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 SOUTHWEST QUARTERFINAL
W.E. Scott Theatre
Sunday, February 27, 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
Beauties and the Beat is the premier treble a cappella group at the University of Texas at Austin. Founded in 2013, they have quickly grown and gone on to perform around the Austin area and compete around the United States. As an all-female group, they strive to support marginalized communities around Austin as well as in the a cappella community.
Empire A Cappella is an all-inclusive, mixed pop a cappella ensemble based out of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. The group was founded in the fall of 2019 by Brittney Stainbrook and Charlie Correa and has been active in the competitive a cappella scene. They competed in ICCA in their inaugural year, earning the runner-up spot at the 2020 ICCA Southwest Quarterfinals, thereby qualifying for Semifinals in Phoenix, Ariz. before the COVID-19 pandemic brought life to a halt in March 2020. In addition to releasing their first EP in the fall of 2021, Empire A Cappella opened for the world-famous classic rock band, Foreigner, on their tour stop at the newly opened Buddy Holly Hall in Lubbock last August. This diverse group of musicians is dedicated to creating a clean, full sound and building a close-knit and supportive family. Empire A Cappella is ecstatic to return to the ICCA stage this year and they cannot wait to share their love and passion for singing and a cappella!
HardChord Dynamix is one of Texas A&M's premier competition a cappella groups. HardChord Dynamix has had a variety of majors, ranging from wildlife and fisheries to aerospace engineering Ph.Ds. Striving to be a center of a cappella in Texas, HardChord DynaMix runs a yearly acappellooza event that brings together groups all around Texas. Without a music school at A&M, HardChord has been a completely student-run and funded organization since 2007. Even without a music school or professional music directors, HardChord Dynamix placed 2nd in ICCA 2017 Southwest Semifinals, was Southwest Quarterfinal Champion in ICCA 2021, and went all the way to Finals in ICCA 2019. They have won numerous awards in ICCA, including Outstanding Soloist at Finals in 2019!
Noteworthy is a co-ed a cappella group at The University of Texas at Austin. When the group first formed in 2014 under the name Soul Blend A Cappella, they remained as a local group performing within The University of Texas. Since their evolution in 2017, Noteworthy has moved towards a modern sound, emphasizing a more complex take on popular music. Noteworthy continues to exemplify diversity and inclusion in their membership and song selections.
OneSound is Collin College's premier acapella group. Collin College is a multi-campus, two-year college which now offers some four-year degrees. OneSound performs for major school-sponsored events and fundraisers. OneSound is not a club, but a class that students enroll in and are directed by Professor Kathy Morgan. They have participated in ICCA for the past five years and hope that this year they can continue to show their competitive skill.
The Rice Philharmonics is a co-ed a cappella team proudly representing Rice University! Since their humble beginnings in 1994, The Phils have found creative ways of sharing music with the Rice/Houston community through gigs, “singing valentines,” tours, competitions, and studio albums. Check out their latest project, Philos, on Spotify and iTunes! Service is also a central part of their identity. Over the last decade, The Phils have cultivated a unique relationship with Houston’s Music Therapy Center and organized numerous fundraisers to support their cause. The Phils take great pride in arranging all of their own music and being open to any musical genre, from pop, rock, funk, R&B, country, and even EDM! Above all, The Phils are one big phamily. They represent diverse identities and pursue various majors, but come together over a shared passion for a cappella. Each Phil has a unique vocal skillset, but every rehearsal, they challenge themselves to create a cohesive sound that is stronger than any one of its parts. They hope you can pheel their love while hearing them perform!
Founded in 2017, TechTones A Cappella is Texas Tech University's premier contemporary pop a cappella group. This is not your mother's glee club! TechTones is a co-ed group of vocalists that bring intense energy to performances and an edge to their arrangements, sound, and style.
The Horned Tones is the only (and therefore the premier) all-male a cappella group at Texas Christian University, although they do a lot to ensure that this title is more than honorific and that that premier status is earned. They have always encouraged eclecticism and diversity and include a mix of students studying not only music and theatre, but also finance, nursing, entrepreneurship, and more. Since the group was founded in 2015 by TCU alumnus Ray Shideler, they have dedicated several hours each week to arranging, rehearsing, polishing, and recording their music. Recording, in particular, has been a new development and a testament to the group's adaptability throughout COVID-19. They also value group camaraderie and brotherhood and take care to support one another. They host social events, decompress and communicate at the end of rehearsals, and much more, which has established a group bond that has strengthened over the years. After an in-person hiatus for a large portion of the 2020-21 academic year, The Horned Tones are pleased to be back in full throttle this season.
TONIGHT'S JUDGES
Holly Cloyd hails from the Midwest and has loves music and a cappella through and through. She spent her time in college with two different a cappella groups at Arizona State University and the University of North Texas. Her group at Arizona State was the first all-female group in Arizona to advance to ICCA Semifinals. Holly's passion for music didn't stop there though. She currently travels all through the country, working as a dueling piano player. Her career has taken her to work for big names such as The Big Bang, Ernie Biggs, Louie Louie's, The Shout! House, and Howl At The Moon. In her spare time, Holly loves hanging out with her poodles. Being a fur mom is a beautiful thing, folks.
Caleb Moore is a singer/songwriter from Dallas. He graduated from University of Texas-Arlington with a B.A. in music industry studies with an emphasis on music media. Caleb has successfully led two groups to ICCA Finals, as well as the Open Finals at Carnegie Hall. In addition to receiving numerous Outstanding Arrangement awards, his groups have recorded on Patti Labelle’s Christmas album, sang on a national Cheerios commercial, and his music has been nominated for a Contemporary A Cappella Award (CARA) for Best Original Song. He currently arranges for high school and collegiate a cappella programs across the country, serves as a clinician at festivals, and continues to write and perform original music.
David Rives is the Director of Choral Activities at Ryan High School, in Denton, Texas. He received his Bachelor of Music Education from Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, and his Master of Music in conducting from Baylor University, in Waco, Texas. At Ryan High School, David is the director of the Ryan Raider Revolution Show Choir, Chorale, Men’s Choir, and Ryan Singers. In Denton ISD, he writes curriculum for the district and has led numerous ensembles to the UIL Sweepstakes Awards.
Jamie Rives is a music teacher in Denton Independent School District in Denton, Texas, where she teaches K-5 music, choir, and hand chimes. She received her Bachelor of Music Education from Tarleton State University, in Stephenville, Texas and her Master of Music Education from Wichita State University, in Wichita, Kan. In Denton ISD, Jamie writes curriculum for the district and was a Teacher of the Year in 2016. She is the Region 2 Elementary Chair and supervises student teachers from The University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University.
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 placing groups will advance to the 2022 ICCA Southwest 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!
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