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 MID-ATLANTIC QUARTERFINAL

 

Grunin Center for the Arts
Saturday, February 12, 2022

WE'RE SOCIAL

 

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

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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

 

Rowan Vocals, or Rovo for short, is a co-ed a cappella group from Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J. Although they perform in many styles, they tend to gravitate towards funk and pop music. Founded in 2016, the group carries the same spirit and energy from the years before. All of their songs are arranged by current and past members. Rovo provides a space for its student members to explore musical skills outside of their own curriculums and grow into versatile musicians. Rovo performs in the ICCA every year and it is always one of their most anticipated events. As the only SATB a cappella group on campus, the group members represent various departments. They participate in school events, including an annual campus concert titled “Rahcappella,” and perform all over New Jersey and Pennsylvania for competitions and events. Rovo has recorded student-arranged songs such as “Do You Wanna Do Nothing With Me” by Lawrence and “Sweat” by BAD. They love focusing on tight harmonies and each member brings such a wonderful tone to the group. They plan to release an EP in the near future and can’t wait to share what they’ve been working on with the a cappella community!

Sea Sharps A Cappella is the first and only a cappella group at Monmouth University. This group includes students from all areas and majors on campus who love performing together. They have performed all over New Jersey and New York, including most recently at a New Jersey Devils game. They are an eclectic group that performs a wide range of pop music, singing songs from Olivia Rodrigo, Panic! At the Disco, AJR, and more! Although the past two years have been hard on everyone, Sea Sharps is incredibly proud of how the group has persevered throughout this challenging time. 

Stockapella was founded by a group of friends at Stockton University who just liked singing. They gave their first concert in 2007 and steadily began to grow. After they attended an ICCA Mid-Atlantic Semifinal event in 2010, they fell in love with the idea of competing and meeting other a cappella groups. That same year, interest in a cappella at Stockton grew enough that another group, The Stocktones, was formed. Stockapella competed in their first ICCA Quarterfinal in 2011, the same year that an all-female group, Stockata, took shape at Stockton. Stockapella has taken part in the ICCA every year since then, grabbing plenty of attention and a number of awards. While working toward excellence in their own performances, they also strive to develop a style unique to their group. Stockton’s three a cappella ensembles work together tirelessly to support one another. Stockapella sends much love to their friends and supporters all across Stockton a cappella! 

The Deaftones is Westminster Choir College's premier co-ed auditioned a cappella group. These students all come from musical backgrounds, with many of them in the prestigious choral programs at our school. This choral emphasis sets The Deaftones apart in the a cappella world, creating a unique and complex blend of styles. 

The Trentones, TCNJ's only competitive a cappella group, was founded in 2002 by a group of passionate students with a shared love of a cappella music. The Trentones compete annually in the ICCA where they have advanced to Mid-Atlantic Semifinals the past three years, receiving awards for Outstanding Arrangement (2018), Outstanding Soloist (2019), and Outstanding Choreography (2020). In addition, The Trentones have hosted workshops with middle schools and high schools all over New Jersey and regularly perform at weddings, engagement parties, event receptions, ICHSA deliberations, and even as an opener for the Grammy-winning group, Pentatonix. The Trentones are proud of their musicianship, which is made possible by the group members’ diverse backgrounds and wide range of interests. Their mission is to foster growth, friendship, musicality, leadership, and love through their shared passion of performing a cappella music.

Vocal Point is a co-ed a cappella group from the University of Delaware. The group was founded in 1998, with an ‘80s music focus. Since branching out from its ‘80s origins, VP currently sings songs by Ariana Grande, Panic at the Disco!, Jon Bellion, Martin Garrix, Rihanna, and many others! Today, they are a fun-loving group of college students with a passion for singing. Vocal Point has competed in the ICCA for many years. They are excited to meet the many talented groups here and get back to competing in person. VP loves traveling to collaborate with other groups. In the past, Vocal Point has traveled to North Carolina to attend SoJam, up to Boston to attend BOSS, and to countless venues in the Mid-Atlantic region. Vocal Point has an album called Momentum and three EPs, Fragile, Phoenix, and Dream, all of which are available on Spotify and Apple Music. Please follow their social media accounts (@VocalPointUD ) to stay up to date on all of Vocal Point’s upcoming releases and performances.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

 

Joe Cantaffa is an instructor for the Entertainment Technology program in the Fine and Performing Arts Center (F.P.A.C.) at Howell High School in New Jersey. He teaches music production and operates the school’s student-operated record label Next2Records. Joe is a member of the Board of Directors for the New Jersey Music Educators’ Association and serves as the production manager and coordinating chairman for its All-State Chorus, Orchestra, and Jazz programs. He presents in-service workshops and lectures around the country regarding music curriculum, arranging, contemporary a cappella music, and the use of technology in the classroom. Additionally, he has held faculty positions for the Westminster School of the Arts/Rider University teaching tour management. Joe holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Rutgers University and a master’s degree in music education from Mason Gross School of the Arts, and is a voting member of The Grammy Awards/RIAA.

Aldon Knolls attended the University of Michigan, where he studied vocal percussion and linguistics. While there, he served as the assistant music director for Amazin' Blue, helping lead the group to ICCA Finals in 2017 with the set "Chasing Love," and winning several Outstanding Vocal Percussion awards along the way Aldon now serves as the vocal percussionist for New York-based group Concrete, as well as New York-based group Black to Gold. The group became 2021 Open Finalists for Black to Gold's "Minefields." Aldon is an a cappella clinician across the country for full groups and vocal percussionists and also happens to be a sea shanty and barbershop specialist. 

Connor Martin is an a cappella arranger, producer, music director, bass, and educator from New York City. As a freelance a cappella producer, he has garnered eight Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs) and almost 50 CARA nominations. He has worked with a cappella greats such as Angela Ugolini, Shams Ahmed, Pablo Vega, and many others, as well as groups like The Nor’easters, Faux Paz, The Vassar Devils, All-Night Yahtzee, and Highlands Voices, to name a few. He is a co-founder of Black to Gold, an NYC-based professional a cappella group where he sings bass, arranges, music-directs, and produces. His work with B2G led them to the2021 Virtual Open Finals, winning an Outstanding Mix award at Semifinals. His a cappella journey started in The Hofbeats, a group from his alma mater at Hofstra University, where he led them to their first award-winning ICCA season ever. Connor is also an active percussionist and composer and loves teaching and inspiring the next generation of a cappella singers, including those at tonight’s Quarterfinal! To learn more, go to connormartinmusic.com. 

Mason Van Gieson is an actor, vocalist, and clinician based in New York City.  You might know her as the Creative Director of VICE A Cappella or as a member of BLACKOUT.  No stranger to ICCA, she is an alumna of the University of Michigan’s Amazin’ Blue, and with them was a (not TOO long ago!) ICCA Finalist, serving as performance director and choreographing cinematic set “Chasing Love”.  In addition to performing, Mason serves as a clinician for scholastic vocal groups around the nation, with a particular focus in helping students find the “why” behind their music.  For more: @masongvang www.masonvangieson.com

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 Director
ICHSA Great Lakes Producer
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 Clemens
 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 finishing groups will advance to the 2022 ICCA Mid-Atlantic 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!

VIEW ALBUMS

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