By Isabel Vorst | Intern
After winning the semifinals in March, Baylor’s a cappella team VirtuOSO traveled to New York City for the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) Finals on Saturday. This marks a huge milestone in the team’s journey and paves the way for VirtuOSO’s future in the coming years.
Houston junior Norie Yowell said that growing with the group this year has been a tremendous accomplishment.
“I’m proud that we made it to New York,” Yowell said. “It was an honor to win quarterfinals and an honor to win semifinals. The fact that we went into this competition blind after a decade of sitting out and made it to the top 10 is mind-blowing.”
According to Spring senior Brent Cabote, a certain level of shock remained with the team as they traveled through New York City.
“There was a little bit of imposter syndrome,” Cabote said. “Like, ‘How are we here? Do we deserve to be competing at this level?’ The record shows that we did deserve it. We earned, by God’s grace, our place in the top 10.”
Getting to this level of competition meant going up against some of the best a cappella groups in the country.
“I learned just how high a level we were operating at when I heard our competition,” Cabote said.
Hundreds of hours of hard work and dedication went into the team’s preparation throughout this year’s journey, allowing them to grow together and individually on multiple levels.
East Stroudsburg, Pa., senior Monica Malas said she was proud of the way they came together, “not only as a team, but a family looking out for one another and supporting each other through it all.”
She said she knew they all had high-caliber individual singing, but that this year, especially, they learned to come together and become one unit.
“More than anything, I loved every time we got to perform at the competitions and hear how the audience reacted to us,” Malas said. “There’s a lot of joy to be found in sharing music.”
Cabote elaborated that the group has impacted everyone on a personal level.
“I’m just so proud of everyone’s commitment and heart,” Cabote said. “This group is like a family to me and has truly changed me. I am so proud of the immense growth that I see in each member. Spiritually, musically, emotionally and relationally — this competition has grown each of us in innumerable ways.”
One of VirtuOSO’s core values is to prioritize faith and spiritual growth.
Cabote said VirtuOSO has reminded him why he sings, and for whom.
“I have been reminded that God delights in the giftings of his children,” Cabote said.
