Vocal Rush brings Christmas Spirit with singing telegrams
OHS’s own a cappella group, Vocal Rush, performed singing telegrams this Christmas season as a way to bring the Christmas spirit and raise money for their trip to the National A Cappella Convention in the spring.
Vocal Rush was started by junior Eleanor Berry last year. Berry has always loved directing and singing in a group, so she wanted to bring those elements to OHS.
“I started the group in order to help others grow musically and to have an outlet to explore a cappella music in a school setting,” Berry said. “The group has been extremely rewarding for me, and I love getting to teach the music and plan events and rehearsals.”
Vocal Rush holds auditions in August, and the group accepts six members each year to be a part of Vocal Rush.
“Being a member of Vocal Rush is not limited to singing, there is a strong theatrical aspect at each performance,” Berry said. “Confidence and performance presence are large factors in the auditioning process.”
Vocal Rush has performed in the commons between classes, at the OHS Choir Concerts, and in classrooms this year. This Christmas season, Vocal Rush decided to perform holiday singing telegrams as a way to get experience performing and help fund their trip to the National A Capella Convention in February .
“I feel like the main thing in performing is the anxiety that you get,” Vocal Rush member and junior Jordan McEachern. “So, any type of performance in front of people will help us with our performance anxiety, and any type of practice with each other in a performance setting, like a more professional setting than just rehearsal, will help us be more professional on the stage.”
Vocal Rush performed the singing telegrams during the first week of December, and students placed their order through a google form that was found on Schoology.
“You can pay 10 dollars, and we will come during lunch and sing a song to your friend for the Christmas holidays,” Berry said. “People get to choose what song, and we’ll have a list of them on the google form you can choose from.”
Many students saw the holiday singing telegrams as a way to get into the holiday spirit, surprise their friends and get a little of their stress about upcoming exams off their shoulders.
“I really enjoyed being surprised. It definitely helped to get me in the holiday spirit. It was nice to have my mind taken off of exams and homework by the singing,” junior Emmie Stevens said. “It was a really great experience. I had only ever seen singing telegrams in movies so it was really cool to see one. Everyone in the group is super talented so it was really beautiful and fun.”