Christian Affleck Jensen Diederich David Gaag Hyrum Jackson Jack Nelson Sterling Stowell Josh Thorne
Past members
Bob Ahlander Dave Boyce Rick McFarland Ryan Innes Buck Mangum James Stevens Jake Hunsaker Tanner Nilsson Yaphet Bustos McKay Crockett Carson Trautman Spencer Myler & more
BYU Vocal Point, or simply Vocal Point, is a seven to nine-member, male a cappella group at Brigham Young University (BYU). Founded by two students, Bob Ahlander & Dave Boyce, in 1991, Vocal Point is under the direction of former member Carson Trautman.
Vocal Point was founded in 1991 by two students at BYU, Dave Boyce and Bob Ahlander.[2] Boyce and Ahlander became introduced to modern a cappella while visiting the Eastern United States, where a cappella had become popular among colleges.[3] Jill Petersen-Lex became the group's first artistic director as the group hoped to introduce the Western United States to contemporary a cappella.[3] The three held auditions in the fall of 1991. Although the group intended to have eight members, a double-quartet, they could not choose between two singers so they accepted both and became a group of nine.[4] In 1992, the group recorded its first album, "If Rocks Could Sing" on cassette.[5] In 1994, Vocal Point was absorbed into BYU's School of Music.[6]
The group won the ICCA semifinals for the 2003–04 and 2004-05 competitions, but the group chose to not participate in the finals in New York, because they took place on Sundays.[4] In 2004, Vocal Point performed eighteen shows in Nauvoo, Illinois, for three weeks at the Joseph Smith Academy Theater.[7] James Stevens became the group's director in 2004, directing the group until 2012.[8] In 2006, Vocal Point received three Pearl Awards from the Faith Centered Music Association for "Best Sacred Recorded Song of the Year", "Best Group Recording Artist of the Year", and "Best Performing Artist of the Year" for their newest album "Standing Room Only".[9][10]
Vocal Point performed at BYU's Homecoming Spectacular in 2006.[11] The same year, they hosted a reunion concert for Vocal Point's 15th anniversary.[12] Competing in the 2006 ICCA competition, the group was awarded first place in the quarterfinals and semifinals before winning first place at the ICCA finals in the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York [13]
Directed by the group's former beatboxer, Buck Mangum, in early 2011, Vocal Point again competed in the ICCA.[12] They placed first at quarter finals in Eugene, Oregon. At the semi-finals in Los Angeles, Vocal Point again placed first.[14] At finals in New York, Vocal Point received awards for "best vocal percussionist" to Tanner Nilsson, again "best soloist" to Jake Hunsaker, and second place in the entire competition. The songs they competed with in their set were Michael Jackson's "Beat It," Michael Bublé's "Meglio Stassera," a Polish hymn entitled "Infant Holy," and Louis Prima's "Jump Jive an' Wail."[15]
In 2011, Vocal Point competed as part of season 3 of NBC's reality TV series, The Sing Off. The members of the group that competed in the show were Michael "Mike" Christensen, McKay Crockett, Keith Evans, Jake Hunsaker, Ben Murphy, Tanner Nilsson, Robert Seely, Tyler Sterling, and Ross Welch. They were accompanied by Stevens.[9] As a result of their participation in the show, the group was featured in a CNN article discussing how the group represented BYU and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[16] From 2012, previous member of Vocal Point, McKay Crockett, has served as the group's producer and artistic director.[17] Vocal Point has performed the United States national anthem at Utah Jazz games. On tour in the United States, their concerts frequently sell out.[3] In 2018, Vocal Point won several CASA A Capella Video Awards including Outstanding Collaborative Video and Best Show Tunes/Soundtrack/Theme Song for "Beauty and the Beast A Cappella Medley" featuring Lexi Walker and the award for Best Religious Video for "It Is Well With My Soul".[18]
In 2022, they made an all Disney album called Magic: Disney Through Time. They collaborated with many singers to make this album including the voice of Encanto's Dolores, Adassa, Anthem Lights, Laura Osnes, & former member Yaphet Bustos. The same year, they performed at the LDS Church for Vocal Point's 30th anniversary with 62 former members performing with its 2022 members. In late 2022, Crockett decided to leave as director for a new job opportunity. He is replaced by former member Carson Trautman.
Best Professional Arrangement for a Scholastic Group
Abner Apsley: "High Hopes"
Nominated
Best Lower Voices Collegiate Album
Vocal Point
Won
^Before 2017, there were no awards related to a cappella music videos. The Contemporary A Cappella Society announced Video Awards for the first time in 2017.
^"ICCA Finals 2011 Wrap-Up". The Contemporary A Cappella Society. Contemporary A Cappella Society. Archived from the original on November 16, 2012. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
