By Blake Jerome, Guest Writer
By now, everyone has seen the 2012 box office hit “Pitch Perfect,” but few know that a cappella competitions really exist outside of Hollywood.
Pacific Lutheran University will host the quarterfinal round of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella Saturday. The event begins at 7 p.m. in the Karen Hille Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and will showcase 10 of the best a cappella teams in Washington and Canada. Among the 10 are PLU’s very own HERmonic and PLUtonic.
HERmonic is an all-female group while PLUtonic is just the opposite, featuring an all-male cast. Both teams, however, are sure to be very competitive Saturday night.
Last year in the quarterfinals, PLUtonic took first place with HERmonic right behind them, placing second.
“With two teams from the same school being so closely matched, it forces us [HERmonic] to step up our game,” sophomore Megan Zink, financial director of team HERmonic, said. However, Zink also said the rivalry is always a friendly one.
PLUtonic and HERmonic routinely practice in front of each other before shows in order to calm the nerves associated with performing in front of a large crowd.
“This is what it all comes down to,” sophomore Katie Coddington, a soprano singer for HERmonic, said.
Zink agreed. “The ICCA championship is what we work for all year long. When we aren’t competing, we are getting ready for this tournament,” she said.
Coddington said she wasn’t worried about the other groups who will be competing. “Every team is really good and has the potential to win, but we aren’t scared by any of them,” she said. “As long as we do what we’ve practiced, it will be a great night.”
First and second place will advance to the semi-final round hosted by Pomona College in Claremont, Calif. April 5.
PLU students with a valid ID can buy tickets at the door for $15 or at varsityvocals.com. Zink said she expects the 630-person auditorium to sell out.
