THE INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP OF COLLEGIATE

A CAPPELLA

DEAR FRIENDS,

Welcome to Varsity Vocals’ 26th season! Our enthusiasm for the art of a cappella is greater than ever after more than a quarter century of presenting the best student groups on stage and in the studio.

Our tournaments have grown from a handful of events to the massive showcase they are today, this year featuring more than 578 groups and 8,772 singers at 77 events across North America and the United Kingdom.

Our original tournament inspired the hit movie Pitch Perfect, based on the nonfiction book documenting the true story of rival groups competing against each other in our very own ICCA. The Pitch Perfect franchise remains the highest-grossing musical series of all time.

Despite the incredible growth and mainstream popularity we’ve enjoyed, our focus remains sharply on the promotion and development of the talent that crosses our stage. We believe competition fosters growth, as groups work together toward a specific goal and cultivate lifelong skills and relationships.

We provide insightful feedback from our highly qualified judges – but more importantly, our singers get to connect with a larger audience from across the country, learning from their peers and finding inspiration in other groups.

Two years ago, our 2020 tournament was sidelined mid-season by the pandemic, and we were unable to crown champions for the first time. In 2021, as a cappella groups were unable to gather to rehearse or perform, we adapted our program by challenging groups to create 4-minute music videos, recorded and edited remotely. The astonishing artistry and skill in these videos is a testament to the adaptability, ingenuity, and determination of our competitors, and we couldn’t be prouder.

This season, we are again challenged by the pandemic, as we attempt to present live events across thousands of miles in an ever-changing COVID landscape. Although some of our events have been postponed or converted to virtual, we are determined to see the season through. Many groups haven’t been able to compete live since 2019 – some students for their entire high school or college career. We are humbled more than ever by the importance of our role in setting the stage for the creation of so much magic.

We have seen a cappella make great strides from where it began on our stage 26 years ago, and we can’t wait to see how our 2022 competitors push the envelope. Committed to promoting our singers and energized by the incredible music they create, we look forward to another memorable season. Thank you for joining us!

Sincerely,

Amanda Newman
Executive Director

ICCA UNITED KINGDOM QUARTERFINAL

Northern Stage, Newcastle
Saturday, January 29th, 2022

WE'RE SOCIAL

We're talking about this event, and all of our events around the world!

varsityvocals

@varsityvocals

@varsityvocals

Follow us @varsityvocals on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat, and join the conversation using #ICCA and #ICHSA.

ABOUT VARSITY VOCALS

Since 1996, we have encouraged students worldwide to sing a cappella throughout their lives. Our programs include the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA), the International Championship of High School A Cappella (ICHSA), and the International Championship of A Cappella Open (The Open). We also annually produce The Best of College A Cappella (BOCA) and The Best of High School A Cappella (BOHSA) compilation albums.

Our a cappella competitions give top-notch a cappella groups the opportunity to showcase their talents for an international audience and to take home valuable feedback from our qualified judges. This year, competing groups will appear in venues all around the world, offering their energetic musical performances for your enjoyment.

The college tournament takes place from January through April in nine regions across the country and around the world. Each region holds anywhere from four to five Quarterfinals, and the top groups from each Quarterfinal advance to the Semifinal. The winning group at each Semifinal is named Regional Champion and advances to the ICCA Finals at The Town Hall in New York City on Saturday, April 23rd.

The high school tournament is now in its 17th year. The winners of each of seven Semifinal rounds will advance to the ICHSA Finals at The Town Hall in New York City on Saturday, April 22nd.

The Open Tournament celebrated its third year in summer 2019 and featured six Semifinals that lead to the Open Finals featuring those six Regional Champions, two Wild Card Champions, and our 2019 ICHSA and ICCA Champions. Those 10 groups competed in October 2019 at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

 For a full tournament schedule, visit us at www.varsityvocals.com/events

ABOUT TONIGHT'S SHOW

The performance order was determined by random draw this afternoon and will be announced from stage.        

Tonight’s performers will be evaluated on elements of their vocal and visual performance, which carry numerical weight. The highest and lowest score from the individual judges will be dropped for each group. Our judges may recognize exceptional performances with special awards as they see fit.

There will be a 15-minute intermission. After the final group has performed, a guest performer will entertain you while the scores are tabulated.

Because each group only has ten minutes to perform, we ask you to keep your applause to an enthusiastic minimum between songs. Please feel welcome to applaud as much as you want after each group has finished its set.

Videotaping and non-flash photography for personal use is permitted during the concert, so long as you do not disrupt our performers or other patrons. Due to licensing regulations, we do not provide a video or audio recording of this performance.

TONIGHT'S COMPETITORS

Northern Lights is Durham University’s top a cappella group, entering its ninth year of existence. Northern Lights is a mixed group of talented, diverse, and passionate performers who seek to entertain all kinds of audiences solely through their voices and unique arrangements. All of their pieces are arranged by someone in the ensemble and they hope to fully bounce back from Covid this year by recording and releasing a new album accompanied by digital music videos! The group enjoys performing a range of styles and performs at balls, external hire gigs, and Durham events across the year. Additionally, Northern Lights also performs their own annual show at the 500-seat Gala Theatre in Durham. This is always a highly anticipated performance in their busy calendar, and will be taking place on the 8th of February this year in collaboration with the Durham Vocal Festival. Northern Lights has annually attended the Edinburgh Fringe Festival since 2015 and sold out over half of their performances last summer. Feel free to drop them a follow (and peek their new branding) on the following platforms: @nlacappella Spotify, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Tiktok.

Cloud IX combines the begrudging spirit of a boyband with rich harmonies and a tight blend. With smouldering good looks and no discernible sense of irony, Scotland’s premier all-male group has been on the up since forming in 2017. Having heard the cries of all the purists, the group is back at nine members this year, from across the country and around the globe. The group has covered a range of material in the past, from Amy Winehouse to Panic at the Disco, and have some exciting songs up their sleeves to show. This year, they’re looking to build on their 3rd place finish at last year’s Scottish Championships and have a great time all the while. 

Tune Army is Newcastle University’s premier mixed a cappella group, born and bred in the friendliest city in the North. Fresh off the success of their latest album, Better Connected, which was created in collaboration with university a cappella groups from across the U.K, they’re ready to bring the tune to the toon for the 2022 ICCA. When they’re not busking on the streets of Newcastle, they’re performing at gigs around the city and bringing some Geordie joy to all those around them. Having performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, won Masters of Show Choir 2019, and made it to the ICCA Quarterfinals three years in a row, Tune Army is ready for their next battle! 

Steelworks is back from the University of Sheffield's A Cappella and Beatbox Society! Although Sheffield's a cappella scene is young compared to other cities, the group has risen quickly through the ranks and made a name for themselves across the country. Since the group was forged in 2014, Steelworks has sung on “Sky Sing's Ultimate A Cappella” and this will be their third year competing in the ICCA. Their last competition appearance was in the 2020 ICCA U.K. Semifinal after placing 1st in Quarterfinals for their first time ever. After a year and a half off, Steelworks have returned with plenty of familiar faces as well as a fresh cohort of talent. Watch out for their distinctive black and silver outfits onstage! 

GUEST PERFORMER

Newcastle & Northumbria Irish Dance Society is based at Newcastle University and teaches Irish Dance to all levels of dancer. Society members choreograph and rehearse dances twice a week to put on an annual show (this year on March 25th and 26th) which will involve over 50 of the society’s dancers. Be sure to get tickets if you like what you see tonight: a performance of eight dances by four dedicated members of this fantastic society, Lauren, Alex, Loretta, and Steph.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Georgia Blessitt is a current member of the 11-piece group Axiom, based up and down the U.K. She competed in ICCA Finals twice with Aquapella and in The Open with NoVI. She is the recipient of an Outstanding Soloist award at ICCA, as well as the coveted Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA) for Best Mixed Collegiate Solo. She has also collaborated with U.K. groups Versa and All the King's Men and recently judged the U.K.'s first Open A Cappella Competition (OAC). She is also an active performer outside the a cappella world; this June, you can catch her as Dolores in “Sister Act” at the London Oratory School. 

Felix Dickenson began singing at a young age in the choir of Beverley Minster in East Yorkshire, before setting up and running his secondary school's all-male a cappella ensemble. At the University of Bristol, he picked up contemporary a cappella again, singing bass/baritone with all-male group Academy. He eventually became the group’s assistant music director and helped lead the group to ICCA U.K. Semifinals in 2018. He became music director the following year, reaching the 2019 ICCA U.K. Semifinal again with an award-winning set. Felix was nominated for five CARAs in 2021 as producer and arranger of Exhibit A, the group's debut album, which subsequently won the award for Best Lower Voices Collegiate Song and placed runner-up in the Best Scholastic Debut Album category. He is a freelance singer, arranger, and conductor, having recently been selected as one of the national choral charity's Young Conducting Scholars for 2022. 

Hannah Fumoleau started singing at the age of six. She studied at Cardiff University with John Hugh Thomas, where she received her undergraduate music degree with a focus in voices. She has since studied and consulted with Ghislaine Morgan, Claire Powell, Elizabeth Cragg, Lynne Dawson, Mhairi Lawson, Poppy Holden, Mary Hitch and Dane Chalfin. A prolific choral singer, Hannah was awarded a place in the Choir and Orchestra of the Stuttgart Bach Festival, performing under Helmut Rilling when she was just 18. She is a founding member of the award-winning chamber choir, Voices of Hope, which has made several appearances on BBC Radio 3, is regularly asked to take on new commissions, and was named Choir of the Year in 2016. Hannah also sings with the octet, St James Consort, has performed professionally in musical theatre and as a backing vocalist, and is on the vocal team at the Centre for Advanced Training at Sage Gateshead. 

Edward Scott was music director of Semi-Toned for two years, leading the group to win the top prize at Voice Festival U.K. championships in 2015, and 2nd place at ICCA Semifinals in 2014. He has since spent over a year performing professionally around the world with “Gobsmacked!,” an a cappella and beatboxing show. He has given workshops on a cappella music both in the U.K. and abroad.

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank our judges, hosts, competitors, volunteers, partners, and producers; and you, the audience, for supporting Varsity Vocals programming.

Amanda Newman
 Executive Director

Dave Rabizadeh
 ICCA Director

Elise Hackl-Blumstein
ICHSA Co-Director
PA/MA Program Coordinator

Andrea Poole
 ICHSA Co-Director

Lucy Jacobs
The Open Director
 ICCA West Producer

Andrew Poole
 Director of Digital Media

Erica Tackett
 Director of Marketing & Social Strategy

Emily Flanders
Director of Adjudication
 ICCA Great Lakes Producer

Emily Sucher
 Director of Publications

Patty Floyd
 Accountant

Virginia DeMoss
 Album Production Coordinator

Sara Yood
Senior Producer

Holli Kitching
ICCA Mid-Atlantic Producer

Lindsay Howerton-Hastings
 ICCA South Producer

Leah Alrutz
 ICCA Midwest Producer

Bronwyn Jensen
 ICCA Southwest Producer

Gemma Davies
 ICCA United Kingdom Producer

Christopher Witham
 ICCA United Kingdom Producer

Emily Benjamin
 ICCA Northeast Producer

Arvin Zabalerio
ICCA Central Producer

Jillian Kimberlin
 ICHSA Mid-Atlantic Producer

Danielle Sutherland
 ICHSA Midwest Producer

Jake McVey
 ICHSA Northeast Producer

Donald Paradis
 ICHSA South Producer

Cameron Clemons
 ICHSA West Producer

Courtney Jenson
 Associate Producer/Emcee

Ben Garza
 ICHSA Southwest Producer

Katherine Mosher
 ICHSA South Day-Of Producer

Bri Decerio
 ICHSA West Day-Of Producer

Jake Yoakum
 ICHSA West Day-Of Producer

OUR TEAM

We have an amazing team of people who work tirelessly to make our programs so valuable for our singers and audiences alike — and they all do it while holding down full-time day jobs, too! 

The top two placing groups will advance to the 2022 ICCA United Kingdom Semifinal.

BRING THE HARMONY HOME

Find your favorite groups on The Best of College A Cappella (BOCA) and The Best of High School A Cappella (BOHSA), available for purchase on Apple Music and Amazon Music!

varsityvocals