“Shine” A Cappella group uses music to share the Gospel

Liberty University’s School of Music’s a cappella group, Shine, has been performing and traveling across the country for over 10 years with the goal of spreading God’s love through harmonious vocal performances.

The group is comprised of eight scholarship students who utilize the rawness of human vocal dynamics to perform and recruit for Liberty.

Dean of the School of Music and the director and founder of the vocal group, Stephen Müller, said the members of Shine are best described as “willing.” Müller said he enjoys witnessing these students perform on stage and intentionally reaching out to the audience.

“The students in the group, they get it,” Müller said.

These students work closely together, honing a specific skill and actively developing a sense of musical dependence and interdependence.

Shine prioritizes community, and its members form strong bonds with other members. These students go through a multilevel auditioning process, participate in weekly rehearsals and spend breaks participating in traveling performances.

Müller said over fall break the group performed at Shadow Mountain Community Church in San Diego on Sunday, took a red-eye flight home and attended their classes that same morning. He noted his surprise that within a group of young, exhausted people, “There was not a complaint.”

Shine also functions as a recruitment arm for Liberty. Students travel to various states, conventions and churches to spread the gospel through music. This team performs mostly Christian music and a small selection of pop hits. Their audiences include children’s ministries, high school students, adults and senior citizens. The group caters each performance to effectively meet the needs of each age group. Müller emphasized that Shine specifically aims to recruit high school students as well as plant a seed of hope in their hearts.

“We tell them that they were created for a particular purpose that God placed in their hearts, and if they seek him, they will find it and him,” Müller said.

Shine’s ultimate mission is to glorify Christ.

“(The group’s goal is) to represent Christ, Liberty University and the School of Music in church and school settings through dynamic worship,” Müller said.

Within this a cappella group, students find a home where they can engage in what they love, foster a sense of family among their peers and serve while strengthening their God-given talents.

This dynamic vocal group holds auditions that are open to students across campus every March. These tryouts contain several rounds of evaluation to find out if students are ready to be placed in such a position.

Shine has upcoming performances during Revive on Saturday Nov. 9 at 11 a.m., in Appomattox on Dec. 1 and at the Christmas on the Boulevard event on Dec. 5. Students can follow the School of Music’s Instagram and Facebook pages to keep up with events, or find Shine on Spotify.

Callaghan is an arts & culture reporter for Liberty Champion.