2024 ICCA Northeast Quarterfinal @ Wellesley High school

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

Wellesley High School
Saturday, February 10th, 2024

WE'RE SOCIAL

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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 Downbeats is a competitive all-gender a cappella group at Northeastern. They are devoted to spreading their music and fun energy throughout Boston. The Downbeats pride themselves on arranging all of their music in-house through collaboration between current and past members. They love performing with other collegiate groups at shows throughout the Northeast and competing in competitions like the ICCA, where they have won awards for Outstanding Soloist and Outstanding Arrangement. When they’re not singing, The Downbeats spend as much time as they can together, going on semesterly retreats and just enjoying one another’s company. Make sure to follow them on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @nudownbeats for information on new releases, shows, and all around fun content!

Founded in 2007, Treble on Huntington is Northeastern’s first women’s a cappella group. They think of themselves as a group of best friends who are also dedicated singers and musicians. They travel around Boston and the U.S. for competitions and performances, showcasing their pop and mixed-genre repertoire. They have had the pleasure of performing at some incredible venues, including at the Massachusetts Conference for Women, Fenway Park to sing the national anthem for the Boston Red Sox, and The Betsy A Cappella Festival in Miami! Last year, they received seven Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA) nominations, had their music featured on Voices Only and BOCA, and placed 3rd in their 2023 ICCA Northeast Quarterfinal. You can follow Treble on all their social media @TrebleonHuntington. Be sure to check out their new EP, Aura, on all streaming platforms, as well as their music video of their 2023 ICCA set on YouTube.

The Unisons is a lower-voice a cappella group based out of Northeastern University in Boston. The Unisons was founded in 2008 by Aaron Templar Smith, after he realized the high demand for a TTBB a cappella group at Northeastern. The original eight singers had a combined vision to produce enjoyable a cappella experiences, while promoting the arts at Northeastern and in Boston. By 2011, The Unisons made their competitive debut at ICCA Northeast Quarterfinals. A year later, they released their first album, Off the Cabeza, and have gone from strength to strength ever since. You can find their four music videos, seven singles, and four full-length albums on any streaming platform. In 2022, they released their first album since 2017 called Outbound to Wonderland, featuring fan-favorite songs like “Particles” and “Bottom Of The Deep Blue Sea.” They also released a brand-new music video to accompany their latest single, “Lose My Cool.” They have reached ICCA Semifinals on two separate occasions, most recently in 2016. This year, in their first competition since 2020, they plan to shatter expectations with brand-new arrangements and choreography. To learn more, follow them on Instagram @theunisons where they post updates about shows, music releases, and more!

Established in 2004, The Audiophiles is Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s only co-ed a cappella group. The group is made up entirely of engineers and scientists who share a love for music and singing. The Audiophiles have previously competed in the ICCA in 2019, 2020, and 2022! In 2019, they recorded their first studio EP, .WAV, which features a wide variety of songs arranged by members of the group. You can listen to several of the tracks on their Spotify! Since they primarily perform songs arranged by active members of the group, their repertoire reflects the group's musical taste at any given time. While the academic interests of the group range from actuarial sciences to electrical and computer engineering, they bond over making good music and spending rehearsals and performance time together.

The Sirens is an award-winning, CARA-nominated, women-centered a cappella group based out of Simmons University in Boston, Mass. Founded in 1989, The Sirens is now in its third decade of making music together. The Sirens bond through their love of music, creative pursuits, and their college experiences. The group currently consists of 18 members from the Colleges of the Fenway: Simmons, Emmanuel, Wentworth Institute of Technology, and MASSART. The Sirens are so excited to be collaborating with other amazing a cappella groups. In their many years together, The Sirens have enjoyed performing at ICCA and consider it one of the best bonding experiences ever! If you like what you hear, check out their newest EP, Usual Suspects, featuring songs from the jazz, R&B, indie, and pop genres.

The Boston College Dynamics is an all-gender a cappella group from Chestnut Hill, Mass. Founded in 1998, the group has developed into a premier performing group on the Boston College campus. Their repertoire includes Top 40, R&B, and many other genres of popular music. The Dynamics are passionate about showcasing their talent at competitions. They placed 3rd at ICCA Northeast Quarterfinals in 2021 and 4th in 2022. They also competed in Boston Sings (BOSS) last April. They released their 14-song album, SUPERNOVA, across all streaming platforms, adding to their extensive existing discography. Follow them at @bcdynamics on Instagram to see more!

Hawkapella is UMass Lowell's oldest a cappella group and the only lower-voice a cappella group on campus! Founded in 2009, Hawkapella has been lighting up faces on UMass Lowell's campus for upwards of 13 years. They currently have the largest group they have had in years, consisting of 16 members across different majors, which range from biology to mechanical engineering to digital media to music composition. Despite their different collegiate pursuits, they unite every rehearsal for a few hours to make beautiful music together. They tend to focus on pop and rock-influenced repertoire but don't limit themselves to any specific set of genres, as long as they are entertaining the audience and themsleves. Hawkapella prides itself in more than just creating music, but also the experiences and moments they share together and being an extremely friendly and welcoming group of people. They last competed in the ICCA in 2019, and only three out of the 16 current members have competed in the ICCA before. All 16 members of Hawkappella are thrilled to take this step forward together as a group and share their set with tonight’s audience.

Established in 1986, The Bostonians of Boston College is BC's original and premier a cappella group on campus. The group has recorded multiple albums, available on Spotify and Apple Music. These professionally recorded albums have won numerous awards and earned placements on the BOCA album. In addition to their many performance opportunities on the Boston College campus, The Bostonians plan an annual spring tour that gives the group the chance to travel and sing with many other groups. The Bostonians were thrilled to compete in the 2023 ICCA Northeast Quarterfinals competition last year. The group is extremely tight-knit and has an active alumni network that gets together every five years for a Bostonians reunion!

The Hawkettes is an SSAA a cappella group formed at University of Massachusetts Lowell in the spring of 2014. This tight-knit group of fun-loving and hard-working individuals spans all different majors and class years, and each member adds their own personality and voice to the ensemble. The group aims to share their passion for music with the community and create a welcoming and supportive environment for all members, including those who are LGBTQ+. The Hawkettes’ arrangements, which are all created by current members or alumni, emphasize empowerment and provide fresh takes on popular and lesser-known songs alike. The group has released recordings on Spotify as well, including an EP, Lavandula, and their hit single "Here." Their newest single, "Who Do You Love" was released in fall 2019. In addition to their annual winter and spring concerts, The Hawkettes are involved in various events throughout the year, both on and off campus. The group often performs the national anthem at UMass Lowell ceremonies, fundraisers, and ice hockey games. The Hawkettes also recently competed in their second-ever ICCA in 2023!

The Rocket Pitches is Babson College’s only a cappella group and highlights 16 voices from around the world. The group was established in 2013 and performs at campus events and their semester concerts. They are so excited to take the stage at the ICCA for the first time since 2019!

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Jessica Chen is the Senior Director of Development and External Relations at the Community Music Center of Boston. Prior to her current role, she received her M.A. in child study and human development from Tufts University and worked in various roles at Tufts, ZUMIX, and the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras. In the contemporary a cappella community, Jessica serves as the Executive Producer for the NE Voices Festival and as the Director of Awards for the Contemporary A Cappella Society of America (CASA). Other interests include video games, Boston sports, and all dogs ever.

Gary Gustavsen began his a cappella career in North Carolina as a tenor with The Duke University Pitchforks. During graduate school at Stony Brook University, he founded and directed another a cappella ensemble, The Stony Brook High Cs. Gary’s day job in healthcare consulting took him to Boston, where he was a founding member of Overboard and Slapdash Graduate. Today, he subs with Five O'Clock Shadow, and is principal trombone with the Civic Symphony Orchestra of Boston. Gary has enthusiastically served as an ICCA judge since 2009 and continues to be amazed by how far the art form has come!

Haley Gustavsen is a private voice teacher and former instructor at both Natick High School and Wellesley High School. As a choral director, she led a select a cappella group at Miscoe Hill School and previously served as the music director of Divisi, University of Oregon's women's a cappella group. During her tenure as director, the group competed in ICCA three times, advancing to Finals at Lincoln Center in 2010. Haley was individually recognized with Outstanding Soloist and Outstanding Arrangement awards. As an individual voice instructor and guest choral clinician, Haley has a passion for working with young singers. She holds a B.M. in music education from University of Oregon and an M.M. in vocal performance from Texas State University, where she taught undergraduate coursework in vocal technique as a graduate teaching assistant in opera. On the classical music stage, performance highlights include Boston Lyric Opera, Konzerthaus Berlin, and several leading roles with Texas State Opera Theatre.

Originally from Chicago, Hannah Rosa Schiller is a writer and musician pursuing a Ph.D. in musicology at Yale University. She received a Bachelor of Music in music theory from Northwestern University in 2018, and is a singer, music director, arranger, and producer. At Northwestern, Hannah music-directed the award-winning Northwestern Undertones. Under her direction, The Undertones released their 2017 album, Spit It Out, and advanced to the ICCA Great Lakes Semifinals. Her arrangement of Adele’s "When We Were Young" was featured on Voices Only 2017. Hannah is also an avid contemporary classical musician. She sang in the Bienen Contemporary/Early Vocal Ensemble (BCE) conducted by Grammy-winning director Donald Nally, and co-founded a professional chamber choir, Stare at the Sun, which aims to commission and perform new work by Chicago-based composers.

Sarah Thomson is a seasoned ICCA competitor and lover of all things a cappella. She attended the College of William and Mary where she double majored in vocal music, directed the mixed-voice group, The Cleftomaniacs, and helped found the College's sole competitive a cappella group, No Ceiling, in 2015. She is now a current member and co-director of the award-winning post-collegiate a cappella group, Sound Off, in Boston. She is also active in the choral community and has performed with numerous organizations, including the Back Bay Chorale, Harmonium Choral Society, and Botetourt Chamber Singers. When she isn't making music, you can find her managing international infectious disease research at Boston Medical Center and curating her food Instagram in her tiny Boston apartment kitchen.

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank Dr. Kevin McDonald and the Wellesley HS Choral Department; 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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