2024 ICCA Northeast Quarterfinal @University of Hartford

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 NORTHEAST QUARTERFINAL

University of Hartford
Saturday, February 3rd, 2024

WE'RE SOCIAL

We're talking about this event, and all of our events around the world!

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@varsityvocals

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

A Minor is a co-ed a cappella group from the University of Connecticut Storrs campus! This dynamic group is no stranger to competition, having participated in three previous ICCA seasons. In 2017, A Minor earned 1st place at their first-ever ICCA Quarterfinal, in addition to special awards for Outstanding Arrangement, Soloist, Vocal Percussion, and Choreography! In 2019, A Minor achieved 2nd place at Quarterfinals and Outstanding Soloist. In 2022, A Minor won 1st place at Quarterfinals, as well as Outstanding Soloist for “I Know the End” and Outstanding Choreography for their whole set! Despite their diverse backgrounds, the members of A Minor share an unbreakable bond that shines through in every performance. A Minor’s origins are deeply rooted in the Asian American Cultural Center (AsACC) and their 20th anniversary celebration this year will honor their community. Their alumni song, “Fix You” by Coldplay, is dedicated to two alumni who are unfortunately no longer here. This ICCA season, they plan on dedicating their set to these cherished alumni, ensuring that their memory continues to be a source of inspiration. A Minor is excited for another amazing ICCA experience and to leave a lasting mark on the world of a cappella music.

Hawkward is the Roger Williams University auditioned a cappella group. Consisting of 18 full-time students and passionate singers, this co-ed group is made up of unique individuals who lead diverse lives but come together to share their love of music and performing. We pride ourselves on being a close-knit family who has each other's backs on stage, in rehearsals, around campus, and even after graduation. Hawkward’s mission is to create the best sound possible through their blend, arrangements, dynamics, personality, and style. Coming from a school that does very little to support the arts, Hawkward has become a self-sufficient team with a reputation for success. Their sound and professionalism have booked them consistent gigs across the Roger Williams campus and beyond. From annual events, concerts, services, and sports games, to celebrations, invitationals, and private events, they happily take advantage of any opportunity to perform. After attending ICCA for the first time in 2020 and advancing from Quarterfinals to Semifinals, Hawkward is excited to compete again. They are ecstatic for the opportunity to participate in the 2024 ICCA and share their voices with audiences, other collegiate a cappella groups, and ICCA officials.

L’Shir A Cappella is an all-voice, all-gender a cappella group at The University of Hartford. The group was created in spring 2000, with Benjamin Rauch as music director. Originally an all-Jewish a cappella group, L’Shir has evolved into one of many denominations. They still call themselves “L'Shir,'' which means “to song” in Hebrew, referring to raising a glass and cheering for making music! L’Shir members study all different subjects, ranging from music to science. Throughout their years as a group, L'Shir has competed in numerous ICCA events. In 2023, they placed 2nd at ICCA Quarterfinals and 3rd at Semifinals, with alum Zac Burns winning Outstanding Arrangement. Besides competing, L’Shir also performs at various events and concerts throughout the year, including last year’s L’Tour, where group members visited their former schools to perform and teach younger students about a cappella. Members of L’Shir often refer to themselves as “L’Family'' because of the tight-knight relationships they have formed in the group. L’Shir describes themselves as ambitious, dynamic, and devoted.

Based on the Storrs campus since 2009, Notes Over Storrs is one of the gender-inclusive a cappella groups at the University of Connecticut. They specialize in pop, contemporary R&B, and indie pop music, but their repertoire is a good mix of just about everything. Throughout the year, they love to attend and host different events like A Cachella (Coachella for A Cappella) with groups from UConn and other universities, and of course, ICCA! They first competed in the ICCA in spring 2020 and returned in 2022. They hope to make this experience an annual tradition! Oh and they are named after a wings place!

The Bottom Line is Bryant University's premier co-ed a cappella group located in Smithfield, R.I. Established in 2006, The Bottom Line is the university's first and only student-led competitive music group. The group is composed of talented members with various musical backgrounds, brought together by a shared love for music and desire to improve each and every day.

The Legends is Quinnipiac's one and only a cappella group focused on bringing the power of music onto campus since 2012. This co-ed group performs at departmental concerts and other events around campus. The group has also performed at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, and Quinnipiac sporting events. The Legends’ favorite time of the year is ICCA season! They placed 1st and 3rd in their last two appearances at Northeast Quarterfinals and look forward to the competition every year. The Legends can't wait for another great season!

Triple Major is Wesleyan's competition a cappella group. The group formed in fall 2017 and they performed in their first ICCA the following season. Their goal is to create a kind, non-judgmental, and inclusive community where they can compete locally, nationally, and internationally, and have fun while doing it!

Established in 2017, Viridescent is University of Vermont’s first-ever competitive a cappella group! They are excited to represent UVM at the ICCA for the second time after their 2023 debut. Viridescent’s style is generally R&B-inspired pop, but they sing a mixture of all genres! Their main purpose as a group is to create music they are proud to share while spending time with the people they love. Their most recent projects include the official music video of their 2023 ICCA set that can be found on YouTube, and their second studio release, Volume II, which is available on all streaming platforms! All of the arrangements, recording, and production of that record was done in-group. For easy access to all these projects and to stay up to date with all things Viridescent, follow them on Instagram @uvmviridescent. They are beyond thrilled to be here today and want to thank their supporters and everyone at Varsity Vocals who made this possible!

Alden Street A Cappella is a co-ed vocal group from Springfield College and the only a cappella group on campus. During rehearsals each week, they learn songs from various different genres to prepare for performances on and off campus. The Springfield College Humanics philosophy is driven by the education of the whole person through spirit, mind, and body for leadership and service to others. The members of Alden Street live by this philosophy both individually and together, sharing their passion for music with their community. They are honored to have this opportunity to perform and hope you enjoy!

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

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 and co-directs semi-professional group and Open Finalists, Sound Off.

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.

Amanda Roeder is a high school choral and a cappella director in Chelmsford, Mass., where she directs The Thursdays and The Crescendos. She previously led an award-winning a cappella program in Marblehead, Mass. In 22 years of teaching, her groups have earned multiple Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs), ICHSA titles, and spots on BOHSA compilations. Amanda is a co-founder and board member of the NE Voices high school a cappella festival. She performs as a freelance vocalist, flutist, and pianist, and teaches private lessons and masterclasses in the greater Boston area.

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 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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