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 showcases the great work that your students are doing in these alternative genres.

Students must be members in good standing of their school’s vocal music program, as verified by the director of record under the official MSVMA school membership.

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 Masterclass with our Clinician

• • Fees: $200

  • These students will perform in the Mass Choir featuring an arrangement by Mel Daneke.

  • First come, first served, 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 Mel Daneke.
    

•  

• 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 Mel Daneke.
    

• 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.

Mel Daneke

Festival Clinician

Mel Daneke is an award winning, internationally recognized producer, performer, arranger, and educator. 

As a producer through her company Viridian Productions, she has produced hundreds of albums nominated for over 80 and winning over 25 Contemporary A Cappella Awards, 15 A Cappella Video Awards. Her production and arrangements can be heard on compilations like Sing, BOHSA, BOCA, and Voices Only. She has been a voting member of The Recording Academy since 2022.

Mel currently performs with two internationally renowned and award winning vocal bands. Musae (as a Beatboxer + Live Producer) and Six Appeal (as a Vocalist). She’s traveled extensively headlining and performing at festivals across Europe, Asia and North America, at events such as the US Open and the Oscars, sharing the stage with Pentatonix, Jay Leno, Pink Martini, The Swingles, and New York Voices.

With degrees in Vocal Perfomance and Music Technology, she specializes in in-studio coaching and group masterclasses and has served as a featured educator at nationally recognized a cappella festivals and ACDA conferences.