We are excited to offer a reimagined A Cappella Festival, which will provide students with a full day of learning, a mass choir experience, and an evening concert. A Cappella groups of various levels are encouraged to participate. Intermediate/Advanced ensembles can opt into a featured performance spot in the evening concert and a one-on-one Master Class with our clinician. Beginning ensembles and individual A Cappella singers are encouraged to join by performing with the mass choir and observing clinics and performances throughout the day. 

High school and junior high/middle school contemporary and pop a cappella ensembles are welcome to attend! This is a non-adjudicated Festival that features performances of genres such as jazz, barbershop, novelty, pop, contemporary a cappella, and more. We know that your students are doing beautiful work at Solo and Ensemble and Choral Festival. This Festival showcase the great work that your students are doing in these alternative genres.

Be the Audience! We strongly encourage groups to participate as audience members as well as performers for as much of the Festival as possible.

Registration & Payment

• Intermediate/Advanced Ensemble Registration: Ensembles wishing to reserve a spot in the evening concert and a Master Class with our Clinician

• • Fees: $200

  • These students will perform in the Mass Choir featuring an arrangement by Rob Dietz.

  • First come/first serve, with adjustments to the schedule to accommodate as many groups as possible.

  • Audition may be required depending on registration.

  
  

• Beginning Ensembles: Ensembles of four or more, wishing to participate by observing and performing in the Mass Choir

• • Fees: $100/per ensemble

  • These students will perform in the Mass Choir featuring an arrangement by Rob Dietz.
    

•  

• Individual Participation: Individuals wishing to participate by observing and performing in the Mass Choir 

• • Fees: $25/per performer. 

  • Students also will perform in the Mass Choir featuring an arrangement by Rob Dietz.
    

• Audience: Audience members - suggested gift is $10 to help provide more quality a cappella experiences for MSVMA members. 

• • Evening Concert only

  • No registration. Gifts can be made at the door. All are welcome!

Payment can be made by school check or director’s personal check payable to MSVMA and must be postmarked by the deadline. Fees also can be paid via credit card. Purchase orders are acceptable at the postmark deadline. The State Office must receive payment one week prior to the festival.

MSVMA

P.O. Box 1131 

Big Rapids, MI 49307

Festival Information

Each ensemble will perform one to three pieces of music in a contemporary A Cappella style (music is not to 

exceed 12 minutes) and will work with a clinician who will provide expert advice from within the field of A Cappella. For the groups that are able to sing more than one piece of music, we suggest one of the pieces be performed in a “classic” A Cappella style (open to interpretation). It is expected that participants will follow the spirit of copyright law.

Movement or choreography appropriate to the style of your selections is encouraged, but choreography is

not required.

The Festival will be recorded for archival purposes and the director of each group will receive a copy of their

group’s performance.

Selame Scarlett
Festival Clinician

Selame Scarlett hails from Okemos, Michigan and currently resides in Los Angeles, California. As an undergraduate at Michigan State University, she was the music director, arranger, and vocal percussionist for the mixed group, Capital Green A Cappella. Post collegiate, she served as a percussionist and vocalist for the CARA-winning, all-female sextet, Lady Jaye, and the all-female gospel powerhouse group, Traces, which was featured on Season 5 of NBC's “The Sing-Off.”

Selame is a sought after clinician for high school and collegiate groups in the Great Lakes region (and beyond). For 9 consecutive summers, Selame was an instructor and counselor at A Cappella Academy, a Los Angeles-based vocal camp for young adults (ages 13 to 17). Selame has been fortunate enough to record alongside groups such as Naturally 7, The Boxettes, Pentatonix, Duwende, and Traces of Blue (formerly Afro-Blue)! She has led percussion workshops and masterclasses, individually and with her beatboxing colleagues. She is excited to see and hear some great music at A Cappella Festival!