Sing-off finalist performing

For Greene County News

KETTERING — More than 60 high school and college a cappella groups will converge on Kettering Nov. 13-14 for the Kettering National A Cappella Festival, the largest event of its kind in the United States.

The festival begins with an invitation-only Friday-night a cappella showcase featuring eight selected groups and the acclaimed five-woman Boston group Musae, runner-up at the 2012 Boston Harmony Sweepstakes.

On Saturday night, after a full day of workshops led by some of the top directors, arrangers and performers in the genre, a public concert in Trent Arena will feature The Exchange, a 2014 finalist on NBC’s The Sing-Off (Season 5).

“The Exchange is one of the top vocal bands in the country, and their shows are a great time,” said Brody McDonald, director of vocal music programs at Fairmont and author of A Cappella Pop: A Complete Guide to Contemporary A Cappella Singing (Alfred Publishing, 2012). “They have a lot of interaction with the audience, which is a lot of fun in a house packed with people who sing. Each one came to the group with a different background — rock, R&B, gospel, opera and hip-hop — and the effect is a soulful, powerful sound.”

The Exchange performs at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, in Trent Arena, at the west end of the Fairmont campus. Opening acts include Kettering Fairmont High School’s award-winning a cappella groups Fusion and Eleventh Hour. Tickets are $20 and $25, available at acafest.org or from the Fairmont box office, 937-499-2647. They’ll also be on sale at the door on the day of the show.

Story courtesy of Exchange.