Mic Drop: Madcap’s Journey to the Spotlight
Every Tuesday at 6:00 pm, the choir room begins buzzing once again. Although school may be over, the music hall is still very much alive with the sound of singing. Harmonies, swift choreography, all blending together to create the magical sound of MadCap.
MadCap, Highland Park High School’s a cappella group, typically focuses on carolling and singing for the holidays. As they carol around Highwood each December to help support the Choir department and to spread holiday cheer, this year, something new was implemented: a competitive subset of MadCap. This group was set to compete in a regional a cappella competition called the Varsity Vocals International Championship of High School A Cappella.
Varsity Vocals is the primary organization that hosts a cappella competitions for both high school and college students all across the country. There are many competitions hosted at various high schools. MadCap competed on March 7th at Lockport Township High School. The competition started at 7:00, but preparation was an all day affair. Because of the rigorous quality of this competition, MadCap put in their utmost effort to prepare properly.
Freshman MadCap member Meghan Daugherty said she had prepped by “taking care of [her] voice any way [she] can,” and by “practicing the songs and choreography intensely.” This competition has definitely been a challenge, and it has required Daugherty to “stay in good vocal health” and practice “even when [she doesn’t] feel [she has] much time to do so.”
MadCap selected three songs to skillfully highlight their specific talents. They sang “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls, “All For Us” by Labrinth, and “Water Fountain” by the Tune-Yards. “Iris” acted as a classic in its own right and left the audience with goosebumps early into the performance. “All For Us” was a vibrant and emotional finale, and “Water Fountain” introduced a fun, unique flavor, including percussive beats made by the group. Not only does MadCap sing–they dance as the choreography helps to convey the intended message of each song.
According to junior Zach Natenshon, the community “has been an incredible outlet for [his] passion for music,” and has “enabled [him] to collaborate and build such a positive energy.”
On March 7th, MadCap was put to the test. They entered the competition as the new kids on the block, going against many competitive groups that had been established for several years and had previously advanced to the ICHSA finals in New York. MadCap surprised the audience with their unwavering emotion and dedication to their music and choreography. Though they will not be advancing to the semifinals on March 21st, they showed the competition and the judges that they are a group to watch out for.