This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

When someone celebrates a 20th anniversary, you should give them something. China, maybe.

When Vocal Point celebrates its 20th anniversary, they will be the ones doing the giving.

The acclaimed Brigham Young University nine-man a cappella group is celebrating its platinum anniversary this week by offering three concerts featuring the 2010-2011 edition of the choir.

In addition, more than 70 of the group's alumni from all over the country will join voices for a Saturday afternoon concert.

"Everyone is realizing, 'Holy Cow, everyone is coming,' " said Alex Leeman, a member of Vocal Point from 2000 to 2002, who is organizing the Saturday afternoon alumni at the Covey Center for the Arts.

All nine members of the original group, plus the founding artistic director, will be in Provo throughout the weekend. Leeman sang with 15 different members of the choir during his two seasons, and all of whom are coming, some from as far away as Tennessee.

Dave Boyce, who founded the group in 1991 with Bob Ahlander, will drive from Northern California with his six kids to take part in the weekend's festivities.

While at BYU, Boyce, an Oklahoma native, spent time on the East Coast for internships where he witnessed how popular a cappella singing groups were. He remembered coming across an a cappella group in front of Faneuil Hall in Boston that wowed a huge crowd with an arrangement of Billy Joel's "For the Longest Time." He, too, was spellbound.When Boyce returned to the BYU campus, he told Ahlander he finally knew what a cappella was.

The group has been blending choreography, showmanship, humor, and, of course, harmonized singing ever since to growing acclaim and recognition. In 1994, the group became an official part of the School of Music. Ahlander returned to BYU in 2001 to direct Vocal Point.

During Ahlander's tenure, the group twice won the regional semi-finals for the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, but both times they refused to take their seats at the international finals in New York City because the competitions were held on a Sunday.

In 2006, when the finals weren't held on a Sunday, the group Jimmered the competition and were crowned International Champions.

Their success has continued. Several weeks ago, the 2010-2011 incarnation of Vocal Point took first place in the quarterfinals of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella. They will soon compete in the semi-finals, singing unique arrangements of Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are," Switchfoot's "Dare You to Move," and Michael Bublé's "It Had Better Be Tonight," among others.

"We want to continue the tradition of excellence," said Jake Hunsaker, a native of Ogden and member of Vocal Point. "We want to bring light and joy to others through our music, and go around and bear testimony of God and His love of all people."

When Leeman was a student at BYU, Vocal Point held a 10-year anniversary. Now that the group has hit its 20th anniversary, many of the alumni have children who sing. For the first time, the children of alumni have been rehearsing and will perform at the anniversary concert.

The children have been told by their parents the mission of the group, which has remained constant: be ambassadors of BYU and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And as Boyce said, they never wanted to perform recitals. Instead, "we wanted to connect with the audience, and penetrate that fourth wall."

Godspeed.

Vocal PointWhen • Thursday, March 3; Friday, March 4; Saturday, March 5; all shows at 7:30 p.m.Where • Covey Center for the Arts, 425 W. Center St., ProvoTickets • $10 to $12 at at door or at http://www.coveycenter.org

Vocal Point 20th Anniversary Reunion ConcertWhen • Saturday, March 5 at 2 p.m.Where • Covey Center for the Arts, 425 W. Center St., ProvoTickets • $10 to $12 at door or at http://www.coveycenter.org