2024 ICHSA Southwest Semifinal @ Marcus 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

ICHSA SOUTHWEST SEMIFINAL

Marcus High School
Saturday, March 9th, 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 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

A-Side is an award-winning group of students from A&M Consolidated High School in College Station, Texas, directed by Mrs. Emily Ramos and Mr. Brian Stout. A-Side has won awards all over Texas and the United States for their vocal talents, choreography, and soloists. Some of their accolades include Runner-Up at VoiceJam, 3rd place and Best Soloist at AcaTex, and numerous trips to the ICHSA Semifinals. A-Side members are multitalented in and out of the classroom, keeping busy as swim team members, National Merit Scholars, homecoming king and queen, wrestlers, runners, cheerleaders, and one of their VPs is on the school drill team! All of these students have been in choir for years and perform annually in their school-wide musical. More than anything they do, these students are wonderful human beings with incredible amounts of compassion, contagious joy, and unbeatable work ethic.

Under the direction of Josh Coats, Beyond was established at Rockwall Heath High School in 2020 as the premier treble a cappella group. Since 2020, they have quickly risen in the ranks of treble a cappella groups in the North Texas area. They consistently compete in competitions such as ICHSA and AcaTex. Beyond released their first single last year, "Falling Water." You can find out more about them on their Instagram @rhhsbeyond.

Infiniti is the mixed a cappella ensemble from Rockwall Heath High School, directed by Lauren Smith. Since 2018, they've become heavily involved in the Texas a cappella scene, consistently placing in competitions like ICHSA and AcaTex. In 2021, they earned a trip to ICHSA Finals in New York City. Last year, they dropped their first single, "Arms Unfolding and I'm Coming Round," featured on BOHSA. Stay updated on their journey via @heathinfiniti on Instagram and TikTok.

Lovejoy A Cappella is a select group of sophomores, juniors, and seniors. They have been singing together since 2010, but this is their first competition.

Madison Avenue, hailing from Madison High School in San Antonio, is so happy to be back in the ICHSA game! With a long history of a capella, MadAve is excited to compete with others who love a capella as much as they do. Under the direction of Logan Rivard and with the amazing support of their students, parents, and administration, they are proud to share their set tonight.

Madrigal is an auditioned ensemble from Belton High School. The group is made up of 16 members and led by Tonya Lovorn, the Head Choir Director at BHS. This group is the premier pop a cappella ensemble in the district. Since it was founded in the 80s, Madrigal has been an ambassador group for the school to the community. They are frequently asked to perform throughout the area and are a favorite part of many school events. Every year, in December, the group travels to Galveston to perform for the Dickens on the Strand Festival. This is the group’s fourth year competing in the ICHSA. In 2022, the group was just a couple points shy of advancing to ICHSA Semifinals.

Mane Attraction is in its second year as a competitive contemporary a cappella group. Last year, they competed at ICHSA Quarterfinals and Semifinals. They're excited to be back and looking forward to a great season!

Remedy, the premier a cappella group at Argyle High School in Argyle, Texas, is very excited to be competing at ICHSA this year! They have competed and performed at multiple venues, including the National A Cappella Convention (NACC), AcaTex, and SING! Texas. Last year, Remedy had the honor of representing the Southwest at the 2023 ICHSA Finals and ultimately placed 3rd! Remedy is so honored to be part of the Texas a cappella scene. Please follow them @remedy_acappella!

Spur of the Moment is the pop a cappella treble ensemble from Sachse High School. They made the move into contemporary pop a cappella last year and performed at the AcaTex Festival in Rockwall, Texas. This 14-member group is very excited to perform at the ICHSA!

Vocal Legacy is the contemporary mixed a cappella group from Bryan High School. They love using music to connect with others and communicate with their audience.

VOLT, the Voices of Lebanon Trail, was formed in 2020. This group of students is passionate about embracing their diverse musical experiences. VOLT has taken part in competitions such as AcaTex and ICHSA, performing various musical genres and infusing every piece with emotion. Tonight’s set plays with the theme of interpersonal connections, including a student-composed arrangement of the hit “Barbie” movie song, “What Was I Made For?” VOLT believes in the power of music to connect individuals with their inner selves, the group members among one another, and performers with their audience. With each note, VOLT strives to create a musical experience not only to enjoy, but to unite everyone in song.

Walk the Line was formed in 2015. They attended ICHSA Finals in 2017 and 2022 and were awarded 2nd place in 2022. They have recorded and released three albums, each earning track placements on Varsity Vocals’ BOHSA, and three Voices Only compilations. After seven previous nominations, they won a Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA) in 2022 for Best High School EP. They are excited to be back on the ICHSA stage this year and eager to share their 2024 set!

GUEST PERFORMERS

Fusion is the award-winning treble a cappella group from right here at Marcus High School. One of the pioneering a cappella groups in North Texas, they have been recognized on the BOHSA albums five times since 2018 and appeared in ICHSA Finals twice, placing 3rd in 2018. Fusion has recently focused on recording, producing two EPs and numerous singles. Their single, "Tears," was nominated for three CARAs in 2022. Fusion strives to inspire future singers, have fun, and create impactful music together. They are looking forward to releasing more music this summer.

Dually Noted is in their sixth year of singing together! They entered the competitive scene for the first time this year at the AcaTex Festival, where they were a Finalist group. They also had a student named Best Soloist, senior Ian Antonellis. Dually Noted is excited to release their new self-titled EP on Spotify soon. They submitted this EP to the CARAs and were honored with the title of Best Debut EP. One of their tracks, "Colder Weather," was also nominated for Best Country Song. Dually Noted is excited to perform for you tonight!

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Patrick Berry is so excited to be on this side of the Varsity Vocals judging table after performing in and directing groups in these competitions from 2014-2022! Patrick received his bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from the University of New Hampshire, where he directed Alabaster Blue, and his master’s degree in choral conducting from the University of Southern Mississippi where he directed Spirit of Southern and the Southern BelleTones. Patrick formerly taught at New Manchester High School Fine Arts Magnet Program in Douglasville, Ga, where he directed Bella Voce’ and assisted former ICHSA winner, InToneNation. Now living in Austin, Texas, Patrick is a professional choral musician, church musician, and freelance arranger.

Anna Gann has been a Texas choral director for over 21 years and now is a voice teacher in the San Antonio area. She has a degree in vocal performance from Lubbock Christian University and an M.S. in music/choral conducting from UTSA. She was involved in a cappella groups during college, including Sweet Adelines. Anna also was the co-director for Mac Arthur's a cappella group, PFC, for the last six years, leading the group to ICHSA Southwest Semifinals twice and to Finals in New York. Anna has been judging for ICHSA and ICCA for over 10 years and is very excited to be back. The joy of her life are her two kids, Chandler (11) and Ella (9).

David Rives is the Director of Choral Activities at Ryan High School, in Denton, Texas. He received his Bachelor of Music Education from Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, and his Master of Music in conducting from Baylor University, in Waco, Texas. At Ryan High School, David is the director of the Ryan Raider Revolution Show Choir, Chorale, Men’s Choir, and Ryan Singers. In Denton ISD, he writes curriculum for the district and has led numerous ensembles to the UIL Sweepstakes Awards.

Jamie Rives is a music teacher in Denton Independent School District in Denton, Texas, where she teaches K-5 music, choir, and hand chimes. She received her Bachelor of Music Education from Tarleton State University, in Stephenville, Texas and her Master of Music Education from Wichita State University, in Wichita, Kan. In Denton ISD, Jamie writes curriculum for the district and was a Teacher of the Year in 2016. She is the Region 2 Elementary Chair and supervises student teachers from The University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University.

Hailing from the soybean capital of the world, Elliott Robinson is the current bass man and co-founder of Axiom Vocal. El is an a cappella veteran, having toured the globe with professional groups Chapter 6, The House Jacks, Home Free, and more. You also might recognize his rich bass notes as being the sonic foundation of Das Sound Machine in “Pitch Perfect 2.” In his spare time, he enjoys reading, working out, listening to music (with instruments), and being grateful that he no longer lives in Minnesota.

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 ICHSA 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

#ICHSA