Acapella is the art of singing without any added instrumental component. Over the past decade, a cappella music has enjoyed a revival in popularity, particularly with the success of media such as “Pitch Perfect” and TV shows like “The Sing-Off.” At WCHS, an all-female acapella group has formed, known as “The Sirens.” WCHS senior Kaylee Chernoff and junior Annie Ciani-Dausch lead the group, with a team of 12 other talented WCHS students.
“I love being able to sing with lots of other insanely talented girls who also love music,” Ciani-Dausch said. “This year, I was selected to be a leader so it’s been really fun getting to make parts with my co-leader Kaylee and seeing our vision come to life at rehearsals.”
Clubs at WCHS create small communities within the school and “The Sirens” are no exception. Through rehearsals and performances, they work together to reach success. The method of choosing members of the group first begins with an audition process.
“Auditions consist of small groups, with each person assigned a part,” WCHS junior and “The Sirens” member Elaine Denney said. “The parts are either tenor, alto or soprano. The student leaders choose the audition song and determine members with the help of the club sponsor, Mr. Albright.”
Ultimately, the final group is decided by the student leaders. While the group does not require a previous musical background to audition, it is definitely helpful as it allows students auditioning to better understand what is expected of them. “The Sirens” recommend participating in a music class, which might be chorus, band, orchestra, piano or guitar.
“Previous leaders take into consideration prior experience, leadership abilities, music theory knowledge and other things that are critical to have in order to be a leader,” Ciani-Dausch said.
The leaders’ skills come into play when creating the plan for the year. “The Sirens” have various roles throughout the WCHS and Montgomery County community, performing at different events. Whether their crowds are small or as large as the 800+ audience that fills the theater over two weekends during Blast, they are ready to sing wherever and whenever.
“Our rehearsal schedule usually differs depending on the time of year,” Ciani-Dausch said. “For example, if we are closer to a concert or event, we would likely have two rehearsals a week. However, if we do not have anything going on, we would have a rehearsal every few weeks. We perform in all the chorus concerts which take place in the fall, winter and spring.”
Although it takes hard work and dedication, the acapella club provides a sense of fulfillment for everyone involved. “The Sirens” put many hours into how they sound and are committed to doing whatever it takes to reach their fullest potential.
“It is fun to just listen to ourselves, hear our progress and be proud of our sound,” Denney said. “We have lots of opportunities to share our sound with others, like when we perform at Blast or go to parades or showcases. We put in lots of effort, so it is special to see it pay off.”
High school is a tipping point for the start of a fruitful career. Bands like “Radiohead” and “Maroon 5” started their music journey in high school, and solo artists like “Charli XCX” and “Lorde” continue to have successful journeys in the music industry after starting their work in their teens.
“I am trying to continue with music in the future, hopefully as a career, whether or not it includes performing – just something related to music,” Ciani-Dausch said. “I would love to join a similar group in college. I have grown in the group because I have gained more experience singing with a group and singing acapella. I have also gotten much better at music theory concepts and creating parts, and have made so many new friends while doing lots of fun things.”
