OREM — The current International Collegiate A Cappella Competition winner will appear at the SCERA Center for the Arts as part of the Wednesday Night Live series.

Noteworthy, a nine-member female a cappella group, will perform two shows.

Esther Yoder, who formed the group four years ago as a Brigham Young University club, says the group wants to defy description and perform in all music areas.

"We do everything from pop, rock and jazz to religious selections, ballads and other music from around the world," she says. "We always include something spiritual, because it reflects our ties to our university." All nine women are BYU students and were selected for the group after rigorous auditions.

"We have watched BYU's male a cappella group, Vocal Point, at the SCERA, and we wanted an opportunity there, as well," Yoder adds. "I was pleased when they added us to their series."

For the international win, the group's most difficult competition came at the regional level with Vocal Point, which won the international competition in 2006. Noteworthy then competed in California in regional finals and New York City for finals. The group's 2006 debut album, "On the Horizon," was nominated for a Contemporary A cappella Recording Award.

Noteworthy gets its name from one of the original members' mother, who had sung in a bebop group by that name. "It was perfect for us," Yoder says. "We want to be noteworthy performers, and I liked the wordplay with music notes."

The ensemble performs up to eight times a month and spends nine hours a week in rehearsal to create the choreography, sound effects, vocal percussion, unique arrangements and tight harmonies for its shows. Yoder, who now directs the group, says that watching the vocalists makes her sweat because she realizes "the amazing things they do with just their voices. It's fun and emotional to watch these ladies sing."

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If you go . . .

What: Noteworthy
Where: SCERA Center for the Arts, 745 S. State, Orem
When: 7:30 and 9 p.m., Jan. 9
Cost: $5
Phone: 225-2569
Web: www.scera.org