After going through NBC’s The Sing-Off and graduating from BYU, members of Vocal Point alumni decided that aspiring singers were missing something in their vocal education.
McKay Crockett, recent BYU and Vocal Point graduate, created Remix Vocal Academy, an organization independent from BYU and Vocal Point, to bring together both leading industry leaders in vocal performance and aspiring vocal talent that range from ages 15 to 25 and come from more states than just Utah.
On July 14, the students and special guests will perform a matinee show at 3 p.m. as well as one at 7 p.m.
Crockett said his experience with The Sing-Off inspired him to create a similar experience and education.
“After that experience we joked with the Vocal point guys it was like a boot camp, we were assigned a song, we had to create it and we had to get it approved,” Crockett said.
“Because it was so intense and rigorous and involved we learned at a much higher rate than any other way, so we tried to figure out how to mimic that event so other singers can go through an intensive way and get the same experience.”
Crockett’s Vocal Point member Keith Evans joined Crockett in his vision and became assistant vocal director for Remix Vocal Academy.
“McKay has been my best friend, roommate, business partner for the last four years,” Evans said. “In an ideal world I would stick with him throughout no matter what he does.”
Evans said he got into a cappella when his dad recommended Vocal Point in college, and he hopes for singers to refine their skills by focusing on the music during the week.
“A cappella is good for singers because it eliminates any safety net that a musician has, a singer can hide behind keyboards and guitars,” Evans said. “A cappella you only have your voice to fall back on, I think it’s good because singers learn how to train their voices and know what they’re doing.”
Crockett and Evans said they look forward to the camp’s finale concert on July 14. They will host a matinee and an evening show at the Covey Center for the Arts. Part of the proceeds will aid the American Red Cross and the wildfires in Utah.
Guest performances at the concert include Kurt Bestor and David Archuleta’s vocal coach, Dean Kaelin.
New member of Vocal Point and beat boxer Adam Heimbigner said he is looking forward to the concert at the end of the week. Heimbigner said the a cappella camp is a special opportunity to learn not only from Crockett and Evans, but also from many other talented musicians.
“It is such a rare opportunity to have talent of this magnitude come to one place and be able to listen to that talent in a week,” Heimbigner said. “If it was just these two men it would be fantastic and worth it, but it’s not. There are lot of leading industry people. It’s fantastic.”
Crockett said he hopes for people to contribute to the American Red Cross by coming to the show.
“We invite the community to come and support this cause and this night of entertainment,” Crockett said. “We have really awesome singers from all over to come and sing.”
Tickets for Remix Vocal Academy concert can be bought here: http://coveycenter.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=435:remix-vocal-academy-vocal-concert&catid=1:performance-hall&Itemid=9
