2024 ICHSA Northeast Quarterfinal @ Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

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

ICHSA NORTHEAST QUARTERFINAL

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Friday, February 23rd, 2024

WE'RE SOCIAL

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

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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 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.

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.

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

For Good Measure is the a cappella group from Mohonasen High School in Schenectady, N.Y. The group’s 15 members are highly involved in their high school music department, including several instrumental ensembles, choirs, and their school theatre program. They love performing at various school and community events in the area. The group has been competing in the ICHSA since 2016 and they’re very excited to perform again this year!

The South Country Singers is the only a cappella group at Bellport Middle School! This dynamic, harmonious force is turning the halls of their school into a musical playground. The South Country Singers are all about the fun, friendship, and of course, fantastic tunes! They’ll have you tapping your feet and clapping your hands in no time. More than just a choir, this bunch of spirited middle schoolers lives for the music. While they might be small in stature (after all, they’re middle schoolers!), their voices pack a punch that's as big as their dreams. Their harmonies are tighter than a backpack zipper and their songs are as catchy as the latest TikTok trend. The South Country Singers are eager to make a name for themselves in their first ICHSA appearance, bringing a spirit to rival even the most experienced performers. Their journey has just begun and they’re excited to see where their voices take them in the future. The South Country Singers invite you to join them in their musical adventure and experience the pure joy of music!

The Stissing Mountain Stissingers (emphasis on the SING of the name) doubles as the choir for the public school in Pine Plains, N.Y. They are new to the contemporary a cappella game, but are so excited to learn as much as they can. They're ready to show you that not only good farmers come out of this small town from upstate New York, but good singers too!

The Nightingales, an all-girls a cappella group, have established a notable presence in Ridgefield’s music scene over the years. Founded to create harmonious vocal compositions and showcase the unique talents of their members, The Nightingales have consistently participated in the ICHSA, even throughout COVID-19. Their journey has been marked by countless rehearsals, mentorship, laughter, and encouragement. They use music to entertain, as well as uplift and inspire, both within the group and for their audiences. Beyond the music, The Nightingales strive to create a supportive and inclusive community among the girls in the group. They have built strong bonds, nurturing a culture of kindness, friendship, and mutual support. Through their shared passion for a cappella music, they have encouraged one another to grow as individuals and harmonize together in beautiful unity. The Nightingales exemplify the power of music to unite people. They use their voices to create a strong, supportive community, not only through song but also in the hearts of those who have been part of their journey. The Nightingales will keep fostering harmony and support for years to come.

The Valkyries is the top treble a cappella group at Valley Central High School. The group focuses on songs in the pop and rock genres, with a little sprinkle of awesome in between. They perform multiple times throughout the year in the community.

The Voxtones is Valley Central High School's co-ed a cappella group. After a strong showing last season, reaching ICHSA Semifinals, the group is looking to push themselves further this year. The group performs a variety of music in the pop and rock genres, and performs throughout the community year-round.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Holden Maiorana is the Director of Choirs at Spackenkill High School in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., where he founded the school's first a cappella group, Spackappella. He holds music education degrees from The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam (B.M.) and Ithaca College (M.M.). He is the former music director of The Potsdam Pitches, a 2018 ICCA Finalist. Domestically, Holden and his groups have performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Beacon Theatre on Broadway. He has also conducted abroad in France, Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. Holden is a frequent music director and accompanist in the Hudson Valley and regularly presents topics in music education research at regional, state, and national conferences.

Taryn Miller is an alumna of the University of Massachusetts' only all-female a cappella group, S#arp Attitude, where she performed as a bass from 2013-2016 and served as music director from 2015-2016. During her time with the group, she performed in three ICCA tournaments, arranged music for and was featured on S#arp Attitude's debut album Deja Vu, performed at various showcases and competitions within the Northeast, and was featured on season 2 of "Sing It On" by PopTV network, a docu-reality series following groups competing in the ICCA. Prior to UMass, Taryn studied vocal studies while attending Marietta College and performing with the vocal jazz and a cappella ensemble, Flood Stage.

Kevin Trapasso has spent the last 15 years involved in Varsity Vocals programs. While majoring in choral music education at Arizona State University, he helped found the school’s first all-male a cappella group, created an annual statewide a cappella festival, and eventually led this group to a Quarterfinal win in his senior year. Since then, he earned a master’s degree in choral conducting and has taught secondary, collegiate, and professional vocal ensembles around Florida and New York. He is so pleased to judge the very competition that helped him grow tremendously as a musician and educator and looks forward to a great night of music!

Arvin Zabalerio is a vocal percussionist and musician who loves a cappella at his core! He has competed in the ICCA with both Rutgers Casual Harmony and The OrphanSporks from 2011 to 2015. During his tenure in collegiate a cappella, Arvin garnered multiple ICCA awards for Outstanding Vocal Percussion and advanced to Semifinals numerous times. Arvin is currently the ICCA Central Producer and has been with Varsity Vocals since 2017. Prior to becoming a producer, he was in the inaugural class for Varsity Vocals' Production Assistant Program and was fortunate enough to shadow in the ICCA and ICHSA Mid-Atlantic regions. When Arvin is not producing ICCA shows, he is a Senior Manager of Supply Chain with PepsiCo and enjoys soaking up all the beautiful things NYC has to offer.

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank The Rensselyrics and Duly Noted; our judges, hosts, competitors, volunteers, partners, and producers; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the EMPAC, especially Kim Strosahl; 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 ICHSA 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

#ICHSA