2024 ICCA Southwest Quarterfinal @ Ent Center for the Arts

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 SOUTHWEST QUARTERFINAL

Ent Center for the Arts
Saturday, February 10th, 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

Since 1996, Extreme Measures has always lived up to their name. As the oldest co-ed a cappella group on CU Boulder’s campus, they push the boundaries of what's possible in a cappella music. Their diverse mix of members ensures that their music and family are equally tight. Their repertoire includes fun and challenging songs arranged by their very own members! Extreme Measures performs musical genres including pop, R&B, indie, and occasionally jazz, along with anything else they’re passionate about! The group is constantly adapting, and changes every year based on what new talent and style members bring to the group. You only have to answer one question when you watch them perform: Are you extreme?

One Note Stand A Cappella is a co-ed group founded at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2016! Composed of students from every walk of life, this group is entirely made up of non-music majors. They perform original arrangements from a range of genres and this is their fourth year competing in the ICCA. They were proud to win Outstanding Choreography at their 2023 ICCA Quarterfinal. One Note Stand’s latest endeavors include producing their first EP. You can find them on Instagram and TikTok @onenotestandcuboulder.

The Aerodynamics is The United States Air Force Academy’s first women’s a cappella group, established in 2021. The group has made a name for itself over the past year by competing in their first ICCA in 2023 and is excited to return with several new members. Even though it has taken roughly six years to make this group a reality, the men’s group In the Stairwell helped bring The Aerodynamics to fruition three years ago. They perform in various venues for Generals, garnering awards and multiple forms of recognition, including personal performance requests by prominent community members and other invitations from various media outlets. While the balance of arts and creativity with the military training required from The United States Air Force Academy can be daunting, the group manages with strength and resilience. The mission of The Aerodynamics is to bring people together and inspire others with their creativity, by singing songs about universal emotions and recognizing the women who have preceded them in both the military and musical worlds. The Aerodynamics hope that you enjoy this performance as much as they enjoyed performing it!

In The Stairwell is the Academy's first a cappella group started in 2003 as a way for founding members to escape to a place of passion and creativity. The name originates from the need to sing, quite literally, in a stairwell, when the group was unable to be recognized as an official club. In the Stairwell went on to become Semifinalists on “America's Got Talent” in 2016. Since then, the group has traveled around the country, performing for many audiences and workshopping with youth.

In the psychology of modern University of Denver community members, it is difficult to overstate the significance of Exit 205 A Cappella. Following the hallowed traditions of creativity and collaboration, Exit 205 serves as the beating heart of the DU community, providing beautiful a cappella music since 2008. With their maiden foray into the world of the ICCA in 2023, they discovered a home to hone their skills and shoot for the stars. It is with this impassioned spirit that they enter our sophomore year of ICCA. Exit 205 is entirely student-run, with rehearsals led, choreography designed, and music arranged by members of the group. They believe that a cappella can transform a song into a coalescence of passion and intentionality that elevates the music and everyone who listens. This transformation is the goal of every Exit 205 arrangement and performance and it is their purpose to show it to the world. Tonight, you will viscerally know the true extent of the human capacity for wonder, collaboration, harmony, and beauty through the rich sights, sounds, and hearts of Exit 205.

Mainstreet A Cappella is Colorado State University’s premier mixed a cappella group. Established in Fort Collins in 2013, members of Mainstreet A Cappella have captivated the community with their signature sound and unique performances. Mainstreet continues to gain momentum in the a cappella world as the founders of NOCO-PPELLA, an invite-only collegiate a cappella showcase in the Northern Colorado and the Greater Colorado regions. NOCO-PPELLA hosts five a cappella groups, who bring the beauty of a cappella music beyond the Fort Collins community. Mainstreet gained further renown in spring 2021 when they were named ICCA Midwest Champions. That same year, they released their first single, “Breathin’.” Mainstreet is CSU’s only competitive a cappella group, and has provided a place for both music and non-music majors alike to come together and create high-quality music. An entirely student-led group, they were the only group on Colorado State University’s campus to successfully continue making virtual music through the COVID-19 pandemic. Mainstreet prioritizes leadership, collaboration, and ingenuity in a variety of ways, regularly performing music arranged by group members. Combining energetic performance with raw vocal talent, Mainstreet A Cappella hopes to make a musical splash in the 2024 ICCA.

Bloom was created by Jerick Rose and Sicily Poulter in 2021 and is currently Utah Valley University’s only a cappella group! Bloom’s goal is to create an inclusive and safe environment for their group members and audiences. During Bloom's first year as a group on campus, they collaborated with other clubs to put on their first big showcase of both original and well-known arrangements! While performances throughout the year were fun, they spent most of their time performing nostalgic original arrangements for their TikTok followers, including the “Wizards of Waverly Place” theme song and songs from Nickelodeon’s hit TV show, “Victorious.” Their following grew and brought new members in as well! Though making TikTok content is exciting, they wanted to challenge the group even more and began their ICCA journey in 2022. At their first-ever ICCA appearance in Denver, they took home the awards for Outstanding Soloist, Outstanding Arrangement, and Quarterfinal Champions. They advanced to Semifinals where they took home another Outstanding Soloist award and placed 5th. Bloom is excited to share what they learned from their first year competing in their new and improved 2024 set.

Business Casual is a co-ed a cappella group and the only student-led a cappella group from the University of Utah. They actually have no music-related majors and the most common major of their group is psychology. They have been around for about four years and somehow survived as a group through the COVID-19 shutdowns! They started this year with only four returning members but have gathered lots of new talent that bring a fresh energy to the group! Business Casual specializes in pop but have arranged songs from as far back as the 70s. They have competed at ICCA Quarterfinals for four years and are excited to return.

You might ask yourself, what could Montana offer besides seemingly endless fields of wheat and more cows than you could ever imagine (more than there are people in fact)? Well, Rhapsody A Cappella from Montana State University in Bozeman brings the lively art form of a cappella to this wonderful state! They are the first and only collegiate a cappella group from Montana to participate in ICCA and are grateful for each year that they have been able to compete. During their 2023 ICCA West Quarterfinal, Rhapsody member Erin Archard earned Outstanding Choreography! This year, they are stoked to compete with a set that has been entirely arranged and choreographed by student members! Rhapsody typically focuses on pop songs with the occasional folk tune and Christmas carols in the winter! They have performed at a variety of venues around Bozeman and have loved being able to make an impact on their community through their music. In recent years, Rhapsody has hosted fall and spring concerts on campus for students and the public. Their favorite performances in the past have been at a local teahouse, the city-wide Christmas stroll, and the Bozeman Hotsprings.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Nick Froelich is a singer-songwriter, music producer, composer, audio engineer, and arranger. Trained in both classical and jazz studies, he has 17 years of experience as a pianist and has recorded and mixed two full-length albums of original music. In the a cappella world, Nick has performed as a vocal percussionist, singer, music director, and arranger, competing with the acclaimed Limited Edition at ICHSA three times and advancing all the way to Finals. He spent two summers at A Cappella Academy, studying with Ben Bram, Rob Dietz, Avi Kaplan, and others. While at University of Michigan, Nick sang with The Michigan G-men and served as the group’s music director for three years. A prolific arranger and director, his leadership led them to ICCA Finals his first year in the role and he also received the Outstanding Vocal Percussion award at ICCA Semifinals. Nick completed his time at Michigan with a degree in performing arts technology and currently works in Denver as a piano teacher and audio engineer.

Jessica Glime has a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. While in school, she served as music director, a featured soloist, and arranger for The UNCG Sapphires, an award-winning female a cappella group, and managed production on two of their albums. She has been teaching choir, piano, music theory and ukulele in North Carolina and Colorado since 2008. Jessica is also a vocalist in the Colorado Caroling Company and the Denver Choir League.

Emily Lundquist is a graduate of Illinois State University with a degree in vocal music education. At ISU, Emily was a member of Secondary Dominance, the premier treble a cappella group, for four years, where she served as music director, a soloist, arranger, and beat boxer. She was also a member of the ISU Concert Choir and Sigma Alpha Iota. Emily went on to teach elementary general music in Illinois before moving to Littleton, Colo. where she resides with her husband.

Borna Riazi is an alumnus of the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA)-winning Fundamentally Sound from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. With FS, Borna sang tenor and served as an arranger, manager, choreographer, and videographer for the group, winning Outstanding Videography at both the Quarterfinal and Semifinal levels of ICCA in 2021. He also performed at ICCA Semifinals all four years with the group, taking 3rd place at ICCA Finals in 2021. He continues to arrange for FS and other groups today and most recently served as a judge for the Contemporary A Cappella Society of America’s (CASA) A Cappella Video Awards (AVAs).

Nina Sypolt first embarked on her a cappella journey in 2010 at Elizabethtown College. While there, she pursued a degree in social work with a minor in music. She contributed her talents to various vocal groups, including the show choir, all-female a cappella group, and co-ed a cappella group. Within a cappella, she held roles as a vocalist, vocal percussionist, and arranger. Nina assumed the role of Melica's music director, guiding them to notable achievements including multiple appearances at ICCA Semifinals. Nina's expertise and passion for a cappella brought her here, where she is returning for her third year as an ICCA judge.

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 Southwest 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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