After a noteworthy performance at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella West Quarterfinal, Oregon State University’s a cappella group, Power Chord, set their sights on the semifinal stage.
This past January, Power Chord came in second out of ten at the ICCA West Quarterfinal, the group’s best placement in an in-person competition. Their performance qualified them for the ICCA semifinal in Redwood City, Calif., on March 21.
Members of the group noted they did not expect to place, and focused more on having fun, spending time with each other or members of other groups and having the most perfect pitch possible.
“We were not focused on winning as much as focused on doing the best job that we could do, which I think kind of set a good groundwork of not stressing about it too much.”
Rainer Kolar said, a fourth-year music major, one of the group’s music directors who has been involved in the group for four years.
The more than 15-year-old mixed a cappella group Power Chord currently has 16 members spanning years and majors.
The group competition performance consists of three songs sung back-to-back that integrate different musical parts, solos and beat-boxing. Dynamic dance choreography is incorporated throughout the entire performance, with each word and phrase coinciding with separate movements and formations.
In addition to earning a ticket to the semifinal competition, the group took home several other awards.
Kolar and the group’s other music director work to adapt songs for the group. According to Kolar, the music directors spend months arranging the songs the group performs at competitions.
A song he arranged, a mash-up of “Situations” by Nicola and “How We Roll” from Alvin and the Chipmunks, won the award for best arrangement.
The group’s choreographers, fourth-year Marine Biology major Liz Myers and second-year music major Julian Teran, won the award for best choreography at the event.
Myers has an extensive musical theatre and dance background and lays out a lot of the groundwork for the choreography. Teran has experience choreographing for fraternity dance competitions and “knew how to get guys who can’t dance in formations to dance.”
According to Teran, some a cappella groups hire outside arrangers and choreographers, making winning the awards even more exciting.
“People in our group are all really committed to the group. They all take the time to be there for all the extra rehearsals, even when they technically don’t have to,” Myers said.
“It’s really nice to be with people that are willing to connect like that.”
Outside of ICCA competitions, Power Chord keeps busy, practicing twice a week, with extra rehearsals on Saturdays ahead of competition season. The group performs with other OSU a cappella groups at a weekly “Step Show” on the main Memorial Union stairs at 5 p.m. on Fridays.
Power Chord hosts an annual fall concert and a spring term “Final Chord” show. The concerts ordinarily feature other a cappella groups from OSU and other universities across Oregon.
Additionally, the group performs at university and community events, the Portland Rose Parade and other college a cappella groups’ concerts. Members also sing at charitable events and recently put on a benefit concert in partnership with the OSU Outspoken a cappella group, raising proceeds for the Basic Needs Center. Power Chord is also working on recording an album.
Jenny Kroon, a fourth-year psychology major and the group’s president, noted that while it all sounds like a lot, it doesn’t feel like it as the group has a lot of fun while doing it.
“We like to create a community through music. We all are incredibly close friends, too. We get froyo together, we have game nights, we have a Secret Santa every year,” Kroon said.
“We’re just a close-knit community of friends who sing.”
As they gear up to take the stage in Redwood City, the members expressed that they are looking forward to seeing other groups from across the West Coast and putting on their best performance.
“It feels awesome to be on this uphill climb, because last year when I came in, we were in a place where nobody thought we were gonna win at all. And this year, we felt so confident,” Teran said.
Those interested in watching Power Chord performances, following their upcoming competition or auditioning for the group are encouraged to follow their Instagram at @powerchordosu. Those interested in learning about other OSU a cappella groups– Outspoken, Divine and Gulab Jammin’ – are encouraged to check out their Instagram pages and other social media sites.
