2023 ICCA Northeast Quarterfinal @ The University of Hartford

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 NORTHEAST QUARTERFINAL

University of Hartford
Saturday, February 4th, 2023

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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

Founded in 2019, Cadence of Yale is Yale University’s newest a cappella group and its only competition-focused a cappella group among the 17 groups on campus. Their mission is to extend their a cappella involvement beyond the Yale community, tell stories through their music and choreography, and produce quality and nuanced performances. Cadence firmly believes that songs are more than just the sum of their notes and aims to deliver the impact of those subtleties to a broader audience. They also believe that harmony within their group creates better harmony in music and strive to create a space of trust, positivity, and encouragement within and around their group. You can find the most eclectic and ever-changing picks in Cadence’s repertoire, largely determined by the personalities of current Cadencees, featuring everything from pop-funk to rock, indie to mainstream, and even (sometimes) video-game music mashups.

HartAttack A Cappella is the University of Hartford's most awkward a cappella group. Established in 2010, HartAttack is a co-ed group designed to be a home for students across all majors. Their repertoire ranges from RadioHead to Sam Smith and Beyoncé, and continued to work on arrangements during lockdown. During that time, they shared some of those pieces on their YouTube, including "Light On'' by Maggie Rogers and "The Brady Bunch Theme Song." HartAttack A Cappella is a tight-knit family that seeks to establish more connections within the university and the other a cappella groups on campus. They hold yearly collaborations with other groups and put on fundraisers throughout the school year. HartAttack also has the most powerful and exciting mascot to represent the University of Hartford; Demitri the penguin is their true leader. Although he is just a hollow lawn decoration, he fills their hearts with his stoic smile. The group is now 12 years old and alumni stay connected through vast updates and opportunities to perform together, such as their first and last performances of each school year. They are very excited to be performing today and hope you enjoy!

L’Shir A Cappella is the premier a cappella group at The University of Hartford. The group first formed in the spring of 2000 with Benjamin Rauch as music director. Originally an all-Jewish a cappella group, L’Shir has evolved into one of many denominations. However, they still call themselves “L’Shir,” which in Hebrew means “to song,” referring to raising a glass and cheering for making music!

Notes Over Storrs, founded in the fall of 2009, is one of the newest co-ed a cappella groups at the University of Connecticut. They love to perform a variety of music at events both on and off campus! When they’re not on stage, they love going out for sushi/boba/Moes, mimicking memes, scream-singing to too many artists, and hanging out together. They recently released their album, Wings, and latest EP, Bloom! Stream them on all streaming platforms!

Pitch, Please! is a Northeastern University women-centered treble a cappella group. Since they were founded in 2012, they have continued to push the boundaries and challenge the standards of traditional collegiate a cappella. As a competitive group, they have performed at ICCA Finals in 2019, ICCA Semifinals in 2020 and 2021, and earned 1st place in the collegiate championship on the PBS show “Sing that Thing!” in 2019. Additionally, Pitch, Please! placed 1st at Haunted Harmonies in 2019, won the 22nd Annual Faneuil Hall Competition, and even performed on “The Today Show” in New York City for International Women’s Day in 2020. That same year, their full-length album, Obsidian, won the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA) for Best Female Collegiate Album. Last year, they placed 3rd overall at their ICCA Quarterfinal. Today, you can find them performing at various venues at Northeastern University and across New England! Pitch, Please! encourages their followers to continue streaming their recent EP, Indigo, as well as their most recent single and music video, "Diamonds." Keep an eye on their social media @NUpitchplease for more content, as well as new upcoming singles!

Sharks & Flats is a co-ed a cappella group formed on the LIU Post campus in fall 2021. Alexandra Perticone and Annie Rodriguez formed this group to give students a chance to make music in a different way. Many of the ensemble members are various kinds of music majors, but the group includes a variety of different studies. Their goal is to provide an opportunity for students to make music who don't have the chance in their relative major. They specialize in pop songs but love to try a bit of everything. Sharks & Flats is a group of talented people who love to sing, have fun, and make music.

Established in 2004, The Audiophiles is Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s only co-ed a cappella group. In 2019 and 2020, they competed in ICCA and released their first studio EP, .WAV, which features a variety of songs arranged by several members of the group. Since they primarily perform arrangements by active members, The Audiophiles’ repertoire and music style reflect the group’s current tastes at any given time. While the group’s academic interests range from mathematics to electrical and computer engineering, they share a bond over their love of singing.

Treble on Huntington is Northeastern University's first women’s a cappella group. Through their repertoire of pop and mixed-genre music, they showcase the unique styles of their soloists 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 vocal percussion, because everyone in the group can beatbox! The group includes a diverse range of majors, from computer science to psychology, but they all come together for 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! Be sure to check out their new EP, Current, available on all streaming platforms now.

Triple Major, established in 2017, is Wesleyan University's only competitive a cappella group. This SATB mixed vocal ensemble is led by music directors Isabelle Chirls, James Giokaris, Katie Fletcher, and Ruby Seamon, and their fantastic choreographers Madeleine Levinsohn and Chantal Dunn. Though the group is not a stranger to the ICCA, this year will be the first time for this current set of members to perform in the ICCA live and onstage. They are super excited, having heard so many great things about this experience from their past members who got the chance to perform live pre-Covid. They are beyond excited to show you their capabilities as a group. Follow them on Instagram @triplemajoracappella and subscribe to theirYouTube channel, Triple Major A Cappella! Triple Major out!

GUEST PERFORMER

OneManJamz is a Virginia-bred singer, rapper, beatboxer and loop artist. Blending the solo style of Bobby McFerrin with the contemporary a cappella sounds of Pentatonix, his band consists of his voice making making drum beats & bass grooves. Then he creates harmonic layers on top before introducing his lyrics. Jamz draws his inspiration from multifaceted, genre-crossing artists such as Pharrell, Drake, and Kehlani. Career achievements include opening for the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, as well as being featured on D.C.'s local NPR station and the Office Ladies podcast. His songs are genuine and human, discussing topics of love, loneliness, struggle and success. Currently, Jamz is working on a compilation of covers called "Miles To Go," which take the listener to a different place than the original song would by either amping up the energy to tell his own story or chilling out for a more introspective, vulnerable vibe.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Brian Crook first entered the thrilling world of collegiate a cappella in 2008, becoming a member of SUNY Potsdam's (at the time) one- semester-old Potsdam Pitches. The Pitches’ epic rise over the last 15 years, culminating in a recent turn at ICCA Finals, has its roots in the work done by that dedicated first roster of singers during the 07-08 school year. He served as the group's music director and wrote several of the group's early arrangements. In 2013, he founded the semi-professional group, Fusion Vocal Band, composed of singers based in Connecticut. The group's final project came about in 2015 with the release of their self-titled EP, of which Brian was the arranger. By day, Brian is a teacher of choir and theatre in Norwalk, Conn., introducing a new generation to the power of the voice!

Diana Galeano is a graduate of Florida State University, where she studied music education with an emphasis in secondary choral education. At FSU, she sang with 2009 ICCA Southern champions, The AcaBelles. Since graduating, she has worked as a high school chorus and music educator, directed FSU's summer music camps, sang with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and was an essential part of establishing and running A Cappella Academy in Los Angeles, where she served as assistant camp director and proud camp mom from 2014 - 2018. While no longer in the traditional classroom setting, Diana teaches at a cappella festivals, offers masterclasses to groups in the greater Boston area, and sings with semi-professional groups Blacklight and Open Finalists Sound Off.

Originally from Torrington, Conn., Kyle Hogan currently lives in Washington, D.C. and works in antitrust law. As an undergraduate at the University of Rochester, Kyle dedicated most of his time outside of his core studies to making music as he trained in classical voice and sang bass with The YellowJackets, joining shortly after their feature on NBC's “The Sing-Off.” Recently, Kyle has lent his voice to a number of collaborations, including work with Street Corner Symphony and June. Kyle currently sings bass in the new six-person vocal band, Nomadic.

David Ko holds a bachelor's and a master's degree in music therapy from Florida State University. In his undergraduate years, he was an active member of FSU's Reverb, serving as the group's music director from 2011 to 2013. During his two years as music director, Reverb went on to win multiple Outstanding Arrangement awards, two ICCA South Quarterfinals, and one South Semifinal, plus 4th place overall at ICCA Finals. David currently works in eastern Connecticut, where he is the assistant director of Progressions Music Therapy services. He works on commissions for choral and a cappella arrangements for high school, collegiate, and professional groups in his spare time.

Originally from Chicago, Hannah Rosa Schiller is a writer and musician pursuing her master's degree in musicology at the University of Oxford. She received a Bachelor of Music in music theory from Northwestern University in 2018, and is a singer, music director, arranger, and producer. At Northwestern, Hannah music-directed the award-winning Northwestern Undertones. Under her direction, The Undertones released their 2017 album, Spit It Out, and advanced to the ICCA Great Lakes Semifinals. Her arrangement of Adele’s "When We Were Young" was featured on Voices Only 2017. Hannah is also an avid contemporary classical musician. She sang in the Bienen Contemporary/Early Vocal Ensemble (BCE) conducted by Grammy-winning director Donald Nally, and co-founded a professional chamber choir, Stare at the Sun, which aims to commission and perform new work by Chicago-based composers.

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 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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