DEAR FRIENDS,

Welcome to Varsity Vocals’ 28th 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 650 groups and over 10,000 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 28 years ago and we can’t wait to see how our 2024 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

The College of New Jersey
Saturday, January 27th, 2024

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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 27th.

The high school tournament is now in its 19th 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 26th.

 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

The Lafayette Mar-Keys is one of two all-voice a cappella groups from Lafayette College in Easton, Pa. They are a warm, vibrant, dedicated, disciplined, and fun vocal group that enjoys taking risks, incorporating new ideas into their sets, and performing fun and uplifting music! They also LOVE the color green! This is their second year competing in ICCA and they are so excited to perform again! 

The Trentones is The College of New Jersey’s only competitive a cappella group, founded in 2002. The passion from the students who created the first a cappella group on TCNJ’s campus mirrors the current group’s drive for performing, arranging, and competing. Hailing from Ewing, N.J., The Trentones perform at all sorts of events on and off of their campus. They most recently performed at Trenton Thunder Ballpark and are looking forward to performing at the Philadelphia Flyers stadium in January. The Trentones have competed in several ICCA competitions over the years, from Quarterfinals to Semifinals, receiving awards for Outstanding Arrangement, Outstanding Soloist, and Outstanding Choreography in 2018, 2019, and 2020 respectively. Most recently, they placed 3rd and won Outstanding Choreography in 2023. The Trentones are looking forward to sharing the ICCA experience with their newest members and can’t wait to see what the future has in store! 

Stockapella was founded by a group of friends at Stockton University who just liked singing. They gave their first concert in 2007 and steadily began to grow. After they attended an ICCA 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, inspiring an all-treble group, Stockata to form as well. Stockapella has taken part in the ICCA every year since, grabbing plenty of attention and a number of awards. While striving for excellence in their performances, they have also developed their own unique stype. Stockton’s three a cappella ensembles work together tirelessly to support one another. Stockapella sends much love to their friends and supporters all across Stockton a cappella! 

Profecy A Cappella is Rowan University's premier tenor and bass a cappella group. Founded in 2014, Profecy has been active ever since and is preparing to celebrate their 10-year anniversary. Profecy has not competed at an ICCA event since 2019 and they’re very excited to make their return to competition! Profecy has also performed in Memphis, Tenn., at the One-Voice invitational, and has hosted their own a cappella invitational called Rah-Cappella. In 2020, Profecy released an EP titled Love Letters, which is available on all major streaming services, and they plan to release another EP very soon. 

Rowan Vocals is an audition-based, co-ed, pop a cappella group. Their goal is to spread the excitement of music on and off campus. They compete annually in the ICCA and aim to be a presence on and off campus by performing at many different events. They believe that they represent Rowan's music culture, as well as the diverse student life. 

The Deaftones is the premier co-ed a cappella group from Westminster Choir College of Rider University. The Deaftones originated at Westminster Choir College in 2008 and defined the college experience for many students. The Deaftones’ sound has major choral influences due to their institution’s rich history of training classical musicians. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Westminster Choir College suddenly left its home in Princeton, N.J. and moved onto the Rider University campus. Since then, The Deaftones has become a cherished piece of Westminster tradition that carried onto their new home. The group is now stronger than ever and has become a home for students from all corners of the Rider University community. This year, The Deaftones are taking the stage with an all-new group, sound, and excitement for this upcoming ICCA season, with a set that addresses injustices in the world, feeling like an outsider, and ultimately being “finally found.”

Casual Harmony is Rutgers University's premier tenor-bass a cappella group. Their electrifying performances have graced a wide array of venues, from campus events to local festivals and even national stages. Founded in 2003, Casual Harmony showcases their vocal prowess through complex arrangements, powerful soloists, and intricate vocal percussion.

Deep Treble is Rutgers premier co-ed a cappella group. Competing for the first time since the pandemic, they hope to immerse the audience in a similar journey to their own as young adults. Both reflective and hopeful, they choose to embrace courage in the face of fear. They lean on one another throughout this set as they do when they show up to rehearse, compete, tour, and perform. Founded in 1998, this group has evolved over the past 25 years from a singing group into a family. They pride themselves on their strong alumni network, receiving all of their arrangements from group members and alumni, truly embodying their slogan of “Run Deep.” To reflect this motto, they released an album called Roots last May, showcasing an array of genres, from R&B to oldies to TV show hits. Stream Roots now on all streaming platforms! 

Cadence is Lafayette College's premier all-treble a cappella group. Cadence aims to elevate the Lafayette and Easton communities by performing a range of a cappella music for all audiences. Cadence offers a creative outlet for all of its members and encourages everyone to take risks, have fun, and be themselves. As a group, they love to hang out, learn, and perform a cappella music together.

ShockWave A Cappella is Rutgers University's only all-female a cappella group on campus. ShockWave is a performance group that strives to empower women and their creativity. They specialize in pop and R&B music and sing music that aligns with their goals as women and feminist empowerment. They strive to form unique connections and a group of strong women supporting one another. After a hiatus over the last several years, ShockWave is excited to return to ICCA and the competitive a cappella world!

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Jenna Camacho is a passionate music educator in the School District of Philadelphia, with a specialization in a cappella and vocal performance. Jenna graduated from Temple in the spring of 2022 with a B.M. in music education and a minor in American Sign Language. She continues to share her love of a cappella and vocal music with her students. She has an expansive musical background, most recently serving as the music director of Cape Harmony, Cape Cod’s professional female a cappella group from 2020-2022. Jenna is excited to give back to Varsity Vocals, since this organization helped inspire her love for a cappella. She has competed in the ICCA with Singchronize, Temple University’s female a cappella group, as well as the mixed group, LEGEND which placed 3rd in the Open Semifinal. Jenna is a known arranger in the Mid-Atlantic region for high school and collegiate level a cappella groups. She also participated in the Varsity Vocals production assistant program where she had the chance to experience the Mid-Atlantic ICHSA from a different perspective. 

Kevin Kelso is a jack-of-all-trades singer and freelance a cappella arranger, entering into his 14th year of the a cappella music world. He is an alumnus of the University of Delaware, where he served as president of The MelUDees. During his time in the group, The MelUDees won their 2016 Quarterfinal and went on to perform at the Kimmel Center for Semifinals. Post-college, Kevin arranged and performed with In the Mix, a post-grad a cappella group. In 2018, he founded a new group called The Philly Accents with some UD alumni and local singers. You can find several solos/arrangements of Kevin’s on music streaming platforms under The MelUDees or The Philly Accents. Kevin is currently a medical student at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and serves as a member of their resident a cappella group The Pulmonics! Kevin is excited to give feedback to all of these hardworking groups of musicians and wishes broken legs to all of the performers!

Noah Manno is a passionate composer, director, educator, arranger, and vocalist. In his college years, he was the music director, producer and arranger of Millersville's Chromatic. Under his leadership, Chromatic took home two ICCA Quarterfinal wins and a Semifinal 3rd place titile. He also produced their track "Stay," which was featured on BOCA. Noah is the current vocal music/vhoir teacher at Barnegat High School in New Jersey and he has participated in 40+ musical productions in some capacity. Noah loves the art of a cappella music and he is dedicated to empowering others and sharing a cappella throughout his community. 

Ashley Mathews serves as the Director of Choral Activities at Hillsborough High School, conducting the 20-member select treble chorale, 18-voice mixed chorale, and the 35-voice concert choir. She also established Legacy, the first-ever curricular show choir in the state of New Jersey, and will lead them in their debut competition season this spring. During her tenure as a choral director, Ashley’s ensembles have placed consistently in Superior and Gold ratings at festivals and choral competitions throughout the country. Ashley holds a bachelor’s degree in choral music education from the University of Delaware and a master’s degree in music education with a conducting concentration from Montclair State University. She has recently performed Mahler Symphony No. 3 with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Handel’s “Messiah” at the prestigious Carnegie Hall with the Masterwork Chorus, and under the baton of Eric Whitacre at David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center. Aside from choral singing and conducting, Ashley has been a featured soloist and vocal percussionist on five studio albums, as well as compilation albums for BOCA, Voices Only, and Voices Only Forte. Her expertise as a member, choreographer, and director in competitive a cappella is in demand as a clinician, choreographer, and adjudicator in the high school and collegiate a cappella community. Ashley holds professional memberships with the American Choral Directors Association, New Jersey Music Educators Association, and Central New Jersey Music Educators Association. She currently resides in Morristown, N.J. with her husband, Anil (who she met through the ICCA!) and their five-year-old golden retriever, Buddy. 

Kyle Yampiro is a Doctor of Musical Arts from James Madison University and has served on faculty at University of Memphis and Eastern Mennonite University, teaching musical theatre voice and music history, respectively. A native of Long Island, N.Y., he is a nomadic actor who has performed with numerous opera and musical theatre companies across the country and most recently performed “Hairspray” on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas in 2023. He music-directed University of Delaware’s Vocal Point as an undergraduate and JMU's Exit 245 while earning his master's degree. With Exit 245, he contributed to the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA)-winning album, Boyfriend Material, from which his solo track, "Cinema," was featured on the compilation albums BOCA 2013, Voices Only 2013, and SING 10. He spent a year singing with Memphis-based Contemporary A Cappella League (CAL) group, DeltaCappella, has been a clinician at festivals, and currently serves as an editor and reviewer for the Recorded A Cappella Review Board (RARB) and as the nominations manager for the A Cappella Video Awards (AVAs). 

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

Elise Hackl-Blumstein
ICHSA Director
PA/MA Program Coordinator

Dave Rabizadeh
 ICCA Director

Emily Sucher
 Director of Publications

Lucy Jacobs
 ICCA West Producer

Lindsay Howerton-Hastings
 ICCA South Producer

Arvin Zabalerio
ICCA Central Producer

Gemma Davies
 ICCA United Kingdom Producer

Emily Benjamin
 ICCA Northeast Producer

Danielle Sutherland
 ICHSA Midwest Producer

Adam McNeil
ICHSA Great Lakes Producer

Cameron Clemens
 ICHSA West Producer

Jody Hagler
 ICHSA Mid-Atlantic Producer

Bryce McCracken
 Associate Producer

Bri Decerio
 Associate Producer

Courtney Jensen
 Associate Producer
Emcee Extraordinaire

Sara Yood
Senior Producer

Emily Flanders
Director of Adjudication
 ICCA Great Lakes Producer

Andrew Poole
 Director of Digital Media

Charlotte Taylor
Marketing & Social Strategy

Holli Kitching
ICCA Mid-Atlantic Producer

Leah Alrutz
 ICCA Midwest Producer

Bronwyn Jensen
 ICCA Southwest Producer

Christopher Witham
 ICCA United Kingdom Producer

Jillian Kimberlin
 Senior Producer

Christopher Hoffman
 ICHSA Northeast Producer

Ben Garza
 ICHSA Southwest Producer

Luke Thomas
 ICHSA South Producer

Alaina Wegner
 Associate Producer

Jake Yoakum
 Associate Producer

Rebecca Williamson
 Associate Producer

Andrea Poole
Consultant
ICHSA Director Emeritus

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 2024 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!

#ICCA