YCP’s pop a cappella group Rhapsody took on a great and promising opportunity when they performed at Penn State for the ICCAs, the International Championship for Collegiate A Cappella. If you have ever seen the movie Pitch Perfect, this was the same competition the Bellas performed at.
Back in November 2014, the group submitted an audition video and were one of 30 groups chosen from the Mid-Atlantic region to compete. Rhapsody spent about 2 months preparing for this competition which included perfecting their vocals and adding some blocking and “choralography”. Rhapsody’s executive board as well as three general members were interviewed, and this is what they had to say:
Q: (to Chris Betlzer – President ) How do you feel about Rhapsody going to the ICCAs?
Mr. Betzler: Well, it’s an exciting experience and is brand new to us; it’s our first year doing it so we’re nervous but looking forward to it.
Q: (to Allison Hutchison – Music Director) How do you feel about Rhapsody going to the ICCAs?Miss Hutchison: I think it’s an amazing achievement to be accepted to this competition on our first try and I’m very excited to compete with groups that have been doing it for a while. And I think most importantly we are just going to put our best foot out there and whatever happens happens.
Q: (to Moe Devlin – Assistant Music Director) How long did it take you to rehearse and choreograph all of the songs?
Miss Devlin: “Some Nights” has been choreographed for about a year and a half. We choreographed “Say Something” and “Little Talks” the end of last semester before Christmas break and we have been putting it all together these past few weeks.
Q: (To Justin Rivera – Member) What does the ICCAs mean to you as one of the veterans of the group?
Mr. Rivera: I think it’s pretty exciting. It’s the biggest competition we’ve done and I think that Rhapsody has come a long way. Since I am the oldest member in the group, I’ve had a chance to see how Rhapsody has grown and evolved to take on this new aspect of competing and performing in competitions. I’m looking forward to it and look forward to this before graduating.
Q: (To Malaika Newman – Member) How are you feeling about competing in less than a week?
Miss Newman: I’m really excited that we get to do something of this scale. This group has grown so much since I joined two years ago and I’m excited that we finally get the chance to show people what we are capable of and also to hear other talented groups.
Q: (to Terry Young – Member) How are you feeling about the competition tomorrow?
Mr. Young: I feel like it’s really exciting because it’s Pitch Perfect so it’s a big deal!
Though the group ultimately did not win the competition, they walked away having had a very positive experience. Following the competition, they released this statement on their Facebook fanpage:
“The ICCAs were even more exciting than any of us could have expected! We had a blast performing in such an incredible competition with so many amazing groups! Although we did not move on to the next round, we are truly lucky to have had the opportunity to make our ICCA debut with such a talented group of singers. We’d also like to congratulate The Coda Conduct and The Pennharmonics on their excellent performances and wish them luck in the Semifinals! All in all, we had a blast and we’re sure the ICCAs haven’t seen the last of Rhapsody yet!”