DCINY presents Total Vocal: A Holiday Celebration, bringing the a cappella sensation back to Carnegie Hall, this time to sing in the holidays with Pitch Perfect music director, arranger, and conductor Deke Sharon. Experience the pinnacle of a cappella performance with Sharon's holiday arrangements from the Pitch Perfect films, classic carols, Disney, Broadway, and contemporary pop. Pitch Perfect royalty joining him on stage include Soloist Alexis Knapp ("Stacie Conrad") andMickey Rapkin (Author), as well as world champion beatbox duo SPIDERHORSE, alongside top a cappella choirs and Individual Singers from around the globe united in the Distinguished Concerts Singers International. Also featuring a spotlight performance from The RockNRoll Festival Chorus directed by Joseph Cantaffa, a world-class a cappella ensemble hailing from New Jersey with the RocknRoll Chorus at its core.
Joe Cantaffa is delighted to assemble this new project: The RockNRoll Chorus HOLIDAY CHOIR! A multi generational, multi-region choir that, once-a-year, comes together to sing holiday songs in the style of The RockNRoll Chorus through the glimmering, heart-warming crystallinity of a full, proper choir! The RockNRoll Chorus launched it’s first tour and full length album (What They Didn’t Teach Us In School) in 2007. Since that time The RockNRoll Chorus has performed with, and opened for, Bruce Springsteen, Darlene Love, Judy Collins, Gavin DeGraw, Colbie Caillat, Sara Bareilles, Jefferson Airplane, Foreigner, Kenny Loggins, Classic Albums Live: Pink Floyd, The Wall, Willie Nile, Max Weinberg, Jay Leno, Good Morning, America!, and appeared on many studio recordings as a guest choir. The launch of The RockNRoll Chorus Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profi t organization (2017), plans for expansion into several domestic cities to support multiple tour casts over the next fi ve years, and the upcoming completion of its eighth full length studio album, are moving The RockNRoll Chorus into its 20th year in dynamic and exciting ways! The RockNRoll Chorus also loves contributing to charities, performing for organizations such as NY ALS, NJ Epilepsy Foundation, The Light of Day Foundation,, American Cancer Society, The Zilinski Foundation, and The NJ Vietnam Veterans War Memorial. The RockNRoll Chorus – no instruments, just voices.
Joe Cantaffa is a music executive, producer, and educator bridging the commercial music industry and arts education. A voting member of the Recording Academy, he serves on the New Jersey Music Educators Association Board of Directors as Coordinating Chairman and Production Manager for New Jersey’s All-State ensembles. As founder, CEO, and CVO of The RockNRoll Chorus, Cantaffa has spent nearly 20 years directing its nationally touring, arena-style a cappella rock show. Under his leadership, the ensemble has released seven commercial albums and earned six placements on the official Grammy Award ballot. He also leads the nonprofit RockNRoll Chorus Foundation and the RockNRoll Chorus Holiday Choir, uniting singers of all ages, to find their soul through singing. For 28 years, Cantaffa has taught music production, theory, business, and live event support. He co-founded and teaches in the Music, Video & Production program at Howell High School’s Fine and Performing Arts Center, pioneered two nationally recognized student-run record labels, and established six active a cappella ensembles. A former Westminster Choir College faculty member, he has presented masterclasses nationwide. Cantaffa holds degrees from Rutgers University and Mason Gross School of the Arts and lives in his hometown of Howell, New Jersey, with his family.
Brighton Tour Choir
Phillip M. Johnson
Brighton Choirs includes the choral programs at Brighton High School and Scranton Middle School, offering students opportunities to learn, grow, and explore vocal music through classes, concerts, travel, and extracurricular ensembles. Students perform a wide range of styles, from classical and musical theater to pop and a cappella, in a welcoming, student-centered environment. Brighton Choirs has earned recognition through performances and competitions at the state, national, and international levels, appearing at venues including Hill Auditorium, the Empire State Building, the Grand Ole Opry, and St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The community is invited to our concerts and special events throughout the year.
Phil Johnson is in his 14th year as Brighton High School Choir Teacher. A 2001 graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in Music Education, he earned a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from MSU in 2007. He conducts the orchestra and prepares the chorus for Brighton Musical Theater, which received the 2026 Excellence in Music Direction award for Frozen. He has conducted the 2011 SATB, 2015 TTB, and 2022 SSAA Michigan State Honors Choirs and directed ensembles at numerous Michigan All-State concerts. Phil sings baritone with TBD a Cappella and has three children with his wife, Dianne.
Mariemont High School Choirs
Liz McGahey
Hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio, the Mariemont High School Choirs are thrilled to return to New York City under the direction of Liz McGahey. Featuring 44 talented student performers, this appearance marks the ensemble's third performance at Carnegie Hall and their second collaboration with Deke Sharon. The singers are incredibly grateful for the extraordinary opportunity to share their music and voices once again on this historic and world-renowned stage.
Liz McGahey is in her 23rd year as Director of the Mariemont High School Choirs. She holds both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in music from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM).
Liz and her students are thrilled to return to Carnegie Hall, marking their third performance overall at the historic venue and their second collaborating with Deke Sharon. She is incredibly excited for her students to participate in this extraordinary musical experience and extends her deepest gratitude to Deke Sharon for warmly welcoming them back to the stage.
Reclaim Arts Academy Chorale
Sarah Spillman
Based in Marble Falls, Texas, Reclaim Arts Academy Chorale is the school's premier mixed-voice ensemble for singers ages 12–18. Dedicated to artistic excellence and Christ-centered musicianship, the ensemble performs a diverse repertoire while developing strong vocal technique, music literacy, and expressive choral artistry. Chorale previously performed Mozart's Requiem with DCINY at Lincoln Center in 2024 and is honored to return to the national stage for this Carnegie Hall performance.
Sarah Spillman is Music Department Lead at Reclaim Arts Academy and Associate Worship Pastor at First Baptist Church Marble Falls. A conductor, worship leader, vocalist, educator, dramaturg, clinician, and adjudicator, she holds degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Education from the University of Texas and a master's degree in Worship Studies from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, where she is currently pursuing her doctorate. Sarah is dedicated to cultivating musical excellence and meaningful worship through choral performance, education, and worship leadership. She lives in Marble Falls, Texas, with her husband, Joe.
Cayuga's Waiters
Nathan Andrew
Founded in 1949, Cayuga’s Waiters is Cornell University’s oldest all-male a cappella group. Originating as a subset of the Glee Club, the Waiters became campus ambassadors, performing at the White House and on "The Perry Como Show" in 1953. Their parody of Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start The Fire,” titled “We Didn’t Go To Harvard,” later went viral. Notably, the "Pitch Perfect" trilogy was inspired by Waiter alum Mickey Rapkin’s book of the same name. Over the years, the Waiters have recorded 25 albums, and the alumni gathered tonight are thrilled celebrate the group’s real legacy: creating a family.
Born and raised in Madison, WI where he sang in a boychoir, Nathan Andrew landed in Ithaca and joined Cornell’s premier men’s a cappella group, Cayuga’s Waiters. Over the next four years, the Waiters recorded albums, traveled to St. Maarten and performed countless sorority shows—resulting in a blissful indifference to Andrew’s GPA. As a sophomore, Andrew arranged Todd Rundgren’s “Mighty Love,” which became a Waiter tradition. For the last 20 years, he’s worked as an ER doctor in Boise, Idaho. He is beyond excited to join his brothers tonight, and to show his kids what a misspent youth sounds like.
Affinity Female Voice Choir
Diane Morgan-Wright
Affinity Female Voice Choir is a fun and fabulous choir from South Wales, UK, renowned for its vibrant performances, musical versatility and warm, engaging sound. Under the direction of Diane Morgan-Wright, the choir performs an eclectic repertoire spanning classical, musical theatre, contemporary, folk and popular music, in English and in Welsh. Affinity has appeared at many of the UK’s most prestigious venues, including Edinburgh Castle and Cardiff Castle, and is proud to be returning to New York for its third concert tour. Passionate about musical excellence, friendship and community, the choir delights audiences wherever it performs, sharing the power and joy of female voices through unforgettable live performances.
Diane Morgan-Wright is an award-winning conductor, educator and arts leader whose work inspires singers of all ages to achieve their full musical potential. As Musical Director of Affinity Female Voice Choir and Festival Director of the Festival of Female Voices, she is passionate about building vibrant, inclusive musical communities through inspiring performance and collaboration. Alongside her work as a freelance musician, Diane has extensive experience in arts management, programme leadership and music education, bringing creativity, warmth and energy to every project. She is delighted to be joining DCINY for the third time and sharing the joy of choral music on an international stage.
Acoustic Theory
Justin La
Acoustic Theory is a Saskatoon-based contemporary a cappella ensemble where big chords, big personalities, and big musical moments collide. Founded in 2017, the group brings passionate young singers together to create bold, high-energy performances while building a welcoming, supportive, and safe space to be completely themselves. From barbershop roots to contemporary vocal music, Acoustic Theory loves pushing boundaries, taking musical risks, laughing a lot, and creating the kind of harmony you can feel in your chest. At its heart, Acoustic Theory is about belonging, friendship, fearless music-making, and having an absolute blast doing it.
Justin La is a Saskatoon-based music educator, conductor, and certified harmony addict who is always chasing the purest of harmonies. He is the founder and director of Acoustic Theory and directs the youth a cappella ensemble Acoustic Vocal Xperiment (AVX). By day, Justin teaches music in Saskatoon; the rest of the time, he’s usually building shows, creating musical adventures, or celebrating a perfectly locked chord. Justin believes a cappella should be bold, electric, ridiculously fun, and powerful enough to create moments singers and audiences never forget.
ESHS Choirs
Gianna Summers
The El Segundo High School Choirs are an internationally recognized ensemble celebrated for musical excellence, artistry, and student leadership. Performing across the United States and Europe, these young musicians convey deep emotion and storytelling through every performance. Grounded in kindness, authenticity, and a growth mindset, the program builds a supportive community that connects profoundly with audiences worldwide. Beyond applause and accolades, the ESHS Choirs demonstrate the transformative power of music, leaving a lasting legacy of harmony, connection, and joy.
Gianna Summers, Choral Director, graduated with Honors from Arizona State University in Choral Education and Voice Performance in 2003, and earned her Master’s in Multicultural Education with Honors from National University in 2005. For the past 22 years, she has dedicated her career to teaching choral music in El Segundo. She lives in El Segundo, California, with her husband Bobby, their 16-year-old daughter Kate, and their chocolate lab, Daisy. Gianna’s choirs are more than musical ensembles; they serve as a moving testament to leadership, kindness, and music.
Chorus Abilene's BackBeat
Serayah Peters
BackBeat is a contemporary pop a cappella ensemble founded in 2021 and one of five ensembles with Chorus Abilene. Created to meet a community need for a modern vocal group and engage a younger demographic, BackBeat has grown into a sought-after ensemble for performances throughout the Abilene area. The group maintains a limited size and re-auditions annually, emphasizing musical excellence and a high standard of performance. At the same time, BackBeat welcomes singers of varied musical backgrounds and experience. With members ranging from ages 18–50, BackBeat celebrates diversity, community, and the power of music to bring people together.
Serayah Peters is a professional soprano, music educator, and nonprofit leader in Abilene, Texas. She is Director of Annual Giving at McMurry University and a Music Director with Chorus Abilene, where she founded BackBeat in 2021 and Abi-Voice in 2023. She presented “So, I Graduated. Now What?” at TMEA 2026, exploring nontraditional career paths for music educators. Her credits include Matron Mama Morton in Chicago and soprano soloist in works including Mozart’s Requiem and Haydn’s Creation. She is grateful to DCINY for seeing something special in BackBeat and giving this small Abilene ensemble the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall.
Greenwich A Cappella
Lauren Regan
Based in Greenwich, Connecticut, Greenwich A Cappella is one of the nation’s leading youth a cappella education programs, serving more than 150 singers ages 5–18. Through weekly rehearsals and dynamic performance opportunities, singers develop vocal skills, form meaningful friendships, and, above all, build confidence. This year, Greenwich A Cappella released its largest music video to date, “Rewrite the Stars,” produced by Grammy Award-winning producer and Pentatonix co-founder Ben Bram. Across seven ensembles, Greenwich A Cappella singers have performed at Radio City Music Hall and the National A Cappella Convention and are honored to make their Carnegie Hall debut.
Lauren Regan is the Founder and Artistic Director of Greenwich A Cappella, a youth a cappella program based in Greenwich, Connecticut. Since founding the program in 2020 with just eight singers, she has grown Greenwich A Cappella into a thriving community of more than 150 singers, ages 5–18. Lauren’s teaching is informed by over 12 years of experience in elementary education and a master’s degree in behavior analysis. Blending her expertise in learning and development with her background in vocal music, she created an innovative approach to a cappella education designed specifically for young singers.
Flint Arrowhead Barbershop Chorus
Doug Lynn
The Flint Arrowhead Chorus was formed in 1939 and was one of the very first choruses established in the Barbershop Harmony Society. We have been singing in and around Genesee County, Michigan, ever since.
Today, we are an all-male chorus of approximately fifteen members dedicated to singing four-part a cappella harmony in the barbershop style. We typically perform at senior centers and senior living facilities throughout the area. Our favorite time of year is Christmas, when we have the opportunity to share our music with many organizations and communities throughout the area.
The love of four-part harmony runs deep in our veins. The past few years have presented challenges for our chorus, but our love of the music and our commitment to one another have kept us singing. We are extremely excited to come to New York and share our music on the world-renowned stage of Carnegie Hall.
I have been singing barbershop harmony since 1999 and have had the honor of competing with both quartets and choruses at the international level. I have sung with the Flint Arrowhead chorus from the very beginning of my barbershop experience. I have held many positions with this chorus and am currently director since the retirement of our current director earlier this year. I have probably been promoted one step beyond the level of my competence but I'm enjoying every minute of it.
The Iona University NightinGAELs
Dana Celestino
The Iona University NightinGAELS are Iona University's premier a cappella group, and they are thrilled to be performing with Deke Sharon at Total Vocal for a second year! The NightinGAELs have the honor of performing at Radio City Music Hall annually as a part of the Christmas Spectacular, and last year made their debut performance in Disney World!
Dana Celestino is a musician-educator in the Westchester, NY area. She is a general music and chorus teacher in the Byram Hills Central School District and has worked at Iona University for the last eleven years as director of the Music Ministry, Iona Singers, and Iona NightinGAELs. She is thrilled for the group to participate in their second Total Vocal!
Culver Academies Vocal Arts Ensemble
Jenna Schroer
The Culver Academies Vocal Arts Ensemble carries forward a choral tradition woven into Culver life since the early 20th century including Chapel Choir recordings for RCA Victor in the 1950s and 1960s. Under the direction of Jenna Schroer, highlights include performing with the United States Air Force Band at the Kennedy Center’s National Memorial Day Choral Festival in 2023, singing with VOCES8 in 2025, and collaborating with Trey McLaughlin and the Sounds of Zamar in 2026. The ensemble brings together musicians from across the United States and around the world to make a joyful noise.
Jenna Schroer is Director of Vocal Music at Culver Academies, where she founded Vocal Arts Ensemble, the school’s first coed a cappella ensemble. A classically trained singer and educator, she holds degrees in vocal performance and opera from UMKC and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, as well as an M.Ed. in K–12 Music from Saint Xavier University. At Culver, Schroer has expanded vocal opportunities through collaborations with VOCES8, Trey McLaughlin and the Sounds of Zamar, and the United States Air Force Band. Her teaching centers healthy, versatile singing, artistic curiosity, and soulful musical collaboration.
Chordaholics
George Azzam
The Chordaholics, a quartet from Central NY (near Syracuse), sing a cappella music primarily in the Barbershop style. Unlike most Barbershop quartets, the Chordaholics each enjoy singing all 4 parts, which means there are 24 different ways that we blend our voices together! We’ve been making beautiful harmonies and wonderful memories for 7 years and we have had the opportunity to sing at some very special events, including this concert at Carnegie Hall! John, Steve, Phil, and George sing almost every time they’re in the same room. As their wives will attest, the trick is getting them to stop singing!
George Azzam was voluntold he is the Chordaholics Director because he has the pitch pipe! George started singing Barbershop in High School when he formed a quartet to sing jingles for the Music Department’s Citrus Fruit sale. Since then, he’s sung in numerous quartets and choruses as a life-member of the Barbershop Harmony Society. An avid “Barbershop guy”, George loves all chances to share the style with interested singers. He especially enjoys Tags (it’s a Barbershop thing) and with just 3 other singers, he’ll teach Tags all night until the sun rises or our voices give out (whichever comes first).
Total Vocal with Deke Sharon: A Holiday Celebration
DCINY presents Total Vocal: A Holiday Celebration, bringing the a cappella sensation back to Carnegie Hall, this time to sing in the holidays with Pitch Perfect music director, arranger, and conductor Deke Sharon. Experience the pinnacle of a cappella performance with Sharon's holiday arrangements from the Pitch Perfect films, classic carols, Disney, Broadway, and contemporary pop. Pitch Perfect royalty joining him on stage include Soloist Alexis Knapp ("Stacie Conrad") and Mickey Rapkin (Author), as well as world champion beatbox duo SPIDERHORSE, alongside top a cappella choirs and Individual Singers from around the globe united in the Distinguished Concerts Singers International. Also featuring a spotlight performance from The RockNRoll Festival Chorus directed by Joseph Cantaffa, a world-class a cappella ensemble hailing from New Jersey with the RocknRoll Chorus at its core.
Acts
Total Vocal: A Holiday Celebration
The RockNRoll Chorus Holiday Choir
Also Featuring:
Participating Groups
Special Guests
Artist's Name
Deke SharonArtist's Name
Joe CantaffaArtist's Name
SPIDERHORSEPress & Marketing
Click an item below to expand
Participating Group Directors
Joe Cantaffa is delighted to assemble this new project: The RockNRoll Chorus HOLIDAY CHOIR! A multi generational, multi-region choir that, once-a-year, comes together to sing holiday songs in the style of The RockNRoll Chorus through the glimmering, heart-warming crystallinity of a full, proper choir! The RockNRoll Chorus launched it’s first tour and full length album (What They Didn’t Teach Us In School) in 2007. Since that time The RockNRoll Chorus has performed with, and opened for, Bruce Springsteen, Darlene Love, Judy Collins, Gavin DeGraw, Colbie Caillat, Sara Bareilles, Jefferson Airplane, Foreigner, Kenny Loggins, Classic Albums Live: Pink Floyd, The Wall, Willie Nile, Max Weinberg, Jay Leno, Good Morning, America!, and appeared on many studio recordings as a guest choir. The launch of The RockNRoll Chorus Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profi t organization (2017), plans for expansion into several domestic cities to support multiple tour casts over the next fi ve years, and the upcoming completion of its eighth full length studio album, are moving The RockNRoll Chorus into its 20th year in dynamic and exciting ways! The RockNRoll Chorus also loves contributing to charities, performing for organizations such as NY ALS, NJ Epilepsy Foundation, The Light of Day Foundation,, American Cancer Society, The Zilinski Foundation, and The NJ Vietnam Veterans War Memorial. The RockNRoll Chorus – no instruments, just voices.
Joe Cantaffa is a music executive, producer, and educator bridging the commercial music industry and arts education. A voting member of the Recording Academy, he serves on the New Jersey Music Educators Association Board of Directors as Coordinating Chairman and Production Manager for New Jersey’s All-State ensembles. As founder, CEO, and CVO of The RockNRoll Chorus, Cantaffa has spent nearly 20 years directing its nationally touring, arena-style a cappella rock show. Under his leadership, the ensemble has released seven commercial albums and earned six placements on the official Grammy Award ballot. He also leads the nonprofit RockNRoll Chorus Foundation and the RockNRoll Chorus Holiday Choir, uniting singers of all ages, to find their soul through singing. For 28 years, Cantaffa has taught music production, theory, business, and live event support. He co-founded and teaches in the Music, Video & Production program at Howell High School’s Fine and Performing Arts Center, pioneered two nationally recognized student-run record labels, and established six active a cappella ensembles. A former Westminster Choir College faculty member, he has presented masterclasses nationwide. Cantaffa holds degrees from Rutgers University and Mason Gross School of the Arts and lives in his hometown of Howell, New Jersey, with his family.