Revere High School’s (RHS) Reverse A Cappella group performed on the main stage of the Kettering National A Cappella Festival, marking a milestone in their musical journey.
The festival took place on November 10 and 11 at Kettering Fairmont High School in Ohio and featured performances from elite A Cappella groups nationwide. The festival also offered workshops and masterclasses led by industry professionals, making it a unique opportunity for student performers to refine their skills and showcase their talents.
Choir director Sierra Pabon highlighted the honor of being selected for the mainstage performance.
“There are three different tiers of performances, and we were placed on the top tier of the performances which is the Friday night mainstage showcase,” she said.
Pabon described the level of prestige associated with being grouped among other top performers.
“Some have performed on America’s Got Talent, some make music videos and release their music on Spotify, a lot of them make albums and many of them tour. . . . So for us to be placed amongst those schools is just a huge honor,” she said.
Pabon reflected on the group’s success at the festival.
“That Friday night performance is reserved for the top seven selected groups; they went second and they absolutely tore it up,” she said.
Pabon spoke on the group’s mindset before the performance.
“They had a really nice mindset going into the performance. They were very relaxed, very focused in and just very well leveled,” she said.
Senior Lily Dunn described the significance of this year’s performance compared to their previous festival appearances.
“We did it last year, but we weren’t on as big of a performance stage. This year we performed in front of every single group and person who attended the festival,” she said.
Dunn expressed her emotions about the mainstage performance.
“I think the best word to describe it was surreal. I never imagined that I would be able to be up there with all my best friends,” she said.
Dunn also commented on the group’s chemistry and the shared joy of performing together.
“It was one of those performances where we were really happy with how it went. On stage we were all really together and doing what we loved in front of all these people, and doing it well,” she said.
Dunn described the energy of the festival audience and how it enhanced the experience.
“Something really special about it is when the audience likes something you do, they will scream and yell; it was adrenaline in the best way,” she said.
Dunn shared how her nerves transformed once she was on stage.
“All of my nervousness turned into excitement as soon as we got on stage because everyone was cheering for us; it was such a great experience,” she said
Dunn emphasized the inclusivity of choir as an art form.
“I think it’s cool to see that choir isn’t a girl thing, it isn’t a guy thing, literally anyone can do it, anyone can love it and anyone can be passionate about it,” she said
Junior member Miah Palmer explained how performing at Kettering made her a better participant.
“There was a clinic that I went to talking about confidence, and I really think that helped a lot,” she said.
Palmer reflected on the experience of performing for such a large and enthusiastic audience.
“It was pretty fun performing in front of all those people,” she said.
Reverse A Cappella plans to continue participating in festivals, aiming to build on their success and inspire future members of the group.
