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), 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.
Please note: Tickets will be on sale 90 days before the concert.
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.
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), 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.
Please note: Tickets will be on sale 90 days before the concert.
Acts
Total Vocal: A Holiday Celebration
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