A look at WHS a cappella groups

A cluster of boys and girls huddle backstage in the final moments before their performance begins then burst out under the lights, ready to sing. The audience claps along as the Madrigals ease into their first song, voices blending tightly into one sound. The WHS Madrigals, also known as the Mads, are one of WHS' three a cappella groups. Unlike the Muses and the Testostertones, both single-gender...

A group of girls steps onto the stage, forming a semicircle with microphones in their hands. Their red heels gleam in the light, and the WHS Muses sway from right to left in unison as they launch into their set. The Muses, formed in 1997, are one of the three a cappella groups at WHS. Unlike the other two groups, the all-male Testostertones and the co-ed Madrigals, the Muses are made up of female...

The sun has long since set, and the fine arts wing is full of music. At the center of the brightly lit chorus room, a group of boys stand clustered around a keyboard, singing and clapping in rhythm. Rich harmonies float through the air, part of their arrangement of "Hey Jude." This music is no unusual occurrence—the Testostertones are having their regular Thursday night rehearsal. The Testostertones,...