The Silver Chord Bowl is the oldest regional annual collegiate a capella competition, established in 1984 and run by the Northampton Arts Council. [1] The competition has attracted many notable a cappella groups including the Dartmouth Aires [2] and the Tufts Beezlebubs [3] and the Amherst College Zumbyes. [2] The competition has been held continuously going online for a year in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic [4] before returning to John M. Greene Hall in 2022. [5] The showcase averages about 2,000 attendees per year. [6]
The Silver Chord Bowl has also featured performances by high school a cappella groups including the Northamptones. [4] [7]