2024 ICCA Southwest Semifinal @ 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 SEMIFINAL

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
Saturday, March 30th, 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 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 for music 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 group bond 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.

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 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.

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 space for 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.

Tonal Eclipse is Oklahoma City University's premier mixed a cappella group. Tonal Eclipse provides an opportunity for students to sing with and for their peers. They encourage student leadership and collaboration, working together to create, workshop, and sing arrangements of all genres. This is their first year competing in the ICCA and they could not be more excited! Tonal is composed of 17 skilled singers from the School of Theatre and the Wanda L. Bass School of Music.

Back in 2002, a couple of University of Nebraska students gathered a group of their most talented buddies to sing together. Since then, the group has developed into a thriving a cappella ensemble known as The Bathtub Dogs. When they’re not in class, The Dogs perform on campus and across the state of Nebraska, most notably as the opening act for the Grammy–winning rock band, OKGo. Last fall, the group released their eighth studio album, Escalator Music, and grew their ensemble to 19 members. Their goal as a performing ensemble is simple: to entertain.

HardChord DynaMix is Texas A&M's co-ed contemporary a cappella group! They do gigs and performances on campus and throughout the community, and compete in the ICCA each year. Their recent ICCA credits include advancing to Semifinals multiple times, including for the last two consecutive seasons, and all the way to Finals in 2019.

Final Measure from the University of Houston is an all-gender a cappella group that has been running for only three years. They are the first-ever fully student-led a cappella group in UH. In their first ICCA run, they won an award for Outstanding Vocal Percussion. Final Measure aims to improve and share their art with the music community!

The ChapTones is a fun-loving and award-winning co-ed a cappella group from Chapman University in Orange, Calif. One of five student-run a cappella groups at Chapman, they perform frequently on campus, around Orange County, and across the West Coast! They recently released an EP and an album to streaming platforms and YouTube and they have a new album coming out this year! The ChapTones pride themselves on including members of many different backgrounds and interests who all love to sing and want to be part of a performing family. The ChapTones have competed in multiple ICCA Quarterfinals and Semifinals and have even performed original material on the ICCA stage. They are very excited to be back on that stage again this year, after a successful 2023 season where they placed 3rd at the West Semifinals.

SoundCheck was Chapman University’s first a cappella group on campus. This co-ed group of passionate individuals performs contemporary a cappella arrangements on campus, around the community, and nationally throughout the United States. Their performances have included the ICCA (2016 Semifinals 1st place Champions, 2022 Outstanding Arrangement) SweeTARTS ACAPELLOOZA with Brittany Snow, and advertisements for CoverGirl's “Pitch Perfect 2” Makeup Collection. They have 12 years of alumni music connections and their alumni have sung background vocals for such artists as Childish Gambino.

GUEST PERFORMER

Jordan Murillo is a vocalist with expansive vocal range from Tucson, Ariz. with strong ties to opera, a cappella, and choral performance. Jordan is a vocalist in the Phoenix Chorale, The Quartz Ensemble in Prescott, Ariz., and Helios [a modern renaissance]. Jordan studied voice at the University of Arizona under Dr. Kristen Dauphinais and performed as a concert soloist, an operatic bass-baritone, and music director for Amplified A Cappella. Through the Inner Voice Studio, Jordan has been able to teach musicians from many communities on stylistic approaches in contemporary singing and vocal percussion. Eager to create impactful performances that enrich communities, Jordan Murillo has been described as having a “...controlled and effortless singing style [that] gives the performance an acoustic feel that’s simply impressive.” (Alexander, 2018).

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

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.

Catherine Ricafort is an eight-time Broadway actor, singer, and dancer. She has appeared on Broadway in “SpongeBob Squarepants” as villainess Karen The Computer, “Mamma Mia!,” “Cinderella,” “Honeymoon in Vegas,” “Allegiance,” “Disaster!,” “Holiday Inn,” and “Miss Saigon.” As a lead singer and award-winning a cappella vocalist, she performed on NBC's “The Sing-Off” (featured soloist of "The Backbeats," Season 2), was part of The USC SoCal VoCals (first group to win the ICCA Champion title five times), and has performed for service members all over the world with The USO Show Troupe. Catherine is also a software engineer and co-founder of Artists Who Code, a volunteer organization which has helped 300+ artists learn to code and land jobs in the tech industry during the pandemic. Originally from Arizona, Catherine is excited to be back in Phoenix and bring her stage experience full-circle to the local community as a performer, adjudicator, and coach. @cattricafort

Eric Sackett is grateful for music and the arts and feels blessed to have been surrounded by them his entire life. Some highlights of Eric’s performing career include founding an a cappella group at his high school and singing in BYU’s Vocal Point and Young Ambassadors, along with different groups across Utah Valley. He has taught voice for over 10 years and currently helps run INSPIRE Entertainment, a local performing arts studio based in Gilbert. Eric has worked in the music industry for over 15 years as a director, musician, performer, and vocal/piano coach. Eric and his wife have four delightful children. In his spare time, Eric enjoys playing with his kids, exploring new cultures around the world, watching movies, and creating.

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 placing group at this event will advance to the 2024 ICCA Finals.

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

#ICCA