The curtains at Highland Park High School’s auditorium part, unveiling swimmers, broadcasters, and science olympiads; but in that moment, they are musicians. It’s only when you take a second glance that you notice the absence of a fundamental piece: instruments.

These performers are members of Noteworthy, an A-Cappella group at Hinsdale South directed by Chris Gumban, Sean Lohmeyer, and Collin Page. A-Cappella–if you’ve never seen Pitch Perfect— is a form of musical expression involving the sole use of vocals to imitate the tone of an instrument.

On February 25th, Noteworthy placed 3rd at the ICHSA Great Lakes Quarter Final where they faced off against nine other competitive schools: IMSA, Richards, and Loyola Academy were among the most notable. 

This past winter, this unlikely entourage of students banded together to develop an emotionally driven set featuring “Music For a Sushi Restaurant” by Harry Styles, “Light On” by Maggie Rogers, and “Good Kisser” by Lake Street Dive.

Sophia Zakar, a junior and returning member, found a deeper meaning in her solo.

“I emotionally connected the most to ‘Light On’ because I was the one singing it. The song is about ebbing and flowing in a relationship that you know isn’t good for you. When I sang the song I didn’t always connect it to a toxic romantic relationship, it was more about any kind of destructive behavior that you could get stuck in.”

The free-spirited dynamic of the group really brought the stage to life and was only illuminated by their pastel attire. As bright as the stage was, what really stole the spotlight was the sense of community that rose over the course of the season.

Zakar recalled a fond memory. 

“We had a lot of downtime between sound checks and the actual performance so we all decided to sit down and play a big game of mafia as a group. It was incredibly confusing and things got very heated but everyone was having fun.”

The club recently welcomed new members. Andrea Crisp, a sophomore, took on an unexpected leadership role this year as choreographer. 

“Mr. Page asked if I wanted to do choreo this year after seeing me dance in Carrie. I don’t really have any experience with choreographing in the past, but I’ve been dancing for probably 8 or 9 years. A lot of what I drew inspiration from came from my dance background and the formations and choreography I’ve been in and done.”

For Noteworthy, instruments have never been a necessity. What’s defined their team is the ability to harmonize both behind and in front of the curtains.