an awesome night full of music.”

Before the evening show, Brewer said the groups will participate in afternoon workshops where they will share their love of singing with each other and hear from professionals, including Walter Chase from Straight No Chaser and Ben Spalding, who will offer tips on blending and sound.

“It’s a really awesome experience because we get to learn from professionals and we get to learn from each other too,” said Jack, a senior at North and a member of Rhythm of the Rock. “It’s a really fun experience.”

Tickets at $25 for adults and $15 for students are available at the door. All forms of payment will be accepted including credit card, cash, Venmo, Apple Pay.

The event is sponsored by Holland Floor Covering, Colonial Farms, Cramer’s Bakery, Fox and Roach Realtors - The Cosack Team, Oishi, Piccolo Trattoria, Newtown Rotary Club, Harvest Seasonal Grill, Higher Point General Contracting and John Kennedy Dealership.