2023 ICCA Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinal @ Drexel University

DEAR FRIENDS,

Welcome to Varsity Vocals’ 27th 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 610 groups and over 9,100 singers at 85 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 cinematic 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.

We have seen a cappella make great strides from where it began on our stage 27 years ago, and we can’t wait to see how our 2023 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

Drexel University
Saturday, February 4th, 2023

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 29th.

The high school tournament is now in its 18th 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 28th.

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

Chromatic is the premier a cappella group at Millersville University. Founded in 2017, Chromatic has performed in the ICCA for three years, winning the 1st place title in the Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinal in both 2021 and 2022. Since then, Chromatic has released two singles and an EP and has gained a following on TikTok.

The Drexel Cleftomaniacs is a co-ed a cappella choir established in 2012. The group is composed of Drexel University undergraduate students with a shared passion for singing and creating music. They aim to provide a welcoming environment where students can appreciate and produce quality a cappella music, while simultaneously bringing high standards of musicality and technique to the a cappella genre. The Cleftomaniacs endeavor to provide exhilarating performances that showcase a diverse selection of musical genres. Over the years, The Cleftomaniacs have sung at local colleges and universities, the Philadelphia Flower Show, First Friday in Old City, and for private events such as proposals and dinner parties. Aside from off-campus events, The Cleftomaniacs host two annual concerts, Spooktacular in the fall and a spring show that incorporates their entire catalog from the given year.

The TrebleMakers is Drexel University’s premier all-female a cappella group. With a repertoire tailored towards EDM, pop, and R&B, the group strives to create a unique sound and twist the image of female a cappella. They were 2017 winners of the M&T Bank Invitational Glee: College A Cappella Competition and took 3rd place in 2019 ICCA Quarterfinals. The TrebleMakers are excited to continue bettering themselves at the ICCA and share their voices with the a cappella community.

LiaChorus is a gender-inclusive, contemporary, and competitive a cappella group, dedicated to bringing competitive performances to the general public, Temple, and Philadelphia communities. LiaChorus prides itself on their unique blend, musical versatility, and competitive history. They have competed in the ICCA three times, made it to the Semifinals twice, and earned the title of Quarterfinal Champions this past spring.

Established in 2018, Measure Up is Villanova's newest competitive all-gender a cappella group, founded on the principles of racial inclusion and genre-defying musical excellence. They perform a diverse repertoire of music, ranging from pop and alternative to R&B and funk, which highlights their members’ diverse musical styles and appeals to all types of audiences. As they work toward musical growth, Measure Up also seeks to create an inclusive space for underrepresented groups on campus. With students of color consistently representing 50% of the group roster, Measure Up has quickly become one of the most diverse performance groups in Villanova history, providing a haven for these students to celebrate their heritage. Rehearsing three times a week in St. Mary’s Hall, they are committed to creating high quality listening experiences at benefit concerts, campus basketball games, and other events throughout the Greater Philadelphia area. After competing in the 2021 virtual ICCA, their zest for competition has only grown. Measure Up is thrilled to be performing alongside other a cappella groups striving for excellence.

OwlCappella is Temple University's first co-ed a cappella group. Established in 2010, OwlCappella has competed in ICCA and participated in the National A Cappella Convention (NACC). They lean into R&B and pop with a jazz influence. OwlCappella is so excited to sing for you tonight. Follow them @OwlCappella on all the socials!

Based in Philadelphia, Pitch, Please is Temple University’s queer advocacy a cappella group. They were founded in 2014 with a mission to spread empowerment and positivity through music, especially by queer artists. Over the years, they’ve grown as a family, both on and off stage. They perform on and off campus at LGBTQIA+-centered events, and collaborate with other groups in the greater Philadelphia and Mid-Atlantic regions. Known for their lavender accents, colorful personalities, and infectious stage presence, they are excited to be competing again in the ICCA!

Stockapella was founded by a group of friends at Stockton University who just liked to sing. They gave their first concert in 2007 and have grown steadily ever since. 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-treble group, Stockata, took shape at Stockton. Stockapella has taken part in the ICCA every year since, grabbing plenty of attention and a number of awards. While striving for excellent performances, they also aim to develop a unique signature style. Stockton’s three a cappella ensembles work tirelessly to support one another. Stockapella sends love to their friends and supporters all across Stockton a cappella!

The Supernovas is Villanova’s oldest all-gender a cappella group. Villanova does not have a music major, so the group members come from a wide range of undergraduate studies, including neuroscience, nursing, finance, and more. Despite their various academic backgrounds, The Supernovas come together to arrange, produce, and perform their own music all year long. The Supernovas perform at a variety of events on and off Villanova’s campus, from basketball games to Villanova’s Special Olympics Fall Festival. In the past, The Supernovas have performed at benefit concerts, toured the Northeast with other a cappella groups, and were invited to audition for NBC's “The Sing-Off.” The Supernovas have been performing competitively in the ICCA for the past seven years. Last year, The Supernovas made Villanova history by becoming Mid-Atlantic Champions and advancing to the ICCA Finals. You can hear their latest works by searching “The Supernovas” wherever you stream your music.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Brian Chambers has founded or helped found three award-winning collegiate groups, including, at the time, the youngest group to make ICCA Finals ever. He has earned three ICCA awards for Outstanding Vocal Percussion and received the first Outstanding Arrangement award for a hip hop song in ICCA history. He created and founded The Red States, named a best a cappella group by “Time Out New York.” He also helped launch the first digital A&R agency for A-list and Billboard 100 artists. Brian is a Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARA) nominator, the former director of communications and marketing for the Contemporary A Cappella Society (CASA), and served on its board of directors. He is the co-producer for the NY Harmony Sweepstakes, the longest running a cappella competition in the U.S., and does artist management in his spare time. He currently leads digital for (RED), the nonprofit founded by Bobby Shriver and U2's Bono, which fights two pandemics helping relaunch their music franchise, Dance (RED) Save Lives. If you don't blink, you can catch him in “Pitch Perfect 2.”

Steve Weber is a graduate of both Cedarville University (B.A. in music) and Boston University (M.A. in music education). He has been teaching high school music for 22 years in southern New Jersey, where he currently directs the a cappella group, The Foxy Jukebox. This group has been featured on Philadelphia radio many times over the past few years, as well as a competitor in the ICHSA Mid-Atlantic Semifinals. In his spare time, Steve works with many regional music groups, including The Philadelphia Vocal Conservatory and The Ritz Theatre Company of Oaklyn.

Luke Wroblewski has been performing a cappella music for almost a decade. Luke works at Governor Livingston High School and Columbia Middle School in the Berkeley Heights school district, where he teaches choir and music theory and leads extracurricular ensembles including a brand-new a cappella group. Luke was a member of Soulfege A Cappella, a student-led group from Millburn High School and went on to Westminster Choir College, where he joined The Deaftones, the only competing group on campus. As music director and lead arranger of both his high school and college, Luke has placed highly at a cappella competitions around the region, including ICCA, ICHSA, and SingStrong N.Y., and won individual awards for Outstanding Arrangement. Luke has spent time with post-collegiate a cappella groups around the area and is excited about the continued growth of the a cappella community in New Jersey. As an a cappella coach, Luke has coached various ensembles on competition sets, arranging, and performing. Luke is experienced in arranging, vocal percussion, live audio production, vocal improvisation, and more.

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
PA/MA Program Coordinator

Lucy Jacobs
The Open Director
ICCA West Producer

Emily Flanders
Director of Adjudication
ICCA Great Lakes Producer

Andrew Poole
Director of Digital Media

Erica Tackett
Director of Marketing
& Social Strategy

Emily Sucher
Director of Publications

Sara Yood
Senior Producer

Holli Kitching
ICCA Mid-Atlantic Producer

Lindsay Howerton-Hastings
ICCA South Producer

Arvin Zabalerio
ICCA Central 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

Jillian Kimberlin
ICHSA Mid-Atlantic Producer

Danielle Sutherland
ICHSA Midwest Producer

Jake McVey
ICHSA Northeast Producer

Cameron Clemens
ICHSA West Producer

Ben Garza
ICHSA Southwest Producer

Luke Thomas
ICHSA South Producer

Adam McNeil
ICHSA Great Lakes Producer

Nicole Kholweiss
ICCA Central Day-Of Producer

Courtney Jenson
Associate Producer
Emcee Extraordinaire

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 at this event will advance to the 2023 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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