On April 23 two BV seniors, Reece Dickerson and Sofia Ortiz competed in and placed first in the International Competition of High School A Cappella (ICHSA). They participated in the competition with the group Kansas City A Cappella, also known as Soundproof. 

“The director, James Levy, gets to pick the top students from around the Kansas City area and put them in his acapella group,” Dickerson said. “There are only 23 of us.”

Soundproof provides a unique musical experience for high school students and specializes in contemporary vocal a cappella. The group also allows students to participate in highly competitive performances, like the ICHSA.

“I think it was in February, our quarterfinals were moved to virtual, so we recorded the video here, and then we submitted it and we got first in quarterfinals, and the top three move on to semi-finals,” Dickerson said.

After traveling to Cincinnati and placing first again in the semi-finals, KC A Cappella moved on to the finals, located in New York City. 

Soundproof ended the first act of the competition and Dickerson remarked that the group performed well, despite the trouble they faced in an earlier soundcheck.

“Note-Orious got third, and they’re really good, and another group called Walk the Line got second,” said Dickerson.

Soundproof thought they were done, giving up hope for first place.

“We were like, ‘you know, it’s fine. We’re in New York with our friends,’” said Dickerson. “And then — we won. So now we are the best high school a capella group in the nation. It’s just an amazing experience, being able to go to New York and win”