A cappella comes to a close

Have no fear LM-ers, because even though Ace’s Angels and Ace Harmony may no longer be in existence this year, a cappella music will still fill the halls and continue to be a big part of LM’s culture. After ten years of success with the iconic LMAC organizations, Joshua Hunnex, vocal music teacher and long-time sponsor of the programs, has decided to branch out and try something new. For many, this decision is quite a shock.

“When the a cappella groups sang for me in middle school, I fell in love and knew I had to be a part of that when I got to high school,” remem- bered Hanna Edelson, senior and former Ace’s Angels member, who considered her experience with the Angels to be “irrepla- cable.” The two groups, one all female and the other co-ed, drew many talented singers from across grades and social statuses and consistently wowed audiences with their rendi- tions of popular and contemporary numbers. Hunnex has never known an LM without them, as they were established the year he started teaching, and he admits that it, “does feel a little strange to go into a school year without Ace Harmony and Ace’s Angels.” One of his favorite memories from the past ten years was the 10th Anniversary concert last year, which he felt was an exciting combination of current mem- bers and alums that wonderfully represented, “the coming together of the old and new.” Although LMAC will be a bit different in the years to come, the veteran director is right at the helm of a new venture and is absolutely looking forward to the bright future for a cappella at LM.

As Hunnex said, although singing pop songs in a cappella style may be fun, “it’s barely a blip on the radar,” of all of the diverse types of vocal music out there. After ten years of the same thing, the time has come, “to expose people to beauti- ful music they might not already know.” Instead of one single genre of music year after year, from now on, LMAC will switch up its focus every single year, giving its singers the op- portunity to try many different styles of music. This year, the group, called Ars Cantiqua, will sing music from the Medieval and Renaissance periods—quite a departure from the usual catchy pop ballads. Hunnex is very excited for the, “new and challenging,” direction in which LMAC is headed, but don’t worry if this doesn’t sound like your thing. There are other ways to continue your music careers at LM.

Some talented singers will move to other endeavors, like Edelson, who will be performing the national anthem at many home basketball games. Some will pursue different a cappella options in addition to the school-affiliated group. Seniors Kate Eldridge, Jordan Askey, Karen Hafter and Lizzie Schnarr have taken the initiative to start up a student- run organization called Main Line A Cappella, which will sing contemporary music and closely resemble the Ace Harmony and Ace’s Angels of the past. This group will still work alongside Hunnex’s Ars Cantiqua, and there will be overlap between members, but it provides another outlet for students who feel more comfortable with what they know. So if you’ve never gotten the chance to attend an LMAC concert, don’t fret— there are still many chances for you to listen to amazing LM singers, whether they are singing music from the Shakespeare era or from the Beyoncé generation.

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