Big Show Atmospheres
For the uninitiated, it can be difficult to understand why people love a cappella. Heck, even for those of us who do actively enjoy it, it can be difficult to put into words why we enjoy this art form so. While we’ll never have a truly comprehensive list of everything cool about a cappella, 200 Reasons to Love A Cappella is our best attempt at assembling a list of what makes it great.
Reason #77: Big Show Atmospheres
While it can be bad thing to lose oneself in competition to the extent that you lose sight of learning from the experience and celebrating time with your group mates, there is something intoxicating about participating in a major competition.
While it may seem counterintuitive, I often get more of a big show sensation walking into an ICCA semifinal than the ICCA Finals. It’s as though groups who make the Finals are, generally speaking, just happy to be there, whereas getting the right to represent one’s region at the Finals remains an elusive goal for so many singers. As such, semifinals I’ve attended at Cornell, Rutgers, The University of Michigan, and Vanderbilt carry an unmistakable electricity as group aspire to ascend to the next level of performance. For some groups, that electricity manifests itself in nerves and we hear a quiver in someone’s voice. For others, the big show atmosphere translates to leaving it all on the stage for a take no prisoners performance that will not fail for lack of effort. One way or another, these shows are always memorable for spectators, and unforgettable for the groups involved.
I love it!