THE INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP OF HIGH SCHOOL
A CAPPELLA
ICHSA MID-ATLANTIC QUARTERFINAL
St. Charles High School
Saturday, February 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 18th.
The high school tournament is now in its 15th year and continues to grow every year. We are now holding Quarterfinal rounds in all of our regions, and the 2020 season will feature the largest high school tournament field in our history. 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 17th.
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
Evolve is the most selective vocal group at Chesapeake High School in Pasadena, Md. Founded in 2015, Evolve quickly burst into the a cappella scene, advancing to the ICHSA Finals in 2019 and the Mid-Atlantic Semifinals in 2021. In 2020, Evolve was featured on the BOHSA album, singing “Just Like Me” by Betty Who. You can find Evolve's EP's on your favorite streaming services, and see their performances at Chesapeake High School and throughout Anne Arundel County and the state of Maryland.
The Screechin' Eagles is North Point High School's mixed a cappella group, (not to be confused as a heavy metal rock band.) The group is composed of 9th through 12th graders, each bringing their own unique contributions to the table. One member even brought a delicious breakfast casserole, but that’s a whole nother story! While there are many a cappella influencers currently in mainstream media, these fierce students enjoy performing a variety of musical styles. These students are passionate about a cappella and many of them are also part of the choral music family at North Point High School. Furthermore, numerous members have gone on to further distinguish themselves by being selected for regional and state-wide honor ensembles. While the group is still quite young, they have enjoyed performing at elementary and middle schools in their district. This is their way to honor those who inspired them while growing up and paying it forward to younger students.
Cresskill High School’s SoundXplosion, from Cresskill, N.J., is the school’s 19-member mixed a cappella group. SoundXplosion made the transition to contemporary a cappella in 2014 and has participated in the ICHSA for seven years. They cannot think of a better way than spending each and every day kicking back and making the world a better place while sharing the gift of music with their audiences!
The Spartones from St. Charles High School in Waldorf, Md. are so excited to be back on the stage. Founded in 2015, all of the current members are new to the group and have created an amazing bond. Having fun is the cornerstone of the Spartone philosophy and they love pumping each other up. Through their hard work and pure love of music, they bring joy to the entire Southern Maryland community. Known for their high-energy performances, they take their audiences on a journey through song. The group follows a legacy of award-winning excellence and specializes in pop R&B sounds. The Spartones have performed with notable a cappella artists such as Blue Jupiter, Ball in the House, Resound, Pitches Be Crazy, and Matt Sallee from Pentatonix. Competing in ICHSA and SingStrong DC, this group has a history of winning. They have won awards for their arrangements, vocal percussion, male and female soloists, and have placed in the top three multiple times.Their theme for this year’s set is love, heartbreak, and acceptance. The power of love is the strongest of all and they hope to uplift and inspire their audiences through song.
The Acatonics is the co-ed a cappella group from Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville, Md. This co-ed ensemble sings both current songs and classics and puts their own twist on every genre. The Acatonics have well-rounded members involved in all aspects of high school, including different clubs, varsity athletics, and theatre productions. The Acatonics’ diverse membership, along with their shared love of music, has created a mixture of unique talent and contagious energy. They have competed and won the SingStrong New York Competition in 2020 and have performed throughout the greater Washington D.C. area, both at school events and at community performances. They are excited to represent their school and their community.
Dynamic Pressure has been around since 2018 and originally had six members. Directed by Philip Parlock II, the group involves students in grades 9-12 at Forest Hills High School and was originally just named "A Cappella Ensemble." This group has performed at Hershey Park in Hershey, Pa., and is excited to compete in its first-ever ICHSA.
TONIGHT'S JUDGES
Aaron Bayne is an alumnus of Towson University and Berklee Online with degrees in economics and music business. He is the award-winning beatboxer of two-time ICCA Finalists turned professional group, The Trills (@thetrills). Over the last few years, The Trills exploded on social media, accumulating over 3.6 million followers across platforms. The group’s social media presence has led to a management deal with Underscore Talent, partnerships with several global brands, millions of YouTube views, radio appearances on KIISFM and “Your Morning Show,” a feature on the Kelly Clarkson Show, an opening slot for Straight No Chaser, a halftime performance at a Baltimore Ravens home game, a performance slot at VidCon 2022, and collaborations with acts like Drew Scott, Jon Cozart, Bryce Xavier, Quinn XCII and Tim McGraw. Aaron is excited to return as a Varsity Vocals judge this season and wishes luck to all the competing groups.
Charnice Frazier has a long-lasting relationship with music, and has been singing since she could speak. In addition to singing in choirs from middle school through college, Charnice was part of a chamber a cappella ensemble in high school called Infinity. Through this ensemble, she realized that she wanted a cappella to always be a part of her life. In the fall of 2012, Charnice joined James Madison University's premier female a cappella group, Note-oriety, and served as business manager and president during her years with them. Along with leading the group, she arranged songs and helped record their award winning album, Note-oriety. Charnice currently resides in Southern Maryland and is the choral director at Thomas Stone High School in Waldorf, Md. Outside of teaching, Charnice sings in D.C.'s newest all-female vocal group, The District, and is one of the group’s assistant music directors.
A lifetime musician, Dithu Rajaraman found a cappella during his time at Washington University in St. Louis. While there, he sang, music-directed, and arranged for The Stereotypes. The Stereotypes were regulars at ICCA Semifinals, and during his tenure, Dithu won Outstanding Soloist, Outstanding Arrangement, and Outstanding Choreography. The group eventually advanced to Finals in 2011, placing 4th, and earning Dithu another Outstanding Arrangement award for Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out for a Hero." Still performing whenever he can, Dithu is excited to judge this wonderful competition and for the opportunity to enjoy some good, old-fashioned, competitive a cappella.
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 three finishing groups will advance to 2022 ICHSA 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!
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