2023 ICCA Northeast Quarterfinal @ New York Society for Ethical Culture

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

New York Society for Ethical Culture
Saturday, February 18th, 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

Absolut A Cappella is SUNY New Paltz’s premier gender non-exclusive a cappella group. They are completely student-led and include students of all different majors. Within their club of 18, they bring together a diverse group of people who celebrate their differences through music. Ever since Covid, Absolut has been working hard to rebuild the group and come back stronger with a new and improved sound. With six new members, Absolut’s blend is richer than ever before. The group has competed in the ICCA several times over the last decade and hope to use their past experience to slay the day. The crew likes long walks on the beach, Adele, and their mascot Douglas, a stuffed hedgehog of great honor. They hope you enjoy their performance and remember to always sing responsibly!

The Fordham F Sharps is an 18-person a cappella group at Fordham University Lincoln Center. They are a group of diverse and welcoming Fordham undergraduates who love to sing and challenge themselves to become better musicians. They sing about eight songs per semester with both student-created and commissioned arrangements. They have a broad category of song options, but often stay within the realm of pop music. A tight community, they practice between four and six hours together every week and perform throughout the semester at events such as the Fordham President Inauguration.

Frequency is collegiate a cappella's fresh new face. In the fall of 2017, Frequency was founded by a few Pace students to provide a creative outlet for students to develop their musical gifts. Frequency’s mission is to be a place where students from all different cultures and backgrounds can express their love for music. Frequency also works to be diverse in sound and are proud to call themselves a cappella risk takers. They arrange and perform songs across all genres in order to accommodate various audiences and are a club as well as an auditioned competition group.

Sigma'Cappella is the oldest award-winning co-ed a cappella group at Hofstra University! Since their beginnings in 1998, they have been a close-knit group of singers who love performing for the Hofstra and Long Island/New York community. They perform pop, rock, and R&B songs ranging from artists such as Dua Lipa, Jimi Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac, and so much more! They are so excited to share their love for music and a cappella at the 2023 ICCA!

The NYU Cleftomaniacs is NYU’s premier female-identifying a cappella group. They sing repertoire that ranges from current pop from artists like Kehlani to classic tunes like Carole King. They infuse a fun flair on every song that makes it completely their own! In the recent past, they placed 3rd in the ICCA Northeast Quarterfinals and released an album called Bittersweet. They are so excited for this competitive season and to be singing together as one big happy girlboss family.

The Sexy Pitches is SUNY New Paltz’s all-treble a cappella group, composed of talented treble singers of various genders. They share a love of singing and music and frequently enjoy arranging new songs for the group. They don’t limit themselves to one genre, but their most popular arrangements tend to be pop, R&B, and rock. They like to incorporate at least one Pitches alumni arrangement into their sets alongside newer ones to honor the hard work of previous Pitches. They also will revisit older arrangements and revamp to include more intricate parts that they can explore with more people. This may look like the group sitting in a circle on the floor laughing, recording, and bouncing ideas off of one another for hours. They find nothing more satisfying than seeing an idea make its way to the stage and even moreso when everyone has a hand in helping it succeed. The Sexy Pitches is a safe and supportive community that uplifts each member. From bonding to rehearsal to the stage, they put all their love into everything they do. They’re excited to continue expanding their repertoire, growing as performers, and growing closer as friends.

The mission statement of Tonal Recall transcends music. They balance every group member’s contributions in order to create a masterpiece, allowing people from different fields and backgrounds to work together to create and serve the Pace community. With various performances and competitions, they hope to build on Pace’s strong musical background and positively engage with the Pace community and New York City with their music.

Founded in September 2022, Unjust Intonation is a brand-new all-gender, student-run a cappella group at The New School in New York City. Created to build performance opportunities specifically geared towards non-music-performance majors, this group welcomes students from all of The New School’s colleges to audition, fostering opportunities for cross-college collaboration. In creating this group, they have already accomplished their goal of building tight-knit friendships and musical bonds across all levels of musical experience. In addition to competing in their first ICCA, Unjust Intonation hopes to share their love for the genre through on-campus and public events throughout the year, including caroling in Central Park, mentoring young vocalists through the Mannes School of Music Preparatory division, and putting on their first spring concert. Unjust Intonation also seeks to diversify their repertoire as the group develops. While a cappella can sometimes default as “white girl indie pop,” they hope to push the programming envelope and represent a wider spectrum of musical styles and traditions. Within the walls of Arnhold Hall, where incredible (but often intense) school-run cassical and jazz ensembles rehearse every day, Unjust Intonation is a bright, welcoming, inclusive, and supportive ensemble based on fun and the joy of music.

The Vocaholics is the FIERCEST a cappella group at NYU! They sing a variety of contemporary songs, ranging from The Strokes and Daft Punk to Miley Cyrus, Florence + The Machine, and Ariana Grande. Originating as an all-male group in 2005, they have evolved into a gender-inclusive group that cultivates a diverse group of singers and friends who share a love of performing. They are proud to have won their Quarterfinal in 2019 and 2020 and were runners-up in 2022!

Vocollision is a premier a cappella group at NYU focused on exploring diverse genres and languages. Founded in 2008, this all-inclusive, fun, and co-ed group has performed nationwide and has released an EP, numerous singles, and a music video. For the last four years, Voco has participated in competitions and placed 1st at the New York ICCA Quarterfinals in 2021. Above all, Voco is a family that loves to chill and have fun but is ready to kick ass when the time comes!

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 drum beats and 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 and being featured on DC'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, taking 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

Gyasi Barber, a New Jersey native, completed his Master of Music in vocal performance at the New England Conservatory. There, Gyasi played Figaro in "Le Nozze di Figaro," Don Pedro De Hinoyosa in Offenbach's "La Perichole," and Ben Benny in "Paul Bunyan." Prior to that, he earned his undergraduate degree in music education from Syracuse University, and played such roles as Pish Tush in "The Mikado," Frank in Strauss' "Die Fledermaus," and Sarastro in "Die Zauberflote." Gyasi has performed as a featured soloist with the Masterworks Chorale in Boston, as the bass soloist for their annual Messiah Sing, and played Collatinus in Opera Brittenica’s production of Britten's "Rape of Lucretia.” Currently based in New York City, Gyasi performs with the Oratorio Society of New York and other small groups.

Candice Helfand-Rogers, a longtime Varsity Vocals judge, has been active in the a cappella community for decades. At Rutgers University, she sang with and music-directed Deep Treble, then went on to help found and direct ShockWave, leading the latter group to ICCA Finals in its first year. After graduating, she co-founded semi-professional a cappella group Restated (formerly known as The Red States) and served as its musical director for several years. She garnered multiple awards for her onstage and studio contributions to these groups as a soloist, arranger, and choreographer. In addition, Candice is a session singer whose voice can be heard in Universal Studios' hit a cappella movies, "Pitch Perfect" and "Pitch Perfect 2,” as well as in numerous ad campaigns. Candice now sings with several New York City ensembles, including Broadway Inspirational Voices and Ghostlight Chorus, as well as the choir at First Unitarian in Brooklyn, where she is a section leader. She has also been a featured performer at venues like Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Minskoff and New Victory Theaters. Outside of her musical endeavors, Candice is a journalist and an extremely proud mom.

Leon Hua is a vocal percussionist, arranger, performer, and music educator living in New York City. Leon is a recent graduate of the University of Southern California, where he was part of the five-time ICCA-winning SoCal VoCals as a vocal percussionist, singer, and arranger. Notably, he has performed with a cappella groups like Pentatonix, The Nor’easters, and Pitch Slapped. Leon began his a cappella journey in high school, when he attended A Cappella Academy, a summer camp co-founded by Ben Bram, Rob Dietz, and Avi Kaplan. Since then, Leon's performances and arrangements have appeared on BOHSA and Voices Only and were recognized at the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs), and the A Cappella Video Awards (AVAs).

Andrew John Kim is an a cappella producer, recording engineer, vocal percussionist, and prolific arranger from New York City. He received his Bachelor of Music in music composition from Northwestern University and his Master of Music in film scoring from New York University. At Northwestern, Andrew was a founding member and music director of his collegiate a cappella group, Extreme Measures. He also founded, music-directed, and arranged for the professional a cappella group, Backtrack. With Backtrack, Andrew had the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall, the Beacon Theatre, the UN, during the Broadway show "Kinky Boots" and on "The Steve Harvey Show." Currently, Andrew sings, VPs, and arranges for Irish, a vocal trio and winner of the 2018 Open, and completing his M.B.A. at NYU Stern.

Connor Martin is an a cappella arranger, producer, music director, and educator from New York City. As a freelance a cappella producer, he has garnered nine Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARA) and over 60 nominations. He has worked with a cappella greats such as Angela Ugolini, Shams Ahmed, Ed Boyer, and many others, as well as groups like Pentatonix, The Nor’easters, Faux Paz, The Vassar Devils, and Highlands Voices, to name a few. He is a co-founder of Black to Gold, an NYC-based professional a cappella group where he sings bass, arranges, music-directs, and produces. They released their debut album Wide Awake in fall of 2022, winning an honorable mention for the Recorded A Cappella Review Board's (RARB) Album of the Year. His a cappella journey started in The Hofbeats, a group from his alma mater at Hofstra University, where he led them to their first award-winning ICCA season in 2018. Aside from a cappella, Connor is an active percussionist and composer, and loves spending time teaching and inspiring the next generation of a cappella singers, including those at tonight’s Quarterfinal! To learn more, go to connormartinmusic.com.

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank Kenter Davies; 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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