Welcome

Milwaukappella, now in its first season, is a day-long a cappella workshop for high school and college age students followed by an evening concert featuring students from the dayside classes plus a show-stopping performance by a professional a cappella ensemble. This year our headliners are The HIVE Vocal Band. The five fiercely unique and uniquely talented women of HIVE are not only show-stopping performers, they’re accomplished educators as well. Giving back to the musical community through education is a core value of the group.  

HIVE is Christina Wilson, Courtney Jensen, Lisa Forkish, Moorea Dickason and Nina Kasuya; five women who have come together to share their unique arrangements of creative covers and original music; constantly reshaping the sound and soul of HIVE’s vocal expression.

 

 

Lisa Forkish is an award-winning singer, composer, arranger and educator. Lisa is also the music director of four Bay Area vocal ensembles, including five-time national champions Vocal Rush from Oakland School for the Arts where Lisa currently teaches. Lisa’s recent EP Love Warrior combines her lush and dissonant a cappella arrangements with her honest and soulful songwriting.

Lisa is co-founder and Executive Director of the Women’s A Cappella Association (WACA).

 

Moorea Dickason is a full time Bay Area musician who works closely with her husband and musical collaborator, Tarik Ragab. Moorea is an audio and mix engineer who conceptualizes, arranges, shoots and edits projects.

In addition to performing live in HIVE, Moorea is the lead singer and co-founder of the original art-rock band, MoeTar.  Moorea also teaches private lessons, provides vocal workshops and music-educational lectures at schools.

She is the Associate Director of the Women’s A Cappella Association.

 

Singer and beatboxer Courtney Jensen has been performing since a she was a tiny tot. At Brigham Young University she majored in theater and performed with BYU’s highly decorated a cappella group Noteworthy. 

Courtney, constantly singled out by the shows judges for her phenomenal beat boxing skills, has appeared twice on the NBC hit show The Sing-Off; first with Noteworthy and the following season with The Backbeats. Courtney currently performs in two all-female groups - JANE and HIVE.

 

A native of Southern California, Christina Wilson is a full time musician and educator performing with LA based folk group Honey Whiskey Trio as well as the electro-pop band Neil Frances and choral ensemble Vox Femina Los Angeles.

She is part of the vocal faculty at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, Hills Music Academy in Palos Verdes and teaches in community outreach efforts.

 

Nina Kasuya has put her degree in Ethnomusicology / Music Industry to work as a professional singer and educator. She can be seen performing with Crimes of the Heart Cabaret and Sugarfly. In addition to her performance endeavors, Nina is the director of the theater program and a cappella group at Emerson Community Charter School.

 

Milwaukappella isn’t just a concert; it’s a unique opportunity for aspiring high school and college age a cappella students to attend classes taught by seasoned instructors and headliners who can offer the experience and knowledge gained by professional, touring musicians! 

Throughout the day of Milwaukappella students will attend sessions on vocal percussion, arranging, vocal technique, presentation, conveying emotion, belting, choreography and tips on taking the next step in a music career – getting into college a cappella groups and even going pro! At the end of the day, students who wish to perform can apply their skills by opening the evening performance. 

The kind of opportunity offered at Milwaukappella isn’t available anywhere else at any price!

 

Milwaukappella takes place ion January 19th, 2019 at the beautiful South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center. 

Student Seminar tickets are $45/student in advance, $55/student the day of the event. The price includes classes, lunch, snacks, dinner and a great seat for the evening show. Advance tickets for the evening performance start at $15 for student and seniors, $19 for adults. Family-savings packages are available. Children 4 and under are free. Families are encouraged to attend!

 

 

Follow “BUY” links. Workshop tickets will be offered on the same page as show tickets.

 

Milwaukappella has been sponsored right from the start by Milwaukee’s premier investment advisory firm Landaas & Company Investments. Singing is in the Landaas DNA. The firm’s founder, Bob Landaas, is an aficionado of all vocal forms and the employees of Landaas & Company are known for being in bands and incorporating singing into all company gatherings. So, it’s no surprise that Landaas and a cappella go together!

Additional day sponsors provide food, drinks and services to the students and the band including Meijer, Jimmy John's, The Steren Group McDonalds, Culver’s – Oak Creek, The Pineapple Café of Oak Creek, Georgy Porgy’s Custard and Treehouse Restaurant of Oak Creek.

 

The phrase “a cappella” is Italian for "in the manner of the chapel.” While a cappella has devotional roots, the vocal style often blossomed where instruments were forbidden or unavailable; in poor or remote areas and among slaves and prisoners. Modern a cappella began with Gospel then Doo Wop in the 50’s, Vocal Jazz in the 80’s then rap and hip hop in the 90’s. The latest blossoming of a cappella has been driven by movies like Pitch Perfect 1, 2 and 3 and TV shows like Glee and The Sing Off as well as Billboard hits by The Pentatonix, Street Corner Symphony and Straight No Chaser.

 

Proceeds from the Milwaukappella 2019 performance will be used to support charitable efforts of The Rotary Club of Mitchell Field. Rotary is the world’s oldest and largest service organization, famous for End Polio Now, its effort to rid the world of polio. Locally, RCMF funds student scholarships and grants to local non-profits as well as delivering food to families for Thanksgiving, hosting a Christmas party for Goodwill workers, and organizing a prom for senior citizens. The club has been serving Cudahy, Franklin, Oak Creek, South Milwaukee, St. Francis and Bayview since 1958.

A portion of Milwaukappella 2019 proceeds also go to South Milwaukee Music and South Milwaukee Music Parents Association to support the district’s music programs.

 

For more information about Milwaukappella, call or text Peter May at 414 899-8098. Write to pete@petemay.com to be added to our mailing list so you'll be informed of all developments regarding the festival.