2024 ICCA Southwest Quarterfinal @ Scottsdale Center for the Performing 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

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
Saturday, February 3rd, 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 Northern Arizona University Axecidentals is an all-treble a cappella group established in 2013. This gender-inclusive group caters to all voices on the treble clef! In past years, The Axees have placed 1st and 2nd at ICCA Quarterfinals and progressed to Semifinals, winning awards like Outstanding Choreography and Outstanding Soloist. Former members have gone on to develop their own groups, such as Red Letter Daze, Side Note, and Unaccompanied, who can be heard on Spotify and Apple Music. Catch The Axecidentials singing at various community events, such as holiday fundraisers, student commencement ceremonies, the annual NAU Jazz/Madrigal Festival, and sometimes even professional sporting events! They regularly tour high schools in the Southwest area, most recently Southern California, for outreach and to spread their love for the a cappella community! The Axecidentials are proud to represent treble singers in Flagstaff and hope to keep the tradition of empowered music-making alive. Follow them on Instagram @nauaxecidentals and TikTok @thenauaxecidentals. Once you go Axee, you NEVER go baxee!

Founded in 2008, Elevation is the premier gender-inclusive a cappella group on campus. As the mixed-voice a cappella ensemble at Northern Arizona University, they pride themselves on creating an inclusive environment for singers of all identities. This group of dedicated musicians is committed to musical excellence. They love to sing and strive to represent many musical genres and backgrounds. Members of Elevation are committed, talented, passionate, fun, and love-motivated individuals who come together to share their passion for music with one another and their audiences. In recent years, Elevation has performed at NAU Jazz Madrigal Festival and NAU’s Winter Commencement Ceremonies.

The Highlanders is Northern Arizona University's premier tenor-bass a cappella group. This year marks their 10th anniversary and they are celebrating a decade of performance and fun. The Highlanders have performed at events such as Napa, California’s A Cappella Extravaganza, ICCA, and more. The Highlanders look to create fun and engaging music while building relationships with students from all walks of life.

Devil Clefs A Cappella is a co-ed performance group from Arizona State University devoted to cultivating a strong sound and a fun and inclusive musical community. They are proud of their members’ diverse backgrounds and majors, ranging from STEM to graphic design and only a small percentage of music students! Group members also create all of the Devil Clefs’ vibrant visuals and vibrations, with the help of their art director, music coordinator, and the collective effort of the group. The Devil Clefs’ 2022 EP, Always Forever, features the “idontwannabeyou when the party’s over” mashup of two Billie Eilish songs from their viral YouTube stairwell video, as well as “Good Thing” by Zedd and Kehlani, “The Other Side” by Bruno Mars featuring CeeLo Green and B.o.B, and “I Love You Always Forever” by Betty Who. You can also stream their 2023 single “Late Night Talking” by Harry Styles and their 2023 ICCA set “Gravitation,” showcasing “It Gets Dark” by Sigrid, “Space Song” by Beach House, and “Cosmic Love” by Florence and the Machine. They may be devils, but their singing is angelic! Aca-hell yeah!!!

The Pitchforks at ASU is the oldest and only all-female a cappella group on campus. They participate and perform in competitions, community fundraisers, birthday parties, and other large events across the Phoenix-metropolitan area. Composed of young women from diverse backgrounds, majors, and musical experiences, The Pitchforks at ASU is also the longest existing collegiate a cappella group in Arizona, established in 1992.

Priority Male, Arizona State University's only all-male a cappella group, was established in 2009 and has performed in the ICCA for over 10 years. In recent years, the group has been awarded with accolades such as Outstanding Vocal Percussion (Ben Vinz, 2023 Quarterfinals) and Outstanding Arrangement (Matt Villar, 2022 Quarterfinals). One of their favorite parts of the competition is the connections they form with other groups through the shared love of music. They are incredibly excited to compete again this year and to showcase what they have been working on!

The TEMPEtations is the premier co-ed a cappella group at Arizona State University (ASU). The group is composed of 16 diverse musicians, representing majors from musical theatre to aerospace engineering. The TEMPEtations bond over a shared passion of music, in addition to other hobbies, and they’re all great friends outside of group rehearsals. Building a fun and friendly atmosphere has helped The TEMPEtations come together to create great music and their passion for one another shines through in every performance. They arrange all of their own music and have choreographed all of their own ICCA sets. The TEMPEtations are not limited to any one genre or style of music and perform a wide range of songs. For ICCA, their talented arrangers come together to create sets that embody the group, their passions, and their talents. During this year's competition, The TEMPEtations hope to demonstrate their talent as a group and highlight some of their best soloists. They are excited to see what the 2024 year has in store for them, beginning with this ICCA performance!

Amplified is a mixed-voice, student-led a cappella ensemble from the University of Arizona, donning the Ampli-colors, black and La Fonda Turquoise. The group was founded in 2012 to create a fun, close-knit community of people who love to sing, create, and perform. Last year, they were honored to be the first group in all of Arizona to make it to ICCA Finals and are so grateful for this incredible experience making Arizona history. They pride themselves on their dedication to one another and their music. Together, they and their sound are Amplified.

Founded in 2013, Enharmonics A Cappella is an inclusive, all-treble a cappella group at The University of Arizona. Musically, Enharmonics primarily specializes in the pop genre, but enjoys exploring other sounds such as indie and jazz. Enharmonics has competed in ICCA over the last several years, and placed 2nd at their 2022 Virtual Quarterfinal. Enharmonics performs at various events within the Tucson community, such as the biannual UA A Cappella showcases and winter holiday events at the Tucson Mall and Oro Valley Festival of the Arts. This year, they finished recording and are currently producing their first album, Lost in Translation, featuring 10 tracks from 2021 to the present. As undergraduate students, their focus as a group is to collaborate musically and create lasting friendships, providing some relief from the stresses of college life. Above all else, Enharmonics prides itself on inclusivity, teamwork, musicianship, and having fun. No matter what type of labels they may have outside of the group, they are a family, as long as they sing in the treble clef. Enharmonics is so excited to compete again at the 2024 ICCA!

Meow or Never A Cappella is the premier lower-voice, student-run, a cappella ensemble at the University of Arizona. Founded in October 2008, they are celebrating their 15th anniversary as a group. They strive to perform, educate, compete, and make music both within and outside of the Tucson, Ariz. community. They have performed for weddings, on-campus events including national anthems at basketball games, Destination Arizona, and TedTalks. As they mark their 15th year at the University of Arizona, Meow or Never A Cappella continues to share their musical talent and a love of music with the Tucson community and beyond.

Noteriety is a group from the University of Arizona of 18 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 won 1st place at their 2023 ICCA Quarterfinal.

GUEST PERFORMER

Maryanne Muglia, Dominic Smith, and Emily Drum are a trio of friends based in the valley. As musicians and creatives, they are involved in the a cappella, choral, and band scenes in Arizona and beyond. Together, they create a powerful acoustic trio with indie pop vibes.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

As a founding member of the USC Sirens in 1997, one of the first female vocal percussionists, and an all-female a cappella trailblazer, Jenny Barmach has seen a cappella grow before her eyes and couldn't be more pleased! Jenny has competed in the ICCA and Harmony Sweepstakes, been featured on BOCA, participated in the West Coast A Cappella Summit, and sang/crashed with countless groups on tour, including Venus Envy (2001) and Acazona (2014). After graduating from USC and working for A&E in Los Angeles, Jenny moved to Chandler, Ariz., where she works in marketing and lives with her husband and two children.

Originally from Alberta, Canada, Dr. Adrienne Goglia came to study in the United States at Arizona State University where she earned three degrees in vocal performance. She performs as a freelance musician and has a variety of experience working with theatres, choirs, and ensembles in the valley, in addition to performing as a solo vocalist. Adrienne also teaches private voice lessons from her home studio in Tempe and works as Manager of Human Resources and Operations at ASU's School of Music, Dance, and Theatre.

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 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (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

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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