The Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s “Ah! Cappella” vocal quartet performed on Wednesday, March 24 for students and teachers at Mater Christi School. The performance was awe-inspiring and we are grateful for their incredible generosity as they gifted us their talent today.

Using nothing but the instruments they were born with, the four singers in “Ah! Cappella” have wowed school children across the state with a varied and amusing program since their debut in 1999. All four are teachers as well as musicians, and expert at presenting a program that delights as it instructs. They perform a wide selection of music, from a Beatles song arranged as a madrigal to “These Green Mountains,” the Vermont State song. It’s a great moment when they pull out concealed baseball caps and sing a marvelous version of “Take Me out to the Ballgame!” The “Geographical Fugue,” a century-old precursor of Rap music, is also a highlight. The audience learns some Swahili to sing along with an African “coming of age” song. “Back of the Bus” is a touching and uplifting song about race discrimination.

A question-and-answer period allows students to explore not only the group’s multicultural musical choices, but the lives of professional Vermont musicians as well. The important message the group conveys through their songs and by speaking to the crowd is to be good people and music brings all different types of cultures together.

“Ah! Cappella” members are soprano Claire Hungerford, of Enosburg; alto Linda Radtke, of Middlesex; tenor Cameron Steinmetz, of Rutland; and baritone Brett Murphy, of Berlin. They all got to know each other through the Vermont Symphony Orchestra Chorus, and have been singing together as a quartet for many years.

The Vermont Symphony Orchestra performs nearly 40 annual shows statewide, and in addition to their regularly scheduled programs, their Symphony Kids presentations reach, on average, half of Vermont’s elementary and middle school students – including their performance today at Mater Christi School. Learn more about the VSO and upcoming performances by visiting their website: www.vso.org.

Thank you to our music and band director, Mrs. Barb Heath, for organizing this incredible experience for our students. View more photos and video clips from “Ah! Capella” by visiting our SmugMug page.