2023 ICCA Southwest Semifinal @ Herberger Theater Center

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 SOUTHWEST SEMIFINAL

Herberger Theater Center
Saturday, March 25th, 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

Noteriety is a group of 17 dedicated, unique individuals who share a passion for singing and making music. Founded in 2009, Noteriety is University of Arizona’s original all-gender a cappella group and 1st place winner of their 2019 ICCA Quarterfinal. You can check out their latest EP, Recovery, on all platforms, along with their other music!

Amplified is a mixed-voice, student-led a cappella group from the University of Arizona, who can be recognized by the Ampli-colors, black and La Fonda turquoise (yes, it is that specific shade!). The group was founded in 2012 as a fun, close-knit community of people who love to sing, create, and perform. Amplified aims to tell stories that reach beyond their songs to create meaningful experiences. Amplified has continued to grow within the world of a cappella in the past few years. In 2019, the group released their first professionally recorded EP, Welcome Home, and has since released their first full length album, In Between, which received four Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA) nominations, a feature on BOCA 2022, and won a 2022 CARA for Best Original Song by a Scholastic Group. Amplified has had continued success in ICCA and loves performing! The core of their group revolves around forging friendships and expanding the Ampli-family. Between balancing jobs, academics, and life beyond the university, they come together to share their talent, skill, and creativity. Together, they and their sound are Amplified.

Pitch Please is the premier co-ed a cappella group at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. They are in their 10th year on campus and are continuing to grow their presence within the a cappella community. Just like the array of musical genres that they perform, the members come from a variety of majors, including but not limited to elementary education, business, human development, architecture, and forensic sciences.

Back in 2002, UNL students, Scott Wilson and Aaron Hurlbut, gathered a group of their most talented buddies to sing together. Since then, the group has developed into the a cappella group known as The Bathtub Dogs. While they’re most commonly recognized by their signature "jeans-and-necktie" apparel and zany persona, their main goal as a performing ensemble is simply to entertain.

Dhunki A Cappella is the premier competitive South Asian fusion a cappella team of the University of Texas at Dallas. Their repertoire includes classic and modern South Asian songs (Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Malayalam, etc.) arranged with thematically and musically similar English songs. In Hindi, “Dhunki” means “spellbound” and “dhun” means “tune” or “melody,” which symbolizes the group’s focus on South Asian music and culture. In the six years since Dhunki was formed, they have won 1st place at five prestigious competitions, started their own South Asian a cappella competition, Awaazein, and released their debut album, Spellbound. Last year, Dhunki placed 2nd at Jeena and 1st at Gathe Raho, the ASA bid competitions hosted by University of Texas at Austin and University of Iowa, and won All-American Awaaz, the national competition hosted by ASA. With 18 members from different regions of South Asia, the team features various cultures, singing styles, and experiences. In performance, they love to showcase different voices, thematic yet subtle choreography, costumes representing South Asian brilliance, student teamwork, and more. Although things get busy between school, rehearsals, and life, their love for music and one another makes everything worth it! They are excited to perform at ICCA.

HardChord DynaMix from Texas A&M University is a co-ed, contemporary, competitive a cappella group! They have had unforgettable opportunities to sing on stages all over the country in Arizona, California, and even on Broadway in New York City! Aside from competing, they perform at various events across the Bryan/College Station area and coordinate the largest a cappella concert of the year called Acappellooza! They are an entirely student-led organization composed of various non-music majors.

Bloom A Cappella was created by Jerick Rose and Sicily Poulter in 2021 and is Utah Valley University’s only mixed a cappella group! Bloom’s goal is to create an inclusive and safe environment for their group members and audiences. In their first year as a group on campus, they collaborated with other clubs and held their first big showcase consisting of original and well-known arrangements! In addition to performances throught the year, Bloom enjoys performing original arrangements on TikTok, featuring nostalgic covers such as the theme song of Disney channel’s “Wizards of Waverly Place'' and songs from Nickelodeon’s hit TV show, “Victorious.” As the group developed along their TikTok following, they determined that this was the year to begin their ICCA journey. Bloom has worked hard to create and refine their set and is so excited to perform for you!

In the Stairwell from the United States Air Force Academy was the vision of three cadets from the class of 2007 who loved to sing a cappella, were only permitted to rehearse in a dormitory stairwell due to freshman cadet restrictions. Over the past 18 years, the group’s notable performances include opening a session for the Colorado State Senate, singing the national anthem at two professional sports games, and performing at the White House. Thanks in part to the ICCA, In the Stairwell was invited to audition for Season 12 of “America's Got Talent” and advanced to the Semifinal round. In the Stairwell members also participate in a number of military activities like flying gliders and jumping from aircraft, and will be ultimately commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the United States Air Force and United States Space Force upon graduation.

Noteworthy is a co-ed a cappella group at The University of Texas at Austin, founded in 2014. A competitive group, Noteworthy most recently competed in the 2022 ICCA Quarterfinals where they won Outstanding Soloist, and the Chicago Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival where they placed 3rd. The group loves to perform for the community and at campus affiliated events. Noteworthy presents an eclectic sound, bridging genres with their original arrangements. Members range from those with over 15 years of musical experience to those who have never read sheet music. As a diverse group, Noteworthy makes sure that every voice is heard and each member is valued for what they bring to the table.

Based out of Arlington, Texas, RISE has put The University of Texas at Arlington on the map for collegiate a cappella. RISE is one of the top four collegiate a cappella groups in the world. RISE won their 2018 ICCA Semifinal and made it all the way to Finals in New York City. In 2018, RISE was honored to perform on the historic stages of the Beacon Theatre and Carnegie Hall. RISE also had the amazing opportunity to sing in a national Cheerios ad and feature on Patti LaBelle’s album. They value their RISE family environment and seek kindness above all else.

GUEST PERFORMER

Red Letter Daze is a group of singers from Arizona who love to make music together. MaryAnne Muglia, Celine Durney, and Emily Drum formed their friendship in the Arizona a cappella community. They were each leaders of their own groups and have created multi-award winning sets at the ICCA since 2015. The quartet also attended the world renowned A Cappella Academy and have sung with various artists including Pentatonix, m-pact, Josh Groban, Barry Manilow, and The Real Group. After graduating and a few years of being apart, they decided to return together as Red Letter Daze. They released their CARA-nominated debut EP in 2021 and have a growing TikTok presence with over 240,000 followers. After a year of arranging, performing, recording, and producing, they are excited to release their newest album, coming out March 31st.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Courtney Evans (she/her), originally from Phoenix, Ariz., recently served as the choir director at Marcos de Niza High School in Tempe, where she directed four choral ensembles, taught beginning and advanced class piano, and was the faculty advisor for students in the vocal performance and musical theatre pathways in the Marcos Fine Arts Academy. In 2019, Courtney was recognized as the “Future Choral Educator of the Year” by the Arizona Music Educators Association. In addition to directing choirs, Courtney actively performs with various professional choirs in Arizona including the Sedona Academy of Chamber Singers and the Grammy-winning Phoenix Chorale. She has also performed alongside the a cappella/vocal jazz groups m-pact and New York Voices, and has sung backup for Andrea Bocelli. Courtney is also a founding member of Unaccompanied, an award-winning competitive collegiate group from Northern Arizona University that shifted into a semi-professional group that has recorded professionally and performed across the country. Courtney often serves as a presenter, clinician, and adjudicator for choral festivals and conferences throughout the Southwest, including AMEA and AzACDA state conferences and ICHSA/ICCA tournaments. Courtney is passionate about providing singers with opportunities for performance in various musical styles and she is a strong advocate for show choir, vocal jazz, and a cappella ensembles being a part of K-12 music programs. Courtney graduated summa cum laude from Northern Arizona University in 2018 with a B.M. in choral music education and she is thrilled to be back at NAU pursuing her M.M. in choral conducting.

Dr. Adrienne Goglia was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta and came to study at Arizona State University in 2001. She has since been awarded three degrees in music performance, earning her D.M.A. in voice performance in 2018. Adrienne performs as a freelance musician and has a variety of experiences working with theatres, choirs, and vocal ensembles in the valley, in addition to solo performances. She also teaches private voice lessons from her home studio in Tempe and is the Business Operations Specialist Senior for ASU's School of Music, Dance and Theatre.

Fabián Rodríguez Castro is a multidisciplinary artist and educator. Their performance career has taken them throughout the United States and abroad in concert tours and recording projects, including performances at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Radio City Music Hall, the Dolby Theatre, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. They have enjoyed working as a clinician and adjudicator for various groups in the ICCA, workshops with Contemporary A Cappella Society of America (CASA), and more. A leader in diversity and inclusion, Fabián was nominated as co-chair for the Life Gets Better Together Conference at Syracuse University in 2013 and 2014. Since graduating in 2015, Fabián has worked as a primary and assistant conductor to educational and professional ensembles in Los Angeles and New York. They have also served as an educator at K-12 schools, while also providing lessons for voice, instruments, arranging, composition, orchestration, and production. Their performing credits include Volta Vocals, Top Shelf Vocal, Metropolitan Master Chorale, and the Sterling Ensemble. Fabián completed their Master of Music in conducting at Azusa Pacific University, where they performed with various ensembles, including the Choral Scholars, University Choir, Symphony Orchestra, Gospel Choir, Masterworks Chorale, Jazz Band, and the Chamber Singers. Since 2015, Fabián has continued studying at Northeastern Conservatory of Music’s Acoustic Vocal Pedagogy Workshop, the National Center for Voice and Speech Summer Vocology Institute, John Henny’s Contemporary Voice Teacher Academy, Kodály Association of Southern California’s Level III Certification, and earned certification in therapeutic crisis intervention. Fabián continues to work as an artistic and creative consultant in the fields of audio engineering and production, visual graphics and web design, and music education. They are currently in their Doctor of Musical Arts program with Dr. Elizabeth Schauer at the University of Arizona and reside in Tucson, Ariz. with their puppy and kitten.

Eric Sackett is grateful for music and the arts and feels blessed to have been surrounded by them his entire life. Some highlights of Eric’s performing career include founding an a cappella group at his high school and singing in BYU’s Vocal Point and Young Ambassadors, along with different groups across Utah Valley. He has taught voice for over 10 years and currently helps run INSPIRE Entertainment, a local performing arts studio based in Gilbert. Eric has worked in the music industry for over 15 years as a director, musician, performer, and vocal/piano coach. Eric and his wife have four delightful children. In his spare time, Eric enjoys playing with his kids, exploring new cultures around the world, watching movies, and creating.

Nason Werth has been known to travel the country for a good a cappella show, and currently resides in Phoenix, Ariz. Originally from the great state of Michigan, Nason studied vocal performance at Michigan State University, where he served as music director and bass with MSU’s first co-ed a cappella group and ICCA fixture, Capital Green. He gained broad ensemble experience as a student with the university chorale, chamber choir, jazz octet, and section leader in the Okemos Presbyterian Church. Nason relocated to the Mid-Atlantic after college and has performed with the Handel Choir of Baltimore and the Bach in Baltimore ensembles. He currently serves as a nominator and judge for the A Cappella Video Awards (AVAs) and CARAs and is looking forward to a great show!

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 placing group at this event will advance to the 2023 ICCA Final.

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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