You can call it raw talent unleashed or a set of fortunate circumstances. Either way, Christopher Kimmel found his way into the limelight.
The 22-year-old Orwigsburg native is helping make musical waves with the nationally recognized a cappella group Mix. The award-winning intergender group is made up of students from the University of Colorado-Denver.
Kimmel, a junior studying recording arts with a minor in piano, joined the group this year.
So how did a native of Schuylkill County with little musical experience, especially with his voice, become part of an award-winning ensemble in Colorado?
It began on the slopes.
Kimmel originally visited the Centennial State to do some skiing with his family. During that time, he found his "love" for the University of Colorado-Boulder campus. Those strong feelings and an urge to explore the world outside northeastern Pennsylvania drew him West.
"Being in the county for so long, it drew me to look elsewhere. In a weird way, I wouldn't be here without Schuylkill County," said Kimmel, who graduated from Blue Mountain High School in 2008.
Still undecided on a major after two semesters, Kimmel transferred to the University of Colorado-Denver. He tossed around the idea of studying biology or mathematics at Boulder but landed in a completely different field in Denver.
Once a major was established, a friend suggested he take a cappella for his one-credit course ensemble requirement.
"A cappella is so new to me," Kimmel said. "It's like I just jumped into this a cappella world."
He got his feet wet with the 9th Street Singers for a semester before Mix director Erin Hackel approached him about a new venture. The group was looking for a vocal percussionist, a position Kimmel held with the 9th Street Singers. Vocal percussion is the art of creating sounds with one's mouth that approximate, imitate or otherwise serve the same purpose as a percussion instrument.
"It has been unreal. I hang out with Erin and the seven others (group members) all the time. It's just like a family," Kimmel said. "The camaraderie is awesome."
Kimmel is one of two new members this year and the pieces seem to fit well, especially given the group's range of musical likes.
"We work as an entity. (Diversity) allows us to create these innovative a cappella routines that people seem to enjoy," Kimmel said.
The path toward an a cappella group may seem unlikely, but Kimmel has always been interested in music.
Although tennis and soccer filled his time at Blue Mountain, he took piano lessons through high school and even pursued trombone for a few years in middle school.
However, his musical talents may have come from deeper in his heritage. According to Kimmel, his great-grandfather was famous violinist Adolph Daidone, professionally known as Al Duffy. Daidone was a highly successful and respected violinist whose career spanned many decades through the 20th century.
He also credits family ties for pushing him to where he is today.
"I would be nowhere without my amazing parents. I observed my parents. They were so hardworking and driven," Kimmel said.
His own hard work took him and Mix to Raleigh, N.C., for the SoJam Festival from Nov. 2 to 4. The festival, one of the biggest in the country, is an annual weekend-long competition showcasing a cappella groups. Mix was one of six groups to be chosen to perform out of hundreds of audition tapes.
"Every time I perform I get super nervous. Once we started, it was just an adrenaline rush," Kimmel said, adding it was the largest crowd he ever faced during a performance.
With a workload consisting of three-hour rehearsals, three days a week, he said it was like second-nature up on the stage and the group hit a new high note. Mix was awarded second place in the collegiate division and named Most Original group.
As for those musical waves, Mix released its newest single, "Water," on Friday. In addition to applying for competitions in Denver and Boston, the group qualified to compete in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella quarterfinals, scheduled for next year.
For Kimmel, the opportunity to be in this group has enlightened him to experience new and different things.
"I honestly like the feel of standing on stage, it's something I will never forget," Kimmel said. "It is a life-changing thing."