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 NORTHEAST QUARTERFINAL

 

Berklee College of Music
Saturday, February 19, 2022

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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

 

Absolut A Cappella is a co-ed singing group from SUNY New Paltz. As a group, they strive to produce exciting and unique arrangements and performances for all audiences. They practice as often as possible and spend time together outside of rehearsal to establish strong bonds on and off the stage. They have a packed group, from music majors to STEM majors and everything in between. After the pandemic, they have gained many new members, so they are excited to be rebuilding and can't wait to show off their new and improved sound. 

Off the Clock is Bentley University's one and only a cappella group. Established in 2010, the group has always been motivated and ambitious. They strive for greatness, are constantly trying to improve, and are always ready to get down to business. When not performing in large concert halls, Off the Clock can be found rehearsing in their subterranean music room or around campus singing at Bentley events such as sports games or student organization events. They’ve even performed at Fenway Park! Off the Clock’s members come from near and far, some as close as the neighboring town of Belmont and some from all the way in the Philippines. They are not picky with song selection, performing pop songs you hear on the radio, as well as rock, the classics, and favorite throwbacks. After a year of being inactive due to COVID, they are as excited as ever to be back together to sing their hearts out, while off the clock of course! 

On The Vox is a co-ed a cappella group at Berklee College of Music. Composed of members from all over the world and best known for their "wall of sound,” On The Vox has competed in competitions such as ICCA and Haunted Harmonies, where they won awards such as Outstanding Choreography, Outstanding Arrangement, and two Outstanding Soloist awards. On The Vox predominantly focuses on maintaining a fun, welcoming environment with an underlying feeling of family, while also nurturing talent and hard work. Make sure you follow their social media @onthevoxacappella on all platforms to stay tuned for many exciting things to come! 

Pitch, Please! is a Northeastern University women-centered treble a cappella group. Since they were founded in 2012, they have continued to push boundaries and challenge the standards of traditional collegiate a cappella. As a competitive group, they have performed at ICCA Finals in 2019 and ICCA Semifinals in 2020 and 2021. They earned 1st place in the 2019 collegiate championship on PBS’s “Sing that Thing!,” and even performed on “The Today Show” for International Women’s Day in 2020. They won the 2020 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA) for Best Female Collegiate Album for their most recent full-length album, Obsidian. They encourage their followers to continue streaming Obsidian, as well as their most recent single, “Time Alone With You.” Keep an eye on their social media @nupitchplease for more content, exciting announcements, and updates on their upcoming EP. 

The Opportunes is Harvard's oldest (and boldest) all-gender a cappella group. Their style ranges from the pop anthems of Ariana Grande and Hozier to the timeless classics of Stevie Wonder and The Temptations. The Opps are known for their energetic performances, intricate student arrangements, and stellar recorded music. Though all of them are seasoned musicians, The Opportunes study everything from biomedical engineering to social studies. They hail from all over the world and are involved in Harvard athletics, clubs, theater, publications, and service programs. They just released their 14th studio album as they celebrate our 40th anniversary. To listen, and to see more from The Opps, you can find them on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, or at their website. 

Treble on Huntington is Northeastern University's first all-women's a cappella group. Through their repertoire of pop and mixed-genre music, they showcase the unique styles of each soloist along with the hard work, fun, and artistry of the entire group. From jazzy pop to belty ballads, this group can do it all. During their set, you’ll likely hear multiple people on VP, because everyone in the group can beatbox! They also include a diverse range of majors from computer science to pre-med to psychology, but they all come together because of a shared love of music and performing. Treble on Huntington has had the pleasure of performing at some incredible venues, including at the Massachusetts Conference for Women, Fenway Park (to sing the national anthem for the Boston Red Sox), and The Betsy A Cappella Festival in Miami! They were able to record and release two singles this past year, “Rainberry” and “Make Up,” which are currently available on all music streaming services! 

Treble Threat is Berklee College of Music’s only all-women and non-binary a cappella group, established in the spring of 2014. Through creative collaboration and immersive team-building, Treble Threat utilizes the developing world of a cappella music to empower both its members and its surrounding community. The group specializes in genres including fusions of pop, R&B, jazz, and more. Given the diversity of its members, Treble Threat emphasizes the importance of both incorporating and investing in the group members’ cultural backgrounds to perform music that authentically represents this multifaceted ensemble. 

Upper Structure was founded in 2015 at Berklee College of Music. In 2018, they released their first studio album, Bridges. Shortly after the release, their rendition of “She Used to Be Mine” was recognized on the BOCA 2018 album and their entire album was nominated for a CARA. In addition to these awards, they finished 2nd place overall at the 2018 ICCA Finals. In 2019, they released their sophomore album, Second Wind, and recorded their A Cappella Video Award (AVA)-winning music video, featuring their cover of “Water Guns,” originally by Todrick Hall ft. Jordin Sparks. In spring 2019, they also traveled to Hong Kong and Beijing, China. Upper Structure placed 1st in the 2020 Los Angeles A Cappella Festival (LAAF) and 2nd overall for the virtual 2021 ICCA season, also taking Outstanding Mix at Finals. Their newest recorded EP, Full Disclosure, released last summer and features their award-winning LAAF competition set, along with three new songs. Through all of their success, Upper Structure has remained focused on the goal they began with: creating unity through music. They bring an emotional, empowering, and innovative view to all of their music and are proud to share that spirit with the world.

Vocal Pride is a group of Springfield College students with a shared passion for singing. With just around 14 members, Vocal Pride brings a vibrant energy. Coming from a small private institution, the group revolves around creating a holistic singing experience and works to create a well-rounded sound. Humanics, the Springfield College mission statement is to educate the student in spirit, mind and body with leadership and service to others. Each member of this group truly lives by the humanics philosophy every day. They perform a variety of genres, including pop, indie folk, folk-pop, and pop R&B. They are honored to perform at ICCA again to truly show what it means to be a Springfield College student and a member of Vocal Pride. 

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

 

Brandon Hetherington is a seasoned a cappella professional, having started his first a cappella group in high school, The Spartones. He attended UMass Amherst for voice performance and music education, where he sang in The Vocal Suspects and served as a tenor, arranger, performance director, and choreographer, winning Outstanding Choreography at ICCA. He later joined The Hexachords, advancing with the group repeatedly to ICCA Semifinals, and was featured on Pop TV’s “Sing It On.” He has taught at festivals including BOSS, and has also taught at Uxbridge High School. 

Paul Pampinella, a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston, is a veteran vocalist, arranger/composer, and clinician with two Boston-based a cappella ensembles: Vox One and Five O’Clock Shadow. Paul has written, arranged, and produced songs on nine albums between the two groups. As a clinician, he lectures on topics such as vocal technique, performance skills, and arranging. Currently, Paul is on the faculty at Berklee College of Music and teaches private lessons for voice, guitar, bass guitar, piano, and theory/composition. He continues to work with both groups on a part-time basis, giving performances and workshops in the U.S. and Japan. 

Kyle Yampiro holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from James Madison University, and has served on faculty at University of Memphis and Eastern Mennonite University, teaching musical theatre voice and music history, respectively. A native of Long Island, N.Y., he is a nomadic actor who has performed with numerous opera and musical theatre companies across the country, most recently with the Springer Opera House in Columbus, Ga., and The Winnipesaukee Playhouse in Meredith, N.H. He music-directed University of Delaware’s Vocal Point as an undergraduate, and JMU's Exit 245 while earning his master's degree. With Exit 245, he contributed to the CARA-winning album, Boyfriend Material, from which his solo track, "Cinema," was featured on the compilation albums BOCA 2013, Voices Only 2013, and SING 10. He also spent a year singing with Memphis-based Contemporary A Capella League (CAL) group, DeltaCappella, and currently serves as a reviewer for the Recorded A Cappella Review Board (RARB) and as a judge for the CARAs and AVAs. 

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 Northeast 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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