A capella groups shine in Marblehead

MARBLEHEAD – Saturday night was "a great night for Marblehead a cappella!"That’s how Choir Director Amanda Roeder described Saturday evening’s Varsity Vocals International Championship of High School A Cappella (ICHSA) New England semifinal at Marblehead High.First place in the group competition went to Marblehead High’s Jewel Tones, followed by A La Mode from Bristol, Conn. and the Town Criers from Weston.But Luminescence, Marblehead High’s original a capella group, was not overlooked by the judges.Recognition for best soloist went to Katy Rein of Luminescence and Luminescence also received recognition for best choreography.The award for best arrangement went to Weston’s Town Criers, for their rendition of "All the Above."Other competing groups included Chromatix from Cheshire, Conn. and ShenaniGanns from Boston.The Jewel Tones will advance to the national championship at Lincoln Center in New York City. The evening will include a non-adjudicated performance by the semi-professional group Overboard from Boston.The ICHSA is a production of Varsity Vocals, an educational organization dedicated to promoting a lifelong interest in vocal music. Other Varsity Vocals programs include the Varsity Vocals Summit and the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA), as well as the Best of College A Cappella (BOCA) and Best of High School A Cappella (BOHSA) compilation discs.