Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Total Vocal with Deke Sharon
Deke Sharon, Conductor and Creative Director
Special Guests: Major Attaway and T.3
Kaila Mullady, Vocal Percussion
Distinguished Concerts Singers International
Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
March 24. 2024
On March 24, Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presented the 2024 edition of Total Vocal, led by the incomparable Deke Sharon. Special guests were Major Attaway and the trio T.3. Kalia Mullady was the vocal percussionist (or beat-boxer if you prefer, even though Deke Sharon tells us they are not exactly the same thing!). The participating groups were St. Mary’s Academy SAIMARAC, Pop Voices, The Head of School Singers, Pop Chorus, Atlantic Harmonies Youth Choirs, Woodson High School Unaccompanied Minors, CDNIS Community Choir, Forte A Cappella, Squad Harmonix, Sheppard Academy of Vocal Arts, and Antigo High School Canto Voce. Seven decades (!) of vocalists were represented in those groups.
Deke Sharon, arguably the leader of the world of a cappella, is a force of nature. He was the host, the conductor, and ringmaster – and even performer, as he sang Dave Matthew’s Crash Into Me, dedicating it to his wife. He did it all with enough energy for ten people. He was also the arranger of nearly all the selections and the writer of the program notes (and if he ever tires of a cappella, he has a ready-made new career in humor writing). As if that were not enough, he offered his email (deke@dekesharon.com) for anyone to contact him who wants to sing in a group, with the promise he would find a place for them. In essence, Deke Sharon is Total Vocal.
Mr. Sharon bounded onto the stage and called out to the chorus, “Are You Ready?,” which was answered with a resounding “YES!” Without any further hesitation, the huge chorus launched into a spirited performance of the Journey classic Anyway You Want It, with a level of energy and spirit that set the tone for the entire show. U2’s Beautiful Day followed, with seventeen soloists and two vocal percussionists. Normally I would not list so many names, but this is not an ordinary occasion, so here they are: The vocalists were Alaina Manzo, Ava Jolie, Mayu Yamashita, Elana Vennard, Sam Coleman, Elise Derman, Tracy Booth, Yula Andrews, Helen Kay Tierney, Jaimie Volkaerts, Gemma Henbest, Katie Volkaerts, Ruby Cooney, Scarlett Carville, Ava Gad, Calliope Condo, and Sydney Korpusik. The vocal percussionists were Asten Oh and Easton Verano. The massed chorus also offered a thoughtful Nobody Like U (Billie Eilish/Finneas O’Connell) from Turning Red.
The first of two featured ensembles, The Head of School Singers (affectionately referred to by its members as HOSS), hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, took center stage. Looking sharp in matching blazers, these young men gave a polished performance of John Legend’s All of Me. Complete with choreographed moments and excellent ensemble, including some amazingly rendered close harmonies, it was exceptional, and more so when one considers these are high schools students. Well done, gentlemen! The second featured ensemble, Forte A Cappella, from Centerville, Ohio, showed the winning form that has garnered them awards galore. Their rendition of Human Nature (Steve/Porcaro/John Betti) made famous by Michael Jackson, had a slick sophistication that was truly exceptional. Once again, these are high school students!
There were numbers that focused on “higher voices” and “lower voices.” The former was The Chain, one of the many “break-up” songs from the Fleetwood Mac hit album Rumors, and it was given an energetic performance. The latter was Rocky Mountain High, the John Denver classic, done with heartfelt sincerity. Vocal Percussionist Kaila Mullady whipped the audience into a fever pitch with a stunning exhibition of her skill during her solo segment.
On to the special guest artists. Major Attaway, probably best known for his role as the Genie in the Broadway production of Aladdin, gave a powerful performance of Steve Miller’s Fly Like an Eagle that was strongly reminiscent of Seal’s cover. The New York-based T.3 (the “T” meaning tenor), whose members are Liam Franklin, Jim Hogan, and Brendan Jacob Smith, offered three selections, Bring Him Home (from Les Misérables), when the party’s over (Billie Eilish/Finneas O’Connell), and Into the Unknown from Frozen 2. These talents “turned up the dial” as they progressed through their set, bringing the audience to a frenzied state. The audience exploded into an ovation when they tore into the last notes of Into the Unknown.
All the artists joined together for a showstopping performance of the final song on the program, Stevie Wonder’s Sir Duke. One could see audience members singing and swaying along to the music. The “mandatory” encore, The Lion Sleeps Tonight ended the show on a joyous note. If you want an afternoon of unbridled fun and the pleasure of seeing people of all ages having the time of their lives, then Total Vocal is the ticket for you. Be there in 2025!
