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Singing in the Dark Trivia Quiz

Singing without musical accompaniment is like singing in the dark - you have to find your own way through with no signposts and no guidelines. Here are some questions on a cappella singing and some of my favorite groups.

A multiple-choice quiz by DragonLadyBlue. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
DragonLadyBlue

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
371,611

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
211

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Some of the earliest recorded a cappella singing came from monks singing sacred songs and church service music. What is this music frequently called? Hint

Gregorian chant

Franciscan freesong

Benedictine ballads

Monkish mood music

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Question 2 of 10

2. One of the most popular times for starting an a cappella group is as a student in high school or college. Varsity Vocals gives these student groups a chance to compete with a renowned yearly championship called the ICCA. What does ICCA stand for? Hint

Important Chorale Championship of A Cappella

International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella

International Champions of Cappella Accompaniment

Interstate College Championship of A Cappella

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Question 3 of 10

3. The 90s PBS children's show "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" had weekly performances from which great a cappella group? Hint

Rocking Rickys

The Persuasions

Rockapella

Carmen's Crew

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Question 4 of 10

4. In the 2012 hit movie "Pitch Perfect" the a cappella group joined by Beca, the lead character, was ... Hint

8 Male, 1 Female

All Male

All Female

Co-Ed

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Question 5 of 10

5. Barbershop singing is a specific kind of a cappella where the group must contain four men with mustaches and straw hats.

True

False

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Question 6 of 10

6. Probably the most influential a cappella group for many years is this British sextet who originally were formed while studying at Cambridge. But what is their proper name? Hint

Kingsingers

The King's Singers

The King Singers

KinSingers

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Question 7 of 10

7. What is generally regarded as the first a cappella song to reach number one on the UK charts over Christmas 1983? Hint

Don't Worry Be Happy

Careless Whisper

Blue Christmas

Only You

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Question 8 of 10

8. Started in 1984, one American a cappella competition bills itself as the "premier American showcase for vocal harmony music" providing a festival and competition for a cappella singing of any age. What is this competition called? Hint

Harmonic HoeDown

Harmony Sweepstakes

A Cappella Kumbaya

Musical Madness

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Question 9 of 10

9. In their ever-popular Christmas shows, the Utah a cappella group Voice Male regularly risk life and limb with which Sesame Street bath time song? Hint

Bein' Green

Elmo's Song

Rubber Duckie

'C' is for Cookie

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Question 10 of 10

10. Starting in 2009, NBC hosted a yearly a cappella reality competition show close to Christmas. What is its title? Hint

A Cappella Action

The Sing-Off

The Voice

Sing for Your Supper

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Some of the earliest recorded a cappella singing came from monks singing sacred songs and church service music. What is this music frequently called?

Answer: Gregorian chant

Gregorian chant is usually sung in unison, all voices combining on a single melody. It is believed to have its origins more than 1000 years ago although as it was largely an oral tradition exact dates are subject to debate.

Answer: International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella

The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella has been running since 1996. One of the most successful groups has been the University of South California's "SoCal VoCals" who won on 3 occasions between 2008 and 2012.

Varsity Vocals also operates the International Championship of High School a Cappella (ICHSA).

[Information from Varsity Vocals website]

3. The 90s PBS children's show "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" had weekly performances from which great a cappella group?

Answer: Rockapella

Rockapella also performed the theme song for the show. They became very popular during the run of the show and released nine CDs, but for a lot of people their most recognizable music outside of the show was "Wake Up" for a Folgers commercial.

4. In the 2012 hit movie "Pitch Perfect" the a cappella group joined by Beca, the lead character, was ...

Answer: All Female

The heroes are the Barden Bellas, an all-female group at the fictional Barden University. Anna Kendrick, who plays Beca, actually had a Billboard Top 100 hit with the song "Cups (When I'm Gone)" from the movie but it was remastered to add instruments.

5. Barbershop singing is a specific kind of a cappella where the group must contain four men with mustaches and straw hats.

Answer: False

While Barber Shop is four-part a cappella with close harmonies and there are those who still maintain it should only be sung by men, the mustaches and straw hats are definitely optional.

6. Probably the most influential a cappella group for many years is this British sextet who originally were formed while studying at Cambridge. But what is their proper name?

Answer: The King's Singers

The King's Singers' line up has changed many times since they started at King's College, Cambridge in 1968. They have released 150 albums and sold (according to their website) over two million copies of sheet music for their arrangements providing a huge influence on musical groups throughout the world.

7. What is generally regarded as the first a cappella song to reach number one on the UK charts over Christmas 1983?

Answer: Only You

The Flying Pickets cover of Yazoo's "Only You" spent five weeks at the top of the chart. The a cappella song "Don't Worry Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin reached Number One on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US in 1988. Neither "Blue Christmas" nor "Careless Whisper" were a cappella.

Answer: Harmony Sweepstakes

Harmony Sweepstakes holds regional semi-finals before the national finals in California. According to their website "The roots of the event began in a weekly sing-a-long that was held in the British pub The Mayflower in San Rafael, California."

9. In their ever-popular Christmas shows, the Utah a cappella group Voice Male regularly risk life and limb with which Sesame Street bath time song?

Answer: Rubber Duckie

Voice Male (not to be confused with the Belgian singers of the same name) provide a rousing family concert mixing religious songs with carols, children's tunes and a lot of merriment on stage.
Over the years, the tradition has grown up for the singers on stage to be pelted with yellow rubber ducks when they sing this song, to the point where they usually need to sweep the stage before continuing with the performance.

10. Starting in 2009, NBC hosted a yearly a cappella reality competition show close to Christmas. What is its title?

Answer: The Sing-Off

"The Sing-Off" follows a fairly standard competition format - competitor groups sing for the judges and are slowly whittled down week by week. It has regularly been shown in the run up to Christmas, suggesting the powers that be think a cappella is especially good for the holidays and certainly most famous a cappella bands have at least one Christmas CD on offer.

Source: Author DragonLadyBlue

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