NOTEtorious celebrates their 3rd place overall finish in the ICHSA competition at The Town Hall Theater in NYC. (Courtesy Photo)
By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — Earning a Top 10 spot among the best a cappella groups in the U.S., Canada and the UK, North Reading High School’s NOTEorious competed on Broadway in NYC over April school vacation, and took home third overall at the International Championships of High School A cappella (ICHSA).
“We are so honored to place third at the ICHSA Finals!” Director Allison Kane wrote on the group’s Facebook page, offering a “special shout out to our amazing music directors, Colin Chin and Lucy Wagner, for winning best arrangement! We are so blessed for this amazing ride and cannot thank everyone enough.”
NOTEorious also offered their congratulations to the first place and second place winners – @kcacappella_soundproof and @rhswalktheline.
A link to NOTEorious’s performance can be found on YouTube.
But nothing beats being there in person to feel the excitement of the competition. Select Board Chairwoman Kate Manupelli was among the many North Reading fans who made the trip to NYC to support NOTEorious. At Monday night’s Select Board meeting she shared that “every single group that was there were all incredible. The fact that NOTEorious got there is just a testament to all the work that they’ve put in,” she said.
Being the championship round with singers representing three countries, she said every group was amazing, but “NOTEorious just blew them away. They were fantastic!”
“If you watch the video you cannot even explain the excitement in the theater on Broadway as they were taking the stage. To be there in person, it was phenomenal. They’re freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. Unbelievable talent. Every group that was there was so highly talented.”
She predicted the seniors that are moving on are “definitely going to have careers in performance if they want to. The sky’s the limit for them… It wasn’t even my kids and I was proud of them. I cannot wait to see what they do next.”
Manupelli also wanted to acknowledge the generosity of the town in providing the group with financial support. “Because of the people coming together in short order… they raised enough money so the kids didn’t have to worry about paying their way to get there or stay there, so they were just able to work at it, which was a huge stress off of the parents as it was not a cheap trip,” she said.
“It is nice to be known for sports in North Reading, but now they know us for music, and specifically for NOTEorious. Congratulations to them and to Mrs. Kane, their director!” Manupelli said.
The members of NOTEorious are: Eulalia Agganis, Fahd Benhafoune, Colin Chin, Vinny Constantino, Sophie Donovan, Piper Kirwin, Katie Leach, Eddie McNeil, Becca Mooney-Green, Dylan Mills, Mason Murray, JJ Pruisken, Alivia Rowe and Lucy Wagner.
