2023 ICCA Northeast Quarterfinal @ Boston 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 NORTHEAST QUARTERFINAL

Boston University
Saturday, February 18th, 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

Acappellics is Emerson College’s only competitive a cappella group! They strive to create a gender-inclusive, student-run, and educational environment for all of their members. They accept students from any year and any major, which allows people of all backgrounds and interests to come together and enjoy the power of singing in a group. Their typical repertoire includes songs from some of our members’ favorite bands, including Melt, Sammy Rae & the Friends, and more! Their songs are arranged by current or past Acappellics members and they love working on them together. They hope you enjoy their set! Love in Acappellics... Let's Boogie!

The Allegrettos is a student-run all-gender a cappella group at Boston University. If there is one thing The 'Grettos love more than one another, it’s recording their music! The group’s new direction includes intricate arrangements with R&B influence!

In 1949, four Brown University students broke away from the traditional men’s glee club to form their own independent singing group, The Jabberwocks. One of the founding members began Lewis Carroll’s poem, “Jabberwocky,” because, well, that’s what you did for fun in 1949, and the name stuck. The quartet quickly accumulated a following, offering a new and exciting form of music. Now, 73 years later, The Jabberwocks is the oldest a cappella group at Brown and remains a fixture of student life. Aside from regular appearances at Brown and other college campuses, the group has serenaded Hayden Panettiere, sung the national anthem at Shea Stadium and Veterans Stadium, performed at Carnegie Hall, appeared on national TV in South Korea, sung at Steven Tyler’s birthday party, and hosted invitational concerts. With powerful musical performances regularly rehearsed and reimagined, The Jabberwocks remain committed to pushing the envelope of a cappella. The ‘Wocks have had multiple tracks featured on the BOCA albums and have been honored repeatedly at the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs). The Jabberwocks release a new album every two years and are constantly recording. They are excited to perform at the ICCA and continue their longstanding tradition of excellence.

On The Vox is a co-ed a cappella group at Berklee College of Music. It is composed of 14 members from all over the world and best known for their "off the wall sound”! On The Vox has competed in competitions such as ICCA (most recently 2022 Northeast Semifinalists), Haunted Harmonies, and Boston Sings (BOSS), where they were recognized for Outstanding Choreography, Outstanding Arrangement, Outstanding Vocal Percussion and two Outstanding Soloist awards. On The Vox is a hardworking and talented groupand maintains a fun, welcoming, familial environment. Follow their social media @onthevoxacappella on all platforms to stay tuned for exciting updates!

The Bostonians of Boston College has been a family since 1986 and remains a family above all else. While they bond over a shared love for music and singing, the true foundation of the group togetherness. As a group, they make sure that every member is heard, featuring a variety of song selections and soloists, which creates a constant flow of new sounds and ideas. They spend more hours in rehearsal than any class, more time with Bostonians than any other classmate, and prioritize that time to build that spirit and express everyone’s talent. They bring different skill sets, experiences, and music backgrounds and believe those differences add to their group dynamic. This past year, The Bostonians celebrated their 35th anniversary. Hundreds of Bostonian alumni came from all over the country for one weekend to meet 18 college students, all because of what this group has meant to them. The Bostonians is a family rooted in tradition, music, and openness.

The Legends A Cappella is Quinnipiac University’s first and only a cappella group. They were established in 2012 by a few college students who wanted to create an opportunity for people who love to sing and pursue their passion regardless of their major, as the group is made up entirely of non-music majors. They are so thankful to be able to perform at the ICCA and hope to get more students involved in the arts on campus.

Treble Threat is Berklee College of Music's a cappella group featuring female and treble-voiced students! Established in the spring of 2014, Treble Threat provides a positive group dynamic and professional atmosphere. Members are encouraged to arrange, teach, and develop their ears and voices through a cappella music. Treble Threat is a professional-level a cappella group that promotes collaboration as well as personal, professional, and musical growth. Since 2022, the group has re-branded themselves and changed their colors to green, black, and gold. They have also changed their logo to show a new era of Treble Threat. They perform many different genres, including rock, folk, and R&B.

The BU Treblemakers was formed in 1996 around three fundamental ideals: fun, love, and music. The group is known for its diverse repertoire, energetic performances, talented soloists, and innovative arrangements. Trebs value friendship over all else and their connections with one another and the music they perform drive them to be better every day. To learn more about all of their amazing adventures, check out their Instagram and Facebook @BUTreblemakers!

Established in 2017, UVM Viridescent is the University of Vermont's newest a cappella group! They are excited to announce that this is their first year competing in the ICCA and they are the first group to represent their university in this competition. This gender-inclusive squad loves to make incredible music of all genres, dabbling most in pop and R&B. This past September, they were able to release their debut EP, titled Viridescent, which you can find on all streaming platforms! Along with three of the five arrangements on the record, all of the recording and production was done in-group. To seek out more about the group, their EP, and their music in general, you can find them on Instagram @uvmviridescent. They are beyond thrilled to be here today and thank all of their supporters and Varsity Vocals for making this possible!

GUEST PERFORMER

Nina Pelligra is best known for her a cappella looper covers and solo a cappella recordings. Having a background in vocal jazz and theatre, her vocals are dynamic and bright. Her arrangements have the complexity of her jazz and theatre roots and the power and structure of her favorite alternative rock hits. Her songwriting style is inspired by great poets with a similar vocal style, such as Sarah Bareilles, John Mayer, and Ingrid Michaelson. Follow her on Instagram and TikTok @ninapelligra and Facebook under Nina Pelligra A Cappella.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

An established clinician and music educator, Harrison Acosta originally studied orchestral performance and vocal pedagogy at the UCF School of Performing Arts. After completing his capstone thesis, “Capturing Moments in Music feat. The Human Voice,” he began advanced study in the Contemporary Writing and Production program at the Berklee College of Music. Harrison has collaborated to create several vocal groups across the community, including Voicebox, Project V, REMIX, Atlas and Royalty. As an undergraduate in 2014, he created UCF’s Voicebox, leading the group to place internationally and receive numerous accolades for their recorded music, live performances, and arrangements. They have been featured at showcases across the country and have been crowned champions at three national shows: SoJam XIV in 2016, SoJam XVI in 2018, and BostonSings (BOSS) in 2018.

Mackenzie Cohn has been part of the a cappella community since she began college, where she sang with the all-female group, The Girls Next Door, at The College of Saint Rose, winning both an ICCA Outstanding Soloist award and a CARA nomination for Best Solo. After four years of performing, competing, and recording a CARA-nominated album with GND, she went on to join Cape Harmony, Cape Cod's premier professional all-female a cappella group. She spent three amazing summers as Cape Harmony's social media manager and reliable lady-bass, and remains involved in the professional a cappella world as Director of Outreach for Cut Off Studios. In her rare moments of free time outside of a cappella commitments, Mackenzie enjoys traveling and baking as many confectionery treats as her kitchen will allow.

Jarell Green has been involved with a cappella since middle school where he was able to perform with then-winners of NBC's “The Sing-Off,” Pentatonix. A recent graduate from the Rochester Institute of Technology where he studied packaging science and music, he was the music director of Eight Beat Measure. With Eight Beat, Jarell worked on multiple CARA-nominated tracks, competed in ICCA, and was fortunate enough to win three ICCA Outstanding Soloist awards and an Outstanding Choreography award. Jarell has also been involved with The Hyannis Sound, a professional, male-identifying a cappella group that performs all along Cape Cod and the surrounding New England area all summer long, where he has performed at hundreds of concerts for thousands of people and varying audiences.

Isaiah Hawkins is an arranger, songwriter, and music educator from Auburn Hills, Mich. He graduated with a degree in music education from Michigan State University, where he was a music director of State of Fifths and The MSU Spartones. At MSU, he was a production assistant for the ICHSA Great Lakes region and received Outstanding Arrangement awards from ICCA and The AcaOpen. He also released an EP, Lifeline, and an album, Legacy, with State of Fifths, receiving CARA and A Cappella Video Award (AVA) nominations and awards along the way. Isaiah was also one of the members of the Voices Only Productions arranging team, sang with Flux Vocals, served as the North Region Relationship Manager for the Contemporary A Cappella Society of America (CASA), was on the Boston Sings (BOSS) team, and is a clinician for vocal groups of all ages!

Cayla Puglisi is an educator and performing musician in the greater Boston area who is passionate about providing equitable access to music and music education for all. She attended the University of Connecticut for her undergraduate degrees and continued at UConn to pursue her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. During this time, Cayla was active in the UConn choral and a cappella communities while also studying vocal pedagogy with Metropolitan Opera vocalist Rod Nelman. Cayla held the position of music director for the all-treble a cappella group, The Chordials, for three years while she arranged sets for the group, planned rehearsals, and led them to winning titles in local competitions. She also performed in multiple recitals, concerts, showcases, competitions, and completed two European tours with UConn choirs. Between her undergraduate and graduate studies, Cayla sang with professional all-treble a cappella group, Cape Harmony. With Cape Harmony, she performed as an alto II, soloist, and vocal percussionist all summer long along the Cape. Upon returning to her graduate studies, Cayla worked as a freelance audio engineer for Tapeworks Studio in Hartford and alto section leader for a local church. Post-graduate school, Cayla relocated to the Boston area to pursue a teaching career and is very excited to be teaching in Somerville Public Schools. Outside of teaching, Cayla maintains a performing-musician profile at venues in the greater Boston area and resides in Somerville.

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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