Voices were the only instruments allowed in the DeKalb High School theater Saturday evening as students from all over the Midwest performed classics from Simon and Garfunkel, the Beatles, Schoolhouse Rock and many others during the National Championship of High School A Cappella competition.

This was the first year the DeKalb High School Boy’s A Cappella Choir entered the NCHSAC competition, and they were the only school from Illinois to enter.

“We worked really hard this year,” said DHS Boy’s A Cappella Choir member Wes Nelsen. “We had more dedication than in the past because we had this competition to look toward.”

Choir director Travis Erikson felt the choir was ready to enter the competition this year, though he said he had no idea how far they would advance. Because no schools in Illinois competed, the choir needed to travel to Wisconsin to compete at the state level, he said.

“I’m pleased that they’re holding their own with groups that have been doing this a while,” Erikson said.

The event presented a challenge to the choir because of the presence of so many different types of competitors.

“I find that our work is harder because we’ve got nine boys and another group here has 30,” Erikson said.

The DeKalb High School Boy’s A Cappella Choir hosted seven other teams from all over the Midwest but did not advance despite a performance that included “Cecilia” by Simon and Garfunkel and a medley of “Brown-Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison and “Kiss the Girl” from Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.”

Competing teams were rated by the judges in the categories of intonation, rhythm, tone quality, balance and overall group sound, musical, interpretation, showmanship, creativity and professionalism.

The Parkway North High School group Men’s Room won the Midwest championship and will advance to the national competition in Washington, D.C., in May. The St. Ignatius group, the Catatonic’s, was named runner-up.