2007 Los Angeles Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival

23rd Annual

The Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival is the premier American showcase for vocal harmony music. The annual national competition draws from hundreds of vocal groups from around the country with regional competitions in eight cities. The winning group from each festival is flown to perform in front of celebrity judges and a sold out house of enthusiastic a cappella fans at the National Finals.

2007 Los Angeles Champions

Moira Smiley and VOCO

Moira Smiley & VOCO is a visionary blend of voices - redefining harmony singing with the power & physicality of folksong, the avant-garde fearlessness of Bela Bartok and the delicious, vaudevillian accompaniment of cello, banjo, accordion and body percussion. Moira Smiley leads an ensemble of extraordinary musicians who share a passion for spreading powerful, emotional music with lush four-part vocal harmony, cello, accordion and banjo. Original improvisation-built songs steeped in Appalachia and Eastern Europe.

Named #1 a cappella group in the U.S. in 2007, VOCO is the energy of street singing and the elegance of a string quartet. Recently featured in Dirty Linen and on more than 100 radio stations nationwide on NPR's "Harmonia", VOCO has released two critically acclaimed CDs in '08-'09: "Small Worlds" and "Circle, Square, Diamond & Flag". VOCO is sweet, hard-driving Americana mixed with crooked eastern European dance and dissonance. It's all rounded out with body-stompin' percussive movement and joyous, magnificent, hair-raising harmonies - music that mourns and dances at the same time.

2007 Results
1st	Moira Smiley and VOCO
2nd	Down 4 The Count
3rd	Renaissance
Audience Favorite	Corner Pocket
Best Original Arrangement	"Down for the Count" Arr. Colleen Keene

2007 Participating Groups

Corner Pocket
Corner Pocket is an a cappella quartet based out of LA that performs doo-wop, barbershop and contemporary pop tunes. They have performed onboard 5-Star Cruise Ships, in Las Vegas and around Southern California.

Members: Michael Landau, Michael Luginbill, Joel Dalton, George Artope

Down 4 The Count
Down 4 The Count began in 2003, when six CSU Northridge students in the University's vocal jazz ensemble found they shared a common interest: wanting to sing ensemble vocal jazz without those pesky instrumentalists: in other words, A Cappella! Since that time, Down 4 The Count has won multiple awards (including three song-arrangement awards and 1st place at the 2009 San Diego A Cappella Competition) and they have performed at venues all over the greater Los Angeles and San Diego area, including the Jazz Bakery, The Coach House, The Coffee Gallery Backstage, San Diego IndieFest, and many more.

Members: Francesca Delfin, Colleen Keene, Genevieve Artadi, Matt Reynolds, Andreas Preponis

Moira Smiley and VOCO
Moira Smiley & VOCO is a visionary blend of voices - redefining harmony singing with the power & physicality of folksong, the avant-garde fearlessness of Bela Bartok and the delicious, vaudevillian accompaniment of cello, banjo, accordion and body percussion. Moira Smiley leads an ensemble of extraordinary musicians who share a passion for spreading powerful, emotional music with lush four-part vocal harmony, cello, accordion and banjo. Original improvisation-built songs steeped in Appalachia and Eastern Europe.

Named #1 a cappella group in the U.S. in 2007, VOCO is the energy of street singing and the elegance of a string quartet. Recently featured in Dirty Linen and on more than 100 radio stations nationwide on NPR's "Harmonia", VOCO has released two critically acclaimed CDs in '08-'09: "Small Worlds" and "Circle, Square, Diamond & Flag". VOCO is sweet, hard-driving Americana mixed with crooked eastern European dance and dissonance. It's all rounded out with body-stompin' percussive movement and joyous, magnificent, hair-raising harmonies - music that mourns and dances at the same time.

Listen to: Bring Me-Little Water, Silvie | Listen to: Szerelem

Members: Jess Basta, Christine Enns, John Ballinger, Jessica Catron, Moira Smiley

Out of Context
Out of Context is a 14+-1 person (only 8 will be performing on any given number) mixed a cappella group that performs various styles of contemporary music, ranging from easy listening to hard rock and beyond, without any instruments besides the human voice. We are strongly committed to having fun on and off the stage, and our screening process ensures every member is willing to make a fool of him/herself in public. Since its beginnings in 1997, OoC has grown in talent and notoriety, and a week doesn't go by when we prove ourselves aptly named. Members:

Members: Jessica Edwards, Emily Russell, Dahye Song, Chithra Krishnamurthy, Soyoung Park, Borching Su, Douglas Tham, Arthur Fitzmaurice

Renaissance
Renaissance is an all a cappella quintet, dedicated to showcasing and preserving the critical art form of street corner style; doo-wop singing. The group is equally adaptable to film, TV & stage as they are beneath the street lamp. Not just another singing group, Renaissance intertwines social and cultural awareness themes in their music offering "food for the spirit" as well as the soul. Whether it's a soul stirring tribute to the legendary Sam Cooke, love songs for the ladies, Black History themed conscious music or a rousing Gospel celebration, their superb vocal skills shine through. These Cats can flat out sing and their infectious energy is quite entertaining as they transport their audience to another space and time.

Members: Maurice Kitchen, Maurice Kitchen, Kwame Alexander, Anthony Snead, Charles (Sonny) Banks

Swing Shift
Swing Shift is a vocal jazz mixed ensemble. The group's signature sound is heard in their rich harmonic treatment of pop, jazz, and Broadway standards. Over the years the group has drawn on local resources like the SMC Vocal Jazz Ensemble from which five of Swing Shift's present roster are current or past members. We are proud that many of Swing Shift's alumni have gone on to advance their careers in prestigious ensembles like the LA Master Chorale and LA Choral Lab. If you love lush sounds, complex harmonies, and creamy-smooth blend, you'll love hearing this group.

Members: Kathy Hoye, Tyler Azelton, Linda Richter, Michael Kohl, Andy Wolf, Phil Azelton, Richard Gilinsky

Vocal Ease
VocalEase is the University of Arizona's premiere women's a cappella ensemble. This year, Vocal Ease is 7 members strong and performing a wide variety of music, including pop, gospel, R&B, jazz, and country. Vocal Ease has a reputation for being one of the hottest all-female a cappella groups around. The VE ladies released their first full-length album in December 2004, and followed that with the release of an EP in February of 2006. The past year's competitive accomplishments for Vocal Ease include Best Vocal Percussion at the ICCA West Region Quarterfinals (University of Oregon) and 2nd place at the 2006 Harmony Sweepstakes Los Angeles Regional. Additionally, Ali Davis received Best Arrangement at the 06 LA regional for "I Believe in a Thing Called Love"..

Members: Kristy Barrett, Aubrey Arrington, Jennifer Blodgett, Alison Davis, Lauren Freed, Genny Gaus, Michelle Sharpton

Vybration
Vybration was formed in 2001 to perform at Disney's California Adventure under the name "Groove 66". The band quickly became the park's most popular atmosphere group. Its members are some of the most powerful, versatile, and in demand vocalists in all of Southern California with resume credits spanning from broadway, television, and film, to orignial rock bands, and pioneering modern music projects. Vybration is unlike many acapella sextets out there, covering a variety of music that includes traditional jazz tunes like Blue Skies and Fly Me to the Moon, rock n roll songs like Lenny Kravitz's Fly Away, pop hits such as Michael Jackson's Wanna Be Startin Something and many many more. All that have witnessed the magic in music that Vybration creates can tell you that, "Vybration is a force to be reckoned with!"

Members: Laura Dickinson, Heather McMasters, Tomasina Abate, Terron Brooks, Michael Washington, Bryan Chadima

2007 Judges TBA

Complete list of 2007 participants

National Finals Recordings

Interested in Performing?

We are always seeking groups who would like to participate in our events.

Groups of any style are welcome, but you must have between 3 and 12 members. We have a rule book which explains many of the details of the event, which you can see by clicking here. All groups must audition in order to compete. Generally this is done by sending a current tape and photo, although live auditions are sometimes arranged. The purpose of the audition is to make sure the group is appropriate for the Festival and to help the Director determine the performance order. If a group has competed previously, the audition process may be waived.

How to enter

Please send music and photos to the regional director :

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Hermosa Beach Theater

The Hermosa Beach Playhouse is a division of the Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities. Created for the greater South Bay area to expand the availability of programming by providing a more intimate setting. This beautifully appointed 474-seat venue enables us to present a new catalog of production of straight plays as well as musicals. Performances are presented at The Hermosa Beach Playhouse located on the southwest corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach. There is plenty of free parking.Directions -

23rd Annual

2007 Results

Interested in Performing?

Hermosa Beach Theater

HERMOSA BEACH THEATER

710 Pier Ave (At Pacific Coast Highway), Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Hear about Local A Cappella Events and Auditions

Find a Harmony Sweepstakes Group

Find a Harmony Sweepstakes Singer

Primarily A Cappella - Your Source For Vocal Harmony Music

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23rd Annual

2007 Results

Interested in Performing?

Hermosa Beach Theater

HERMOSA BEACH THEATER

710 Pier Ave (At Pacific Coast Highway), Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Hear about Local A Cappella Events and Auditions

Find a Harmony Sweepstakes Group

Find a Harmony Sweepstakes Singer

Primarily A Cappella - Your Source For Vocal Harmony Music

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