Cheyenne Mountain Crimson and Slate showcases their talent at competitions and concerts, including the Aca Alumni concert March 3.

Twenty years ago, Cheyenne Mountain choir teacher Dawn Wisdom started the A cappella program at CMHS. Initially, crimson and slate were two separate groups – crimson was a girls show choir, and slate was a boys show choir. it wasn’t until 2017 when the groups combined to form the Crimson and Slate we know today. Today, the group is Cheyenne’s beloved Crimson and Slate.

 From Singing Valentines to concerts in the Lloyd Shaw Auditorium, Crimson and Slate’s contribution to the school community is immense. But Crimson and Slate’s influence spans beyond the school grounds. Ms.Wisdom took both Crimson and Slate to the very first International Championship of A cappella. Since then, Crimson and Slate have competed nationally eight times. More recently, Crimson and Slate has been personally invited to perform in a concert called Total Vocal led by Deke Sharon (music director of the movie Pitch Perfect) at Carnegie Hall in New York City during Spring Break. 

According to Senior Sylvie Robinson, the amount of work that goes into practicing and perfecting every song creates an immense feeling of reward. Sylvie feels extraordinarily close to the other members of Crimson and Slate, stating that she can rely and trust the group because of all the work they put in.

Crimson and Slate have also been asked to be the headliner at a collegiate competition and the festival the next day in Wisconsin called Acapocalypse. The majority of the audience for both of these concerts are going to be other a cappella singers. Sylvie Robinson loves having an audience with many Cheyenne Mountain supporters but she also feels that an audience of a cappella experts is very rewarding because  “they’re very vocal” about the technically challenging parts of the music.

Wisconsin and New York are quite far, but there are two main opportunities that supporters can go to within Colorado. Saturday, March 25 Crimson and Slate will participate in Acappellooza, a competition where the winners are decided partially by audience vote. The competition in Denver. 

The closest concert to home that Crimson and Slate has planned is the Aca Alumni concert this Friday, March 3 at Cheyenne Mountain High School. 

Over the years, many singers have been a part of Crimson and Slate, and on Friday some of these people are coming back to reunite with Ms.Wisdom and meet the newest Crimson and Slate members. Ms.Wisdom said that the most important part of Crimson and Slate has always been the people and the connections between all of the members. 

She says “there have just been a lot of really wonderful people that have been a part of these groups over the years and I’m so thrilled that they are willing to come back.” 

Of the people who are coming back for the concert, several are still part of the music industry, some are coming from far, and even Cheyenne Mountain councilor Ms. Ellen Hinckley will be part of the alumni choir that night. Crimson and Slate and the Alumni Choir will rehearse, eat dinner together, and then watch each other perform.