Chicago Harmony Sweepstakes

After graduating from Indiana University in 2000 and a career working in information technology, Randy was called back to the world of music in 2006 when he posted a video to YouTube. The video, shot in 1998, was of his college a cappella group Straight No Chaser singing the “12 Days of Christmas.” It became the most viral video of 2007, which led the CEO of Atlantic Records to call Randy and reunite the group. Over fifteen years later, the group has performed thousands of concerts across 48 states and 20 countries, performed on television shows such as TODAY and Jimmy Fallon, sold over one million albums, and has over 100 million YouTube views. Randy and his family reside in his hometown of Naperville, Illinois.

Upon her graduation from Northwestern University, Patti began performing in theater and joined Actors Equity when she was cast in the original production of Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? Not long after that, she formed her first vocal quartet with Megan Mullally called Colossal Nerve and has enjoyed performing close harmony music ever since. Patti has her own band and musical services company Patti Lupo Music (www.pattilupomusic.com) and is the co-founder of Chicago’s busiest Christmas caroling group, The Caroling Party (www.thecarolingparty.com).

Mark MacLean is one of the most popular a cappella singers in the Chicagoland area.  Best known as the bass (aka “Green Guy”) of the colorful Chicago-based classic rock quartet Ac•Rock, Mark has recorded eight a cappella albums and performed thousands of shows.  Ac•Rock disbanded in 2017 after an amazing 24 year run. In addition, Mark has sung bass in The Caroling Party every holiday season for over 30 years.  Mark is also a voiceover artist for commercials, audio books, slot machines, and many Halloween toys and props.

Carrie Marcotte is the Director of the West Towns Barbershop Chorus, leading them to the Illinois District Championship in 2014, 2017, and 2021, the Most Improved Chorus award in 2016, the Most Entertaining Chorus award in 2015, and a wild card invitation to the Barbershop International Chorus contest in Orlando in 2018. Carrie also sings in a barbershop mixed quartet, Mixology, who won the Illinois District Mixed Quartet Championship in 2021 and 2022. A graduate of Western Michigan University, Carrie sang in the vocal jazz group, Gold Company, under the direction of the late Dr. Steve Zegree. In the Chicagoland area, Carrie sang for 10 years with Route 66, a female a cappella quartet, and performed on the Spirit of Chicago. She is the full-time collaborative pianist for the choirs at Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora and is in her fifth season as co-organist for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Philip Spencer is the founding conductor and artistic director of NaperVoice: Naperville’s new philanthropic choir composed of both professional and auditioned amateur singers. Phil, a graduate of Yale University School of Music, has enjoyed a career spanning over forty years as a full-time professional musician, including the roles of award-winning educator and composer, conductor of choral ensembles in the United States and Europe, church musician, and concert organist and harpsichordist.  Phil was the winner of the Illinois Chapter, American Choral Directors Association Choral Composition Contest in both 2014 and 2022.