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 WEST SEMIFINAL
Elsinore Theater
Saturday, March 26, 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
Established in 2009, Vermillion Vocalists, also known as VeVo, is a co-ed a cappella group at the University of California, Irvine dedicated to musical excellence. These diverse and talented individuals are united by a shared passion, dedication, and love for music-making. Likewise, they have a similarly diverse taste in repertoire, ranging from classic hits to today's chart-toppers in genres such as pop, hip hop, and R&B.
Bruin Harmony is the only all-male a cappella group at UCLA. They sing all types of music, from the classics to pop, rap, and jazz (and yes, even yuletide Christmas jingles). More importantly, Bruin Harmony is a talented, fun-loving group of musicians who genuinely enjoy performing and who work hard to make a cappella fun at UCLA. In 2019, Bruin Harmony competed in their first ICCA and had an absolute blast. After competing virtually last year and exploring the new challenge of making a music video, the group is ecstatic to be back in person. Bruin Harmony balances their fun and encouraging atmosphere with hard work. If you were to ask any member what their favorite part about the group is, they would probably say the connection they share with the rest of the members. This bond strengthens their music and performance and they are excited to showcase that energy on the ICCA stage. Bruin Harmony works hard to represent a fresh and new image of all-male a cappella. They are so excited for what this year will bring and are grateful to be singing together again!
The Green Note is the only competitive a cappella group on the Portland State University campus. They won their most recent ICCA Quarterfinal, along with awards for Outstanding Arrangement and Outstanding Vocal Editing, progressing to Semifinals where they earned Outstanding Choreography. A majority queer group, The Green Note is interested in spending time together in a fun, judgement-free environment. They are a group of solo artists collaborating to create groundbreaking a cappella music and also happen to be best friends. When they aren’t practicing music, they love to play together on their Minecraft server.
Dil Se is UC Berkeley's premier south-Asian a cappella group. Their unique music combines the melody-based raagas of Hindi film music with the depth and harmonies that drive Western music to create a fresh perspective on the tradition of a cappella. The group consists of a diverse group of accomplished singers, with experience ranging from years of Hindustani and Carnatic music to Western classical and jazz choirs. Dil Se has toured across California and established themselves as one of the best Indian-fusion a cappella groups in the state. Each song entertains audiences with a well-rounded performance that emanates Dil Se, "from the heart."
Stanford Mixed Company (or Mixed Co) is Stanford’s oldest all-gender a cappella group. They arrange and perform a wide variety of music, from Billy Joel to Billie Eilish and beyond. In addition to being brilliant musicians, the Mixed Co group members are some of the most caring and dedicated people on Stanford’s campus. Their community of fantastic alumni (over 250 people!) stays in close touch and attends shows to reminisce and sing “Leland’s Island” (Mixed Co’s very first song) together as a big group. From the beginning, Mixed Company has sought to foster a community of unconditional love and support for people of all backgrounds and experience levels. It is a Mixed Co tradition that if someone apologizes for a mistake, they (softly) throw a shoe at them to remind them that nothing is a mistake if you do it with confidence. When they’re not making music, they enjoy sharing college adventures together, such as studying at the campus coffee house, carpooling to movies or ice-cream runs, supporting one another in musicals and concerts, or traveling to new cities. They’re so lucky to sing with a group of their closest friends and hope you enjoy their performance!
Lounge Lizards A Cappella began in 1995 with a group of friends in the Integrated Studies program living in the Tercero dorm building B at UC Davis. Magic happened in the dorm lounge, and UC Davis's first a cappella group was born. Over 25 years later, Lounge Lizards A Cappella is still going strong, rocking the stage and showing off the style and sass that makes them stand out among their UC Davis peers. As the oldest a cappella group on campus, they often perform at on-campus and local Davis events, culminating in their annual spring concert, No Instruments Attached, where they assemble groups from across the state for a night of wonderful music. In addition to performing, they are also a competitive group, and they were the 2019 ICCA West Quarterfinal Champions, 2021 ICCA West Quarterfinal Runners-up, and 2021 Los Angeles A Cappella Festival (LAAF) Finalists.
ScatterTones is a student-run, all-gender a cappella group at UCLA. Founded in 2002, they perform regularly on campus and travel throughout the U.S. for performances and adventures! They are proud to be a diverse group of individuals from various backgrounds, cultures, and majors. The ScatterTones have had many exciting gigs over the years, such as opening for Pentatonix in concert, singing at the White House, being featured on KTLA’s “Channel 5 Morning News,” singing for National Public Radio's "Says You," and being backup for Taylor Swift! Their favorite TV character is Dr. Doofenshmirtz and last Halloween, they received a video shoutout from Dan Povenmire, the iconic voice of Doofenshmirtz and “Phineas and Ferb” co-creator, which was collectively the best moment of their lives. They also love “Ratatouille” and one of their own, Sophia James, wrote a song which landed on “Ratatouille the TikTok Musical” (second-best moment)! ScatterTones is a family that loves singing, performing, and sharing their joy with others. They explore various styles of music from different time periods and genres and enjoy making popular songs their own! After giving Zoom hugs for a year, they’re excited to be performing again and are grateful for every moment together.
In the spring of 2009, a relatively unknown a cappella ensemble from Mt. San Antonio College walked into a theatre in Midtown Manhattan and shocked the collegiate a cappella community by becoming the first community college to win ICCA Finals. This also marked the second time that Fermata Nowhere had made it to Finals after their first trip in 2004 where they finished 2nd. Since their International Finals win, Fermata Nowhere has performed for audiences across the continent, singing everything from eight-part Renaissance motets to barbershop, rock, and hip hop. Several former members of Fermata Nowhere have gone on to sing in professional a cappella ensembles, including Avi Kaplan of Pentatonix and three members of the award-winning Filharmonic.
Eh? Cappella is one of the University of British Columbia’s a cappella groups. When they aren't practicing hard at rehearsals, they’re singing their hearts out together around campus, doing impromptu covers, jamming out in friends' dorms, or killing it at karaoke. These passionate musicians draw inspiration from pop all the way to neo soul R&B and enjoy incorporating genres from all across the board into their sets! They are so excited to get back onstage with all of the other incredibly talented groups in their region!
Furmata is the premier competitive co-ed a cappella group at the University of Washington in Seattle, Wash. Established in 2008 (originally as “The HusKEYS”), the group has become well-known in the Seattle area, performing at many types of events in and around the community and traveling to compete against other groups from around the world.
GUEST PERFORMER
The Sherwood High School Mixolydians is a group of fun-loving musicians from Sherwood, Ore. They love spending time together just as much as they love singing and creating crowd-pleasing choreography. For the past six years, The Mixolydians have placed in the top three at the Portland Rose City Sing-Off. The Mixolydians are also proud of their 2015 ICHSA awards for Outstanding Choreography and Outstanding Arrangement of their entire set, in addition to ICHSA awards for Outstanding Arrangement, Outstanding Soloist, and Outstanding Vocal Percussion in 2020. Most recently, they are proud of placing 1st at both the 2020 ICHSA and the 2018 Bend A Cappella Festival. The Mixolydians have enjoyed being a part of the ICHSA competition for nine years in a row and are so excited to be back!
TONIGHT'S JUDGES
Charlie Arthur began performing at a very young age, participating in as many musical ensembles, theatrical productions, short films, and middle school dance battles as he could seek out. He discovered his love for contemporary vocal music when he joined Forte, the award-winning a cappella group at Centerville High School. In Forte, Charlie received national recognition as a vocal percussionist and he began arranging, recording, producing, and teaching vocal music full-time. Over the last eight years, these experiences have taken him across the U.S., Canada, Russia, and the Caribbean, working and performing with vocal groups such as m-pact, The Cat’s Pajamas, and Vocalight. Charlie currently lives in Eugene, Ore., where he works full time as an engineer and production assistant for Peter Hollens.
Samantha Baker is an alumna of Divisi, University of Oregon's premier female-identifying a cappella group. During her time in the group, she sang, collaborated on arrangements, served as business manager, and won Outstanding Soloist at ICCA. In 2016, she was part of the leadership that drove Divisi to ICCA Finals in New York, where they also appeared on the television series “Sing It On.” Samantha also spent time working for One Voice Productions, where she supported music video production featuring a cappella sensations Peter and Evynne Hollens, and collaborated with a variety of artists. She continues fostering her love for music by performing at events in the Portland Metro Area and beyond.
Amanda Farmer is a graduate of Michigan State University, where she sang, arranged, and served as president for Capital Green, a co-ed a cappella group, leading the group to multiple appearances at ICCA Semifinals. Now a resident of the beautiful Pacific Northwest, Amanda created and coached an a cappella group at Pacific Crest Community School from 2014-2017. She has worked in music licensing and custom commercial and film composition, taught voice lessons, and performed with a Portland-based band for several years. Having both competed and assisted with the production side of Varsity Vocals, she is excited to join this evening's panel.
Lauren Kahn has an extensive background directing, arranging, and singing a cappella music. She directs the high school a cappella group, Synergy, through the Oregon Children's Choir, and previously music-directed the University of Oregon’s Mind the Gap. Lauren grew up singing barbershop harmony and has been directing the treble barbershop group, The Greater Eugene Chorus, since 2013. She is a prolific arranger in both the barbershop and contemporary a cappella genres.
Dr. James Reddan is director of choral activities and choral music education at Western Oregon University. Prior to his appointment at Western, he was the director of choral activities at Frostburg State University in Frostburg, Md., where he conducted the University Chorale, Chamber Singers, vocal jazz ensemble, and is artistic advisor for two vocal a cappella ensembles, Xenharmonics and BelleTones. Ensembles under James’ direction have been featured at local, regional, national, and international conventions and choral festivals, including the ICCA. His ensembles have performed at Christchurch Cathedral (Dublin), Royal Academy of Music (London), Beijing Conservatory of Music (Beijing, PRC), the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and won a World Championship in the Mixed Chamber Choir Category at the eighth World Choir Games in Riga, Latvia in 2014. He has appeared as adjudicator, clinician, guest conductor, presenter, and panel member throughout the United States. In 2010, James received the Special Citation for Excellence in Music Education from the American Prize in Choral Conducting.
SPECIAL THANKS
Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank tonight's emcee and day-of producer, Jake Yoakum; photographer, Jake Young; our guest group The Sherwood Mixolydians; production assistants, Anika Padwekar and Daniel Nyounai-Herrera; our sound engineers Pete and Trina from Yoakum Light and Sound; and finally, all the staff at the Elsinore Theatre - especially Tom Fohn, Greg Reider, and Stephen Munshaw; 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 Jensen
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 placing group will advance to the 2022 ICCA Finals.
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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