It’s been a year of changes for the acapella community in Sedona, but the song goes on. During the summer, the Harmony on the Rocks a cappella group rebranded as Acappella Sedona to reflect their wider song selection, following the departure of their 15-year musical director John McDougald last December and his replacement by Curtis “Kit” Hinsley

“Harmony on the Rocks was founded in 2001 as a local chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, and of the group that founded it, we still have one member, Don Tautkus, who has been singing barbershop for over 50 years,” President Wally Reule said. “When it started, it was all men, because that’s what the barbershop was, but Sedona, a retirement area, and with a bunch of us older people singing, it’s hard to find tenors, people who have that high tenor voice, and women wanted to join us. So we were the first group in the country that allowed women to sing with us, and became a little bit of a rebel in the barbershop community.” 

While the group is still affiliated with the Barbershop Harmony Society, Acappella Sedona is now performing a number of a cappella arrangements that go beyond traditional barbershop, such as gospel, classic rock, pop, jazz and classical numbers. The current repertoire includes “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” by Elton John, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” by Randy Newman, “When I’m Sixty-Four” by The Beatles and “Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans” by Louis Armstrong.

“Hinsley learned from McDougald, but then brought his own taste and his own experience to it,” Reule said. “So it’s been a good transition, because [Hinsley] doesn’t have a traditional barbershop background, but he’s got a strong musical background.” 

Hinsley has been singing with the group for the past decade and previously served as assistant director under McDougald. He relocated to Sedona in 2005 after a career as a history professor specializing in the history of anthropology and archaeology. Hinsley taught for 15 years at Colgate University in Upstate New York and for 25 years at Northern Arizona University.

“I played piano since I was 7 years old, and I’m almost 80, so I’ve played music all my life,” Hinsely said. “I’ve been in various rock groups and church choirs, but when McDougald went back to Ohio last year, we needed a new director, and there I was, the turkey in the barnyard with the tallest neck, so they asked me to do it.” 

Since Hinsley took over, the group has grown from 14 to 20 members, in part due to the expanded repertoire of songs. 

“We’ve changed our music selection, and since Kit took over … we’re growing again,” Reule said. “That’s one of the things we’re excited about, our embracing the new music selection and the new and the direction that we’re going.”

Hinsley added that expanding his own musical skills has been the most rewarding part of his new role with the group. “The key to directing something like this is to exert a certain amount of discipline in the singing,” Hinsley said. 

“We are an amateur group, but still want to make progress. Because people get bored and they’re not happy if they don’t feel like they’re making progress and singing better. I think this group does feel much more confident than they did a year ago.” 

Acappella Sedona will be giving four free holiday performances for the community to showcase their artistic growth. “It’s the most we’ve ever done,” Hinsley said. Upcoming concerts will be:  

• Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2  p.m.: Clarkdale Memorial Library, 39 N. 9th Street, Clarkdale 

• Thursday, Dec. 12, 2 p.m.: Sedona Public Library, 3250 White Bear Road, Sedona 

• Saturday, Dec. 14, 11 a.m.: Sedona Heritage Museum, 735 Jordan Road, Sedona, as part of the “Merry Music at the Museum” event 

• Tuesday, Dec. 17, 10:30 a.m.: Verde Valley Manor Retirement Center, 3400 E. Godard Road, Cottonwood

“One of the best things you can do to have a long and happy life is to sing with other people, bring joy to the world and joy to yourselves and that’s why you should join,” Hinsley said. Members rehearse weekly on Wednesdays from 4:45 to 7 p.m. at the Church of the Red Rocks. Members are given CDs from which to learn songs, so reading music is not a prerequisite to join. 

For more information about how to join the group, visit acappellasedona.com or contact Reule at (928) 301-5943.