A cappella group to perform with students
Backtrack is an award-winning, five-person a cappella group based in New York City. They cover past and present pop music while also writing original compositions and taking on genres such as classical and electronic music.
The Performing Arts Center will continue its tradition of connecting local students with internationally recognized artists when a cappella group Backtrack visits the area Oct. 18-20.
Backtrack will visit students at Newcomerstown Middle School and West Elementary as well as students at New Philadelphia Middle School and South Elementary for in-school assemblies.
“Getting musicians into the schools is something I’m very passionate about,” said David Mitchell, general manager of the Performing Arts Center. “As adults I think we have an obligation to inspire the next generation, and these in-school performances have the power to impact the students in so many ways. I’m on a mission to get to every school in the county, and we’ve been able to check several off the list over the past few years.”
In addition to school visits, a workshop for choir students on Saturday afternoon will give students the opportunity to learn from Backtrack. Students will then perform alongside Backtrack for the evening performance at the Performing Arts Center.
Participating high schools include Dover, Indian Valley, Newcomerstown, New Philadelphia and Tusky Valley as well as the Kent State Tuscarawas choir.
“I encourage everyone to come to the Saturday evening show on Oct. 20 at the Performing Arts Center,” Mitchell said. “We’ll have over 120 students on stage performing with Backtrack. It’s going to be a magical experience for the students as well as the audience.”
Backtrack is an award-winning, five-person a cappella group based in New York City. They cover past and present pop music while also writing original compositions and taking on genres such as classical and electronic music. They’ve garnered over 10 million YouTube video views and have appeared on PopTV & Scary Mommy’s “Lullaby League.”
In addition to performing, Backtrack is passionate about inspiring and educating the youth of America about a cappella and the performing arts. Backtrack demonstrates this passion by adjudicating a cappella competitions such as the Wyvern International A Cappella Festival, showcasing at a cappella festivals such as the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella and SingStrong NY, and providing workshops to students across the nation.
Support for the educational outreach activities was received from the Tuscarawas County Community Foundation and the Dover Exchange Club.
Backtrack will perform on Saturday, Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $30 and are on sale now at the Performing Arts Center box office, by calling 330-308-6400 or by visiting www.kent.edu/tusc/pac. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Kent State Tuscarawas is located at 330 University Drive NE in New Philadelphia.