A_cappella

qas: question: What does A cappella mean in the Italian language?
answers: text: in the manner of the chapel

question: What is another term occasionally used to refer to A cappella?
answers: text: alla breve

question: At what point did Renaissance polyphony become popular again?
answers: text: 19th century

question: How is A cappella currently defined?
answers: text: group or solo singing without instrumental accompaniment

question: A cappella was originally used to tell the difference between which two styles?
answers: text: Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato

question: What is group or solo music called?

question: What does cantata music lack that Acappella has?

question:  What is a synonym for cantata?

question: What was renewed in the 1900's?

question: What did cantata origionally differerntiate between?

question: What term is also used as a synonym for concertato?

question: Alla breve was originally used to tell the difference between what styles?

question: What led to alla breve meaning unaccompanied vocal music?

question: What does Baroque concertato mean in Italian?

question: What does Renaissance polyphony contrast with that means accompanied singing?
context: A cappella [a kapˈpɛlla] (Italian for "in the manner of the chapel") music is specifically group or solo singing without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It contrasts with cantata, which is accompanied singing. The term "a cappella" was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato style. In the 19th century a renewed interest in Renaissance polyphony coupled with an ignorance of the fact that vocal parts were often doubled by instrumentalists led to the term coming to mean unaccompanied vocal music. The term is also used, albeit rarely, as a synonym for alla breve.

qas: question: What form of music was A cappella predominately used for in its early years?
answers: text: religious music

question: What was considered part of A cappella until the Baroque period?
answers: text: The madrigal

question: The madrigal became what type of form that prevented it from being accompanied with A cappella?
answers: text: instrumentally-accompanied

question: In what era was most of the vocal music considered A cappella?
answers: text: Renaissance

question: What was originally used in Renaissance secular vocal music? 

question: What was considered part of a cappella following the Baroque period?

question: What religions later incoperated a cappella into their traditions?

question: uring what period was a cappella losinging popularity as religious music?

question: How was Islamic music originally used?

question: What other type of music was considered A capella from the madrigal?

question: What was considered a form of A capella until the Jewish period?

question: What is an example of instrumentally accompanied singing?

question: In what practice what most of the vocal music A capella?
context: A cappella music was originally used in religious music, especially church music as well as anasheed and zemirot. Gregorian chant is an example of a cappella singing, as is the majority of secular vocal music from the Renaissance. The madrigal, up until its development in the early Baroque into an instrumentally-accompanied form, is also usually in a cappella form. Jewish and Christian music were originally a cappella,[citation needed] and this practice has continued in both of these religions as well as in Islam.

qas: question: Who was a known composer of A cappella music in the 15th century?
answers: text: Josquin des Prez

question: Bach was influenced by a popular A cappella composer heavily for what composition?
answers: text: Mass in B Minor

question: How many of Schutz's Easter pieces were in the A cappella style?
answers: text: three

question: Lagrime d'amante al sepolcro dell'amata's well known A cappella composition was written in what year?
answers: text: 1610

question: Some compositions were found after which composer's death?
answers: text: Andrea Gabrieli

question: What began to develop in Europe during the 1500"s

question: Who's compositions marked the begining of secular a cappella music

question: What did the a cappella form take the place of during the 16th century?

question: What piece was heavily influenced by Bach's Mass in B MInor?

question: What accompanied the voices in Palestrina?

question: What happened to Christian music in Europe the 16th Century?

question: How was the early piece by Josquin des Prez intended to be played?

question: What composer was Josquin des Prez a major influence on?

question: When was Bach's Mass in B Minor composed?

question: How were the pieces written by Josquin des Prez performed during Easter week?
context: The polyphony of Christian a cappella music began to develop in Europe around the late 15th century, with compositions by Josquin des Prez. The early a cappella polyphonies may have had an accompanying instrument, although this instrument would merely double the singers' parts and was not independent. By the 16th century, a cappella polyphony had further developed, but gradually, the cantata began to take the place of a cappella forms. 16th century a cappella polyphony, nonetheless, continued to influence church composers throughout this period and to the present day. Recent evidence has shown that some of the early pieces by Palestrina, such as what was written for the Sistine Chapel was intended to be accompanied by an organ "doubling" some or all of the voices. Such is seen in the life of Palestrina becoming a major influence on Bach, most notably in the aforementioned Mass in B Minor. Other composers that utilized the a cappella style, if only for the occasional piece, were Claudio Monteverdi and his masterpiece, Lagrime d'amante al sepolcro dell'amata (A lover's tears at his beloved's grave), which was composed in 1610, and Andrea Gabrieli when upon his death it was discovered many choral pieces, one of which was in the unaccompanied style. Learning from the preceding two composeres, Heinrich Schütz utilized the a cappella style in numerous pieces, chief among these were the pieces in the oratorio style, which were traditionally performed during the Easter week and dealt with the religious subject matter of that week, such as Christ's suffering and the Passion. Five of Schutz's Historien were Easter pieces, and of these the latter three, which dealt with the passion from three different viewpoints, those of Matthew, Luke and John, were all done a cappella style. This was a near requirement for this type of piece, and the parts of the crowd were sung while the solo parts which were the quoted parts from either Christ or the authors were performed in a plainchant.

qas: question: When did Russian musika show up?
answers: text: khorovïye kontsertï

question: khorovïye kontsertï were typically done similar to what pieces?
answers: text: Venetian-styled

question: What bible passage gave rise to certain a cappella attitudes?
answers: text: Psalms 150

question: Who composed a popular Venetian-styled piece in 1675?
answers: text: Nikolai Diletsky

question: What is based on a brad interpritation of the Psalms?

question: What started appearing in Russia in the 1700's?

question: What was a copy of Venetian a cappella?

question: What was written by NIkolai Diletsky in the 16th century?

question: How are liturgies sung in Russian musika?

question: What motivates the way instrumental music is composed in the church?

question: When did the Byzantine Rite of the Eastern Orothdox Church appear?

question: What type of music made a cappella versions of instrumental accompaniment?

question: What Bishop composed Grammatika musikiyskaya in 1675?
context: In the Byzantine Rite of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches, the music performed in the liturgies is exclusively sung without instrumental accompaniment. Bishop Kallistos Ware says, "The service is sung, even though there may be no choir... In the Orthodox Church today, as in the early Church, singing is unaccompanied and instrumental music is not found." This a cappella behavior arises from strict interpretation of Psalms 150, which states, Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. In keeping with this philosophy, early Russian musika which started appearing in the late 17th century, in what was known as khorovïye kontsertï (choral concertos) made a cappella adaptations of Venetian-styled pieces, such as the treatise, Grammatika musikiyskaya (1675), by Nikolai Diletsky. Divine Liturgies and Western Rite masses composed by famous composers such as Peter Tchaikovsky, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Alexander Arkhangelsky, and Mykola Leontovych are fine examples of this.

qas: question: What is the name of the religious a cappella style used with shape notes?
answers: text: Sacred Harp

question: A cappella exists in some liturgical churches as an influence from what era?
answers: text: apostolic times

question: In the modern day, what broad religious group is most known to implement a cappella?
answers: text: Christian religious bodies

question: What are some present day Christian churces nolonger use the a capella form?

question: what era influences todays secular a capella?

question: What is a secular folk music song in a capella.

question: What is the name of the Mennonite style of singing used with shape notes?

question: From what time does harp folk music exist in some churches?

question: What are some examples of present-day Christian churches that use instruments during worship services?

question: What church services use Sacred Harp, that is a practice from apostolic times?

question: In present times, which group is know to use shape notes in religious services?
context: Present-day Christian religious bodies known for conducting their worship services without musical accompaniment include some Presbyterian churches devoted to the regulative principle of worship, Old Regular Baptists, Primitive Baptists, Plymouth Brethren, Churches of Christ, the Old German Baptist Brethren, Doukhobors the Byzantine Rite and the Amish, Old Order Mennonites and Conservative Mennonites. Certain high church services and other musical events in liturgical churches (such as the Roman Catholic Mass and the Lutheran Divine Service) may be a cappella, a practice remaining from apostolic times. Many Mennonites also conduct some or all of their services without instruments. Sacred Harp, a type of folk music, is an a cappella style of religious singing with shape notes, usually sung at singing conventions.

qas: question: Why were instruments more unwelcome to Christians?
answers: text: They were considered a Catholic innovation

question: What was the name of the book in which Jeanie Deans is the protagonist?
answers: text: The Heart of Midlothian

question: Who is quoted for saying instruments in religious services are like "A cow bell in a concert" 
answers: text: Alexander Campbell

question: Who authored The Heart of the Midlothian?
answers: text: Sir Walter Scott

question: What divides the worlds religions?

question: What was considered an Easter Catholic inovation?

question: What was first use introduced into worship in the 1800's?

question: Who opposed a capella music in worship during the 18th century?

question: What did Luther refer to as "a cow bell in a concert"?

question: What has divided Catholics since they have been used in worship?

question: What did Catholics oppose to be used in worship?

question: What did Martin Luther mention about using instruments during church worship?

question: What did Ulrich Zwingli write that had Jeanie Deans as the heroine?

question: What type of religion is John Calvin a member of in the book?
context: Instruments have divided Christendom since their introduction into worship. They were considered a Catholic innovation, not widely practiced until the 18th century, and were opposed vigorously in worship by a number of Protestant Reformers, including Martin Luther (1483–1546), Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin (1509–1564) and John Wesley (1703–1791). Alexander Campbell referred to the use of an instrument in worship as "a cow bell in a concert". In Sir Walter Scott's The Heart of Midlothian, the heroine, Jeanie Deans, a Scottish Presbyterian, writes to her father about the church situation she has found in England (bold added):

qas: question: What does the rejection of instruments in Christian music likely stem from?
answers: text: an interpretation of history

question: During what time is there no record of Christians using instruments for worship?
answers: text: 33 AD to 180AD

question: At what point did instruments begin to receive condemnation from Christians?
answers: text: the 2nd century

question: For what reason do modern Christians continue to oppose the use of instruments?
answers: text: Church Fathers had a better understanding of God's desire for the church

question: What scriptures make negative judgments about instruments?

question: What scriptures does opposition to instruments come from?

question: During what time is there evidence of Christians using instruments for worship?

question: What did Christians condone starting in the 2nd century?

question: Whose teachings are in line with today's opposition to instruments?

question: During what time period was opposition to instruments being used in all settings discovered?

question: Where does rejection of using instruments according to God's will come from?

question: When is information about the use of instruments for Christian worship written?

question: What did Christians condemn from 33 AD to 180 AD?

question: What do Church Fathers believe today about using instruments?
context: Those who subscribe to this interpretation believe that since the Christian scriptures never counter instrumental language with any negative judgment on instruments, opposition to instruments instead comes from an interpretation of history. There is no written opposition to musical instruments in any setting in the first century and a half of Christian churches (33 AD to 180AD). The use of instruments for Christian worship during this period is also undocumented. Toward the end of the 2nd century, Christians began condemning the instruments themselves. Those who oppose instruments today believe these Church Fathers had a better understanding of God's desire for the church,[citation needed] but there are significant differences between the teachings of these Church Fathers and Christian opposition to instruments today.

qas: question: On what day is using musical instruments not allowed? 
answers: text: Sabbath

question: In what style do Jewish families typically sing Sabbath songs?
answers: text: a cappella

question: What is a cappella music occasionally called among those of Jewish faith?
answers: text: sefirah music

question: How many days are counted between Passover and Shavuot?
answers: text: 49

question: What is part of the time between Passover and Shavuot thought to be?
answers: text: a time of semi-mourning

question: What Temple forbade the use of instruments?

question: What was included in tradition Jewish services in synagogues?

question: What is forbidden on the Sabbath because it was considered work?

question: What prhabition has been relaxed in many traditional Jewish congregations?

question: What type of music is forbidden during Passover?

question: What did traditional Jewish religious services in the Synagogue include?

question: What is forbidden in Jerusalem?

question: When do Jewish families use musical instruments when singing Sabbath songs?

question: During what time is zemirot prohibited?

question: What kind of entertainment happens on the Sabbath for zemirot?
context: While worship in the Temple in Jerusalem included musical instruments (2 Chronicles 29:25–27), traditional Jewish religious services in the Synagogue, both before and after the last destruction of the Temple, did not include musical instruments given the practice of scriptural cantillation. The use of musical instruments is traditionally forbidden on the Sabbath out of concern that players would be tempted to repair (or tune) their instruments, which is forbidden on those days. (This prohibition has been relaxed in many Reform and some Conservative congregations.) Similarly, when Jewish families and larger groups sing traditional Sabbath songs known as zemirot outside the context of formal religious services, they usually do so a cappella, and Bar and Bat Mitzvah celebrations on the Sabbath sometimes feature entertainment by a cappella ensembles. During the Three Weeks musical instruments are prohibited. Many Jews consider a portion of the 49-day period of the counting of the omer between Passover and Shavuot to be a time of semi-mourning and instrumental music is not allowed during that time. This has led to a tradition of a cappella singing sometimes known as sefirah music.

qas: question: What is the name of the philosopher who praised music without instruments?
answers: text: Philo

question: What did Philo's views on the absence of instruments clash with?
answers: text: Jewish scriptures

question: What is the one instrument still in use today by the synagogue?
answers: text: shofar

question: The shofar stops being used at the end of what Jewish event?
answers: text: Yom Kippur

question: How is the shofar used?
answers: text: by itself, without any vocal accompaniment

question: Who popularized Greek chant?

question: What did Philo promote in 20 BCE?

question: Who taught that a capella was the best form of whorship?

question: Who commanded Christians to offer praise with instruments?

question: What kind of accompaniment is used with the shofar?

question: When was the Greek philosopher Philo born?

question: What Jewish chant is still being used today in the synagogue?

question: During what periods of time is silent singing used in the synagogue?

question: How is silent singing used when practiced in a synagogue service?

question: What did Rosh Chodesh Elul write about that became popular?
context: The popularization of the Jewish chant may be found in the writings of the Jewish philosopher Philo, born 20 BCE. Weaving together Jewish and Greek thought, Philo promoted praise without instruments, and taught that "silent singing" (without even vocal chords) was better still. This view parted with the Jewish scriptures, where Israel offered praise with instruments by God's own command (2 Chronicles 29:25). The shofar is the only temple instrument still being used today in the synagogue, and it is only used from Rosh Chodesh Elul through the end of Yom Kippur. The shofar is used by itself, without any vocal accompaniment, and is limited to a very strictly defined set of sounds and specific places in the synagogue service.

qas: question: When did a cappella begin to take hold in the United States?
answers: text: 1911

question: What was the name of the choir F. Mellus Christiansen used?
answers: text: The St. Olaf College Choir

question: How many singers are typically in the choirs?
answers: text: 40 to 80

question: Who did the St. Olaf Choir influence?
answers: text: other regional conductors

question: What tradition was started in the western US?

question: Who spoke against a cappella in 1911?

question: What was emulated by other conductors across the country?

question: What do a capella choirs struggle to perfect in a large choral setting?

question: Who started a prominent choir in 1911?

question: At what college was F. Melius Christiansen a student?

question: What church was Augsburg College connected to?

question: Who did Wartburg College influence?

question: How many singers are in a cappella?
context: A strong and prominent a cappella tradition was begun in the midwest part of the United States in 1911 by F. Melius Christiansen, a music faculty member at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. The St. Olaf College Choir was established as an outgrowth of the local St. John's Lutheran Church, where Christiansen was organist and the choir was composed, at least partially, of students from the nearby St. Olaf campus. The success of the ensemble was emulated by other regional conductors, and a rich tradition of a cappella choral music was born in the region at colleges like Concordia College (Moorhead, Minnesota), Augustana College (Rock Island, Illinois), Wartburg College (Waverly, Iowa), Luther College (Decorah, Iowa), Gustavus Adolphus College (St. Peter, Minnesota), Augustana College (Sioux Falls, South Dakota), and Augsburg College (Minneapolis, Minnesota). The choirs typically range from 40 to 80 singers and are recognized for their efforts to perfect blend, intonation, phrasing and pitch in a large choral setting.

qas: question: What a cappella group rose to popularity in 1943?
answers: text: The Song Spinners

question: What was boycotted by American musicians in 1943?
answers: text: US recording studios

question: Who is credited for first introducing elements of Jazz into a cappella?
answers: text: The Hi-Los and the Four Freshmen

question: What number one song was covered by an a cappella group in 1983?
answers: text: "Only You"

question: During and after the 80's, what helped a cappella music rise in popularity?
answers: text: the success of Top 40 recordings

question: Who boycotted concerts in 1943?

question: Who introduced jazz harmonies to a capella in the 40's?

question: What number one hit did Yazoo have in 1983?

question: What gained renewed intrest the 1950's?

question: What did The Song Spinners have in the 1950's?

question: What was the name of The Song Spinners best seller in the 1950's?

question: When did the American Federation of Musicians introduce jazz to a cappella?

question: In 1983 what did The King's Singers promote?

question: What did A cappella gain in July 1943?
context: In July 1943, as a result of the American Federation of Musicians boycott of US recording studios, the a cappella vocal group The Song Spinners had a best-seller with "Comin' In On A Wing And A Prayer". In the 1950s several recording groups, notably The Hi-Los and the Four Freshmen, introduced complex jazz harmonies to a cappella performances. The King's Singers are credited with promoting interest in small-group a cappella performances in the 1960s. In 1983 an a cappella group known as The Flying Pickets had a Christmas 'number one' in the UK with a cover of Yazoo's (known in the US as Yaz) "Only You". A cappella music attained renewed prominence from the late 1980s onward, spurred by the success of Top 40 recordings by artists such as The Manhattan Transfer, Bobby McFerrin, Huey Lewis and the News, All-4-One, The Nylons, Backstreet Boys and Boyz II Men.[citation needed]

qas: question: In place of instruments, what do some modern a cappella groups implement?
answers: text: vocal percussion

question: Where does a cappella still maintain a heavy presence?
answers: text: Christian music

question: In a cappella, what do the voices not contributing lead vocals or a bass line contribute?
answers: text: chordal or polyphonic accompaniment

question: What has been added to contemporary instrumental music?

question: What are examples of instrumental bands?

question: What has maintained a strong presence in all types of worship?

question: What do arrangments for popular secular music include?

question: What music type includes bands who add instruments to create a pop/rock/gospel sound?

question: In Christian music who uses beatboxing during worship?

question: What do some a cappella groups use instead of chordal accompanyment?

question: Where does one voice singing still remain strong?

question: What groups don't use vocal percussion during worship?
context: Contemporary a cappella includes many vocal groups and bands who add vocal percussion or beatboxing to create a pop/rock/gospel sound, in some cases very similar to bands with instruments. Examples of such professional groups include Straight No Chaser, Pentatonix, The House Jacks, Rockapella, Mosaic, and M-pact. There also remains a strong a cappella presence within Christian music, as some denominations purposefully do not use instruments during worship. Examples of such groups are Take 6, Glad and Acappella. Arrangements of popular music for small a cappella ensembles typically include one voice singing the lead melody, one singing a rhythmic bass line, and the remaining voices contributing chordal or polyphonic accompaniment.

qas: question: How many works of a cappella in musical theater have been successful in Off-Broadway productions?
answers: text: four

question: What was the name of the a cappella musical that first opened 28 January 1994?
answers: text: Avenue X

question: What time period was Avenue X set in?
answers: text: the 1960s

question: What was the final number of performances in Avenue X's original run?
answers: text: 77

question: Who was responsible for the lyrics of Avenue X?
answers: text: Ray Leslee

question: What has been used in musical theater on Broadway?

question: What performance was the first to use a cappella on Broadway?

question: What show had 77 performances on Broadway?

question: What did John Jiler write the lyrics for?

question: What did Ray Leslee produce?

question: When Playwrights Horizons first open in an Off-Broadway theater?

question: For how many performances did Playwrights Horizons run?

question: What was the musical style of Playwrights Horizon's score?
context: A cappella has been used as the sole orchestration for original works of musical theater that have had commercial runs Off-Broadway (theaters in New York City with 99 to 500 seats) only four times. The first was Avenue X which opened on 28 January 1994 and ran for 77 performances. It was produced by Playwrights Horizons with book by John Jiler, music and lyrics by Ray Leslee. The musical style of the show's score was primarily Doo-Wop as the plot revolved around Doo-Wop group singers of the 1960s.

qas: question: What Off-Broadway theater did Perfect Harmony open at?
answers: text: Theatre Row’s Acorn Theatre

question: Before coming to New York, at what theater had Perfect Harmony previously been successful?
answers: text: Stoneham Theatre

question: Perfect Harmony has been called a combination of which two musicals?
answers: text: Altar Boyz and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

question: In what month was Perfect Harmony's Off-Brodway debut?
answers: text: October

question: What genre best describes Perfect Harmony?
answers: text: comedy

question: What Broadway theater did Perfect Harmony open at?

question: What drama was based on two a cappella groups?

question: Who's music influenced Perfect Harmoney

question: What have The Romantics been compared to?

question: What Off-Broadway theater did Pat Benatar open at?

question: Before New York, at what other theater was Billy Idol successful?

question: When was The Jackson 5's debut Off-Broadway?

question: What type of genre describes The Partridge Family?
context: The a cappella musical Perfect Harmony, a comedy about two high school a cappella groups vying to win the National championship, made its Off Broadway debut at Theatre Row’s Acorn Theatre on 42nd Street in New York City in October, 2010 after a successful out-of-town run at the Stoneham Theatre, in Stoneham, Massachusetts. Perfect Harmony features the hit music of The Jackson 5, Pat Benatar, Billy Idol, Marvin Gaye, Scandal, Tiffany, The Romantics, The Pretenders, The Temptations, The Contours, The Commodores, Tommy James & the Shondells and The Partridge Family, and has been compared to a cross between Altar Boyz and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

qas: question: What is the name of the a cappella musical that debuted Off-Broadway in the same year as Perfect Harmony?
answers: text: In Transit

question: Where does most of In Transit take place? 
answers: text: the New York City subway system

question: What a cappella vocal style is implemented in many of In Transit's songs?
answers: text: beat boxing

question: How many Lucille Lortel Awards was In Transit nominated for?
answers: text: four

question: What is the name of the actor who played the subway beat boxer?
answers: text: Chesney Snow

question: What role is set in the NY subway system?

question: When did Chesney Snow premier Off-Broadway?

question: Who were involved in the production of Primary Stages?

question: What does Russ Kaplan incorporate in his performance?

question: When is Primary Stages set to reopen according to the website?
context: The fourth a cappella musical to appear Off-Broadway, In Transit, premiered 5 October 2010 and was produced by Primary Stages with book, music, and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez, James-Allen Ford, Russ Kaplan, and Sara Wordsworth. Set primarily in the New York City subway system its score features an eclectic mix of musical genres (including jazz, hip hop, Latin, rock, and country). In Transit incorporates vocal beat boxing into its contemporary a cappella arrangements through the use of a subway beat boxer character. Beat boxer and actor Chesney Snow performed this role for the 2010 Primary Stages production. According to the show's website, it is scheduled to reopen for an open-ended commercial run in the Fall of 2011. In 2011 the production received four Lucille Lortel Award nominations including Outstanding Musical, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League nominations, as well as five Drama Desk nominations including Outstanding Musical and won for Outstanding Ensemble Performance.

qas: question: What type of a cappella music is specific to American culture?
answers: text: Barbershop music

question: What did the a cappella organization founded in 1938 change its name to in 2004?
answers: text: Barbershop Harmony Society

question: How many people currently have membership to the BHS?
answers: text: over 22,000

question: What racial group was primarily involved in babershop a cappella in its earliest days?
answers: text: African Americans

question: What were the initials of the BHS before it changes its name in 2004?
answers: text: S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A

question: What is one uniquely African art form?

question: In 1938 where did documented quartets begin?

question: What group was formed in 2004?

question: What is the name of the barbershop group formed in 2004?

question: What did the barbershop group change its name to officially in 1938?
context: Barbershop music is one of several uniquely American art forms. The earliest reports of this style of a cappella music involved African Americans. The earliest documented quartets all began in barbershops. In 1938, the first formal men's barbershop organization was formed, known as the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America (S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A), and in 2004 rebranded itself and officially changed its public name to the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS). Today the BHS has over 22,000 members in approximately 800 chapters across the United States, and the barbershop style has spread around the world with organizations in many other countries. The Barbershop Harmony Society provides a highly organized competition structure for a cappella quartets and choruses singing in the barbershop style.

qas: question: What is the name of the first female barbershop organization?
answers: text: Sweet Adelines

question: When did the Sweet Adelines change their name to acknowledge their international reach?
answers: text: 1991

question: How many women are members of the Sweet Adelines?
answers: text: nearly 25,000

question: Where is the Sweet Adelines HQ?
answers: text: Tulsa, Oklahoma

question: In what year did the Sweet Adelines become an international group?
answers: text: 1953

question: What group was formed in 1953?

question: In 1945 what did Sweet Adelines change its name to?

question: How many women from Japan are members of the Sweet Adelines?

question: How many Australian choruses are registered with the organization?

question: In what year did Sweet Adelines become a German organization?
context: In 1945, the first formal women's barbershop organization, Sweet Adelines, was formed. In 1953 Sweet Adelines became an international organization, although it didn't change its name to Sweet Adelines International until 1991. The membership of nearly 25,000 women, all singing in English, includes choruses in most of the fifty United States as well as in Australia, Canada, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden, Wales and the Netherlands. Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the organization encompasses more than 1,200 registered quartets and 600 choruses.

qas: question: What is the name of the Swedish man known for being a large influence to a cappella across the world?
answers: text: Eric Ericson

question: Which music school began the implementation of high musical standards?
answers: text: Adolf Fredrik's Music School

question: What portion of the Swedish population engages in a cappella singing?
answers: text: 5%

question: Who describes the many reasons for Sweden's heavy involvement in a cappella?
answers: text: Richard Sparks

question: What does Eric Erickson explain about Swedish dominance in choirs?

question: What did Richard Sparks influence in Sweden and world wide?

question: What has high admission standards based on tradition?

question: What a cappella group began implementing high music standards?

question: What percentage of the world takes part in a cappella singing?
context: The reasons for the strong Swedish dominance are as explained by Richard Sparks manifold; suffice to say here that there is a long-standing tradition, an unsusually large proportion of the populations (5% is often cited) regularly sing in choirs, the Swedish choral director Eric Ericson had an enormous impact on a cappella choral development not only in Sweden but around the world, and finally there are a large number of very popular primary and secondary schools (music schools) with high admission standards based on auditions that combine a rigid academic regimen with high level choral singing on every school day, a system that started with Adolf Fredrik's Music School in Stockholm in 1939 but has spread over the country.

qas: question: What is the previous name of oldest recorded college a cappella group?
answers: text: RPI Glee Club

question: What prominent composer was once a member of The Whiffenpoofs?
answers: text: Cole Porter

question: What is the name of the a capella group that was a parody of The Whiffenpoofs?
answers: text: the Smiffenpoofs of Smith College

question: What is the name of the college a capella event that's been held since 1975?
answers: text: Georgetown Chimes' Cherry Tree Massacre

question: What well-known musician was once part of the college a capella group The Counterparts?
answers: text: John Legend

question: Who was formerly a member of The Rensselyrics of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?

question: What group was formed in 1873 and is is the longest continually singing group?

question: During what time period did continuously-singing groups grow?

question: What were The Whiffenpoofs of Yale University often a parody of?

question: When did women's groups popularity explode?
context: It is not clear exactly where collegiate a cappella began. The Rensselyrics of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (formerly known as the RPI Glee Club), established in 1873 is perhaps the oldest known collegiate a cappella group.[citation needed] However the longest continuously-singing group is probably The Whiffenpoofs of Yale University, which was formed in 1909 and once included Cole Porter as a member. Collegiate a cappella groups grew throughout the 20th century. Some notable historical groups formed along the way include Princeton University's Tigertones (1946), Colgate University's The Colgate 13 (1942), Dartmouth College's Aires (1946), Cornell University's Cayuga's Waiters (1949) and The Hangovers (1968), the University of Maine Maine Steiners (1958), the Columbia University Kingsmen (1949), the Jabberwocks of Brown University (1949), and the University of Rochester YellowJackets (1956). All-women a cappella groups followed shortly, frequently as a parody of the men's groups: the Smiffenpoofs of Smith College (1936), The Shwiffs of Connecticut College (The She-Whiffenpoofs, 1944), and The Chattertocks of Brown University (1951). A cappella groups exploded in popularity beginning in the 1990s, fueled in part by a change in style popularized by the Tufts University Beelzebubs and the Boston University Dear Abbeys. The new style used voices to emulate modern rock instruments, including vocal percussion/"beatboxing". Some larger universities now have multiple groups. Groups often join one another in on-campus concerts, such as the Georgetown Chimes' Cherry Tree Massacre, a 3-weekend a cappella festival held each February since 1975, where over a hundred collegiate groups have appeared, as well as International Quartet Champions The Boston Common and the contemporary commercial a cappella group Rockapella. Co-ed groups have produced many up-and-coming and major artists, including John Legend, an alumnus of the Counterparts at the University of Pennsylvania, and Sara Bareilles, an alumna of Awaken A Cappella at University of California, Los Angeles. Mira Sorvino is an alumna of the Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones of Harvard College where she had the solo on Only You by Yaz.

qas: question: Whas is the name of the ethnic a capella group founded at the University of Pennsylvania in 1996?
answers: text: Penn Masala

question: Among which group is a capella becoming more prominent?
answers: text: South Asians

question: What is the name of the first South Asian a capella group to accept both men and women?
answers: text: Anokha

question: What a capella competition is hosted at UC Berkeley?
answers: text: Anahat

question: What group hosts the a capella competition "Sa Re Ga Ma Pella"?
answers: text: Maize Mirchi

question: What is gaining in popularity among Anokha?

question: What was the first Midwest a cappella group?

question: What kind of groups are emerging among various groups from the Midwest?

question: When was the first Maize Mirchi formed from the University of Maryland?

question: Who hosts the Penn Masala competition at the University of California?
context: A cappella is gaining popularity among South Asians with the emergence of primarily Hindi-English College groups. The first South Asian a cappella group was Penn Masala, founded in 1996 at the University of Pennsylvania. Co-ed South Asian a cappella groups are also gaining in popularity. The first co-ed south Asian a cappella was Anokha, from the University of Maryland, formed in 2001. Also, Dil se, another co-ed a cappella from UC Berkeley, hosts the "Anahat" competition at the University of California, Berkeley annually. Maize Mirchi, the co-ed a cappella group from the University of Michigan hosts "Sa Re Ga Ma Pella", an annual South Asian a cappella invitational with various groups from the Midwest.

qas: question: What popular a capella competition is not specific to college groups?
answers: text: Harmony Sweepstakes

question: Aside from the monetary reward, what was offered to the winner of The Sing-Off?
answers: text: a recording contract with Epic Records/Sony Music

question: What is the name of the group that won The Sing-Off?
answers: text: Nota

question: Who won The Sing-Off final season?
answers: text: Pentatonix

question: In The Sing-Off, where did the groups not from the United States come from?
answers: text: Puerto Rico

question: When did the  A Cappella Recording Awards air on NBC?

question: What prize did Ben Folds win on The Sing-Off tv competition series?

question: What show was judged by Harmony Sweepstakes?

question: How many groups were competing for the prize from the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards?

question: Who won the Contemporary A Cappella Society final season?
context: Increased interest in modern a cappella (particularly collegiate a cappella) can be seen in the growth of awards such as the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (overseen by the Contemporary A Cappella Society) and competitions such as the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella for college groups and the Harmony Sweepstakes for all groups. In December 2009, a new television competition series called The Sing-Off aired on NBC. The show featured eight a cappella groups from the United States and Puerto Rico vying for the prize of $100,000 and a recording contract with Epic Records/Sony Music. The show was judged by Ben Folds, Shawn Stockman, and Nicole Scherzinger and was won by an all-male group from Puerto Rico called Nota. The show returned for a second and third season, won by Committed and Pentatonix, respectively.

qas: question: What do some a capella groups do other than sing words?
answers: text: emulate instrumentation

question: What a capella group is credited for being one of the earliest to adapt instrumental emulation?
answers: text: The Mills Brothers

question: What types of music did the Swingle Singers implement instrumental emulation for?
answers: text: Baroque and Classical music

question: What is the name of the ABC Family show whose theme is entirely a capella?
answers: text: The New Addams Family

question: What groups recordings in the 1960's stated all instruments were done vocally?

question: On what series did the Swingle Singers sing Twilight Zone in a cappella?

question: What is another example of emulating Bobby McFerrin without singing the words?

question: What early recordings emulate Latin rhythms in a cappella?

question: In the 1930's what was Bobby McFerrin famous for?
context: In addition to singing words, some a cappella singers also emulate instrumentation by reproducing instrumental sounds with their vocal cords and mouth. One of the earliest 20th century practitioners of this method were The Mills Brothers whose early recordings of the 1930s clearly stated on the label that all instrumentation was done vocally. More recently, "Twilight Zone" by 2 Unlimited was sung a cappella to the instrumentation on the comedy television series Tompkins Square. Another famous example of emulating instrumentation instead of singing the words is the theme song for The New Addams Family series on Fox Family Channel (now ABC Family). Groups such as Vocal Sampling and Undivided emulate Latin rhythms a cappella. In the 1960s, the Swingle Singers used their voices to emulate musical instruments to Baroque and Classical music. Vocal artist Bobby McFerrin is famous for his instrumental emulation. A cappella group Naturally Seven recreates entire songs using vocal tones for every instrument.

qas: question: What did the Swingle Singers primarily use to emulate musical instruments?
answers: text: nonsense words

question: What is another term for beatboxing?
answers: text: vocal percussion

question: What was used to make an a capella recording of The Who Sell Out?
answers: text: a four-track recorder

question: What car manufacturer hired Petra Haden to perform a capella songs in commercials for their car?
answers: text: Toyota

question: On what website can many a capella groups' music be listened to?
answers: text: YouTube

question: What did the Beach Boys use so they would sound like instruments?

question: What added new dimensions to nonsense words?

question: What is one song version The Swingle Singers released in 2005?

question: What did Toyota hire The Bellamy Brothers to advertise in their commercials?

question: What was used by Journey to make an a cappella recording of The Who Sells Out?
context: The Swingle Singers used nonsense words to sound like instruments, but have been known to produce non-verbal versions of musical instruments. Like the other groups, examples of their music can be found on YouTube. Beatboxing, more accurately known as vocal percussion, is a technique used in a cappella music popularized by the hip-hop community, where rap is often performed a cappella also. The advent of vocal percussion added new dimensions to the a cappella genre and has become very prevalent in modern arrangements. Petra Haden used a four-track recorder to produce an a cappella version of The Who Sell Out including the instruments and fake advertisements on her album Petra Haden Sings: The Who Sell Out in 2005. Haden has also released a cappella versions of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'", The Beach Boys' "God Only Knows" and Michael Jackson's "Thriller". In 2009, Toyota commissioned Haden to perform three songs for television commercials for the third-generation Toyota Prius, including an a cappella version of The Bellamy Brothers' 1970s song "Let Your Love Flow".[citation needed]