By Isabel Vorst | Intern
For VirtuOSO, Baylor’s competitive jazz a capella group, the taste of victory is still lingering as it celebrates a first place win at the quarterfinals for the International Championship of Collegiate A Capella (ICCA) Southwest Region competition in San Antonio on Jan. 31. In addition to their team victory, Milwaukee senior Damien Blair won the best arrangement award and Houston junior Gabi McGregor best soloist.
A main focus of VirtuOSO‘s mission is its ability to tell a powerful story in a dynamic way. Their passion, creativity and Christ-centered message deeply resonated with their audience, reshaping how competitions might look in the future.
“I’m really proud of our group because of how we performed and did our best on stage, but also, just how different the performance was compared to other groups,” Spring senior Brent Cabote said. “We bring a lot of soul to the stage, given the message we’re trying to put across.”
As for the set list, Cabote explained how the songs were carefully chosen to construct a storyline.
“So, the theme is the weather … and the set begins with the song, ‘The Weather,'” Cabote said. “The second song is, ‘Ain’t No Sunshine,’ so it starts with a gloomy setting. Then the set gets into more and more hopeful music throughout, until we end with a gospel tune.”
VirtuOSO’s performance struck a chord with the audience, offering a lighter message, especially compared with the themes of the other performances.
“We saw a lot of dark music on that stage, and we saw it wash over the audience,” Charlotte, N.C., junior Gavin Brophy said. “Then we came on, and after that first song, it was like a ray of sunshine hit the audience. That’s when we saw a change in their eyes. I saw them see what it could be, and I think that’s beautiful.”
Deep Park sophomore Jolie Bridy emphasized the dark nature that overtook the room and the lift in energy when VirtuOSO stepped onto the stage.
“It was almost like — I’m going to steal the words of our professor — we were placed into that competition to bring Christ to those people, because standing on stage, we felt really nervous, but then singing our set, it felt like a breath of fresh air,” Bridy said.
One of the recurring themes of VirtuOSO is the group’s diversity, composed of 16 members with different majors, backgrounds and stories, yet all bonded by their love of jazz performance.
“I think it gives a true picture of what Baylor is, a little better than some of our other ensembles,” Conductor Reginal Wright said. “You can see the full snapshot of the students, demographics and religions. And them coming together with all those differences and doing what they’ve done as quickly as they’ve done is pretty special.”
The team’s unique experience at San Antonio’s ICCA quarterfinals changed the way the members think about VirtuOSO’S impact and mission.
Mansfield junior Micah Spree reflected on the trip and how much God had his hand in VirtuOSO’s journey. Before winning the competition in San Antonio, they were not a well-known group and hadn’t competed in ICCA in over a decade.
“Not only do we come in and shine a light and also get to perform music that is just glorifying his name for the masses, but we are able to get best arrangement, best soloist and win the competition,” Spree said.
He reflected on how people in the audience could be changed by the music, encouraged by the idea that even one person could be deeply moved and find a higher sense of hope and purpose.
“It doesn’t stop in San Antonio,” Spree said. “Anticipating the team’s next step and letting that be our focus as we go forward is what I’ve been really thinking and praying about.”
Ultimately, VirtuOSO is home to the students who have poured their hearts and souls into it, finding deep friendships and a rare, genuine sense of belonging.
Honolulu sophomore Rachel Colón emphasized how VirtuOSO has helped her become more confident, especially as a second-generation college student with a Hispanic background, which made it hard to find a home at Baylor.
Even though she is part of other musical groups here, such as mariachi, she realized after joining VirtuOSO that there was a sense of belonging that went deeper than just identity.
Being in such a skilled group and seeing that talent shared and used to support others was a life-changing thing for Colón.
“They literally give parts of their hearts and souls in helping other people,” Colón said when describing her team members. “We’re just here to have fun, and we’re here to sing and to love each other … VirtuOSO is my home, and I love this group with all I have.”
