2024 ICHSA West Quarterfinal @ Sherwood 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 WEST QUARTERFINAL

Sherwood High School
Friday, January 26th, 2024

WE'RE SOCIAL

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

varsityvocals

@varsityvocals

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

Free to Breathe hails from Sunset High School in Portland, Ore. What can they say? They love to sing, eat, sleep, and hang out.

The Sherwood High School Mixolydians is a group of fun-loving musicians from Sherwood, Ore. In addition to singing, they love spending time together and creating crowd-pleasing choreography. The Mixolydians have participated in the Rose City Sing-Off and ICHSA for the past 10 years. They most recently worked with Deke Sharon at the Bend A Cappella Festival. They have won numerous awards for their choreography, vocal percussion, and arrangements. The Mixolyidans are excited to be performing again tonight!

Scots-Appella is the contemporary a cappella group at McKay High School in Salem, Ore. They enjoy making music and performing for their school and throughout the community. The group has competed in ICHSA and the Rose City Sing-Off and they enjoy sharing their music and stories on the competitive stage.

West Salem High School’s Soundscape has been a prominent vocal group in the jazz, chamber music, and contemporary a cappella music communities since the opening of the high school. They have traveled nationally to vocal events and competitions and are excited to continue the tradition of excellence. In 2023, they placed 2nd at their ICHSA West Quarterfinal, competed in Semifinals in El Segundo, Calif., and placed 1st at the Rose City Sing-Off.

Synergy is the treble a cappella ensemble from the Oregon Children’s Choir, made up of treble singers from surrounding high schools in Eugene and Springfield, Ore. Founded in the fall of 2012, Synergy was created by Evynne Hollens, co-founder of Divisi. Brought together through a love of music and desire to sing songs of strength and empowerment, these singers share a unique bond both onstage and off.

As Lincoln High School's only student-led a cappella ensemble, Vivace has become a place for students to develop their leadership skills, along with their passion for music and performance. This group stands out in their unwavering commitment to being the best they can be (which takes a lot for a student-led group)! Each member of this tight-knit ensemble brings their own special blend of talent, contributing to a collective synergy that is nothing short of magical. Vivace won the Rose City Sing-Off in both 2017 and 2018 and took home a 2019 ICHSA award for Outstanding Arrangement. Vivace is so excited to be back at ICHSA 2024!

The Dynamics is a devoted group of nine singers from Bishop Amat Memorial High School who use their diverse backgrounds to create unique interpretations of a cappella music. Founded in 2021, the group was born out of a desire to connect in the midst of a global pandemic and to spark excitement among its school community. The Dynamics have been fortunate to work with many incredible humans in the a cappella world, including VJ Rosales of the Filharmonic and recording artist/producer Grayson Villanueva. Beyond the stage, Dynamics is dedicated to using their music to enact positive change in the world. They have performed at charity events such as the St. Jude’s Walk and support their local community at sporting events, rallies, and other concerts. Dynamics is a firm believer that music fuels the soul and works hard to make their community more harmonious, both figuratively and literally. This is their first competitive endeavor and they could not be more excited for this next chapter!

Hailing from the beautiful slopes of Mt. Hood, The Sandy High School Pionaires is the premier (and only) a cappella group in the city of Sandy and its surrounding areas. The group has gone through many phases over the last few decades, performing as a madrigal group, a chamber choir, and for more than 30 years as a vocal jazz ensemble. These days, the group is composed of 12-18 members and aims to foster community connection through performance. This is their first year participating in the ICHSA!

Wilsonville High School's Soul'd Out is a contemporary a cappella choir, originally put together by former director Sue Schreiner. This auditioned group has performed in many ICHSA competitions over the years and has earned national recognition. Soul'd Out has also performed multiple times at the Rose City Sing-Off that takes place annually in Portland, Ore. The group is composed of students from all musical backgrounds.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Amanda Farmer is a graduate of Michigan State University, where she sang, arranged, and served as president for Capital Green, a co-ed a cappella group, leading the group to multiple appearances at ICCA Semifinals. Now a resident of the beautiful Pacific Northwest, Amanda created and coached an a cappella group at Pacific Crest Community School from 2014-2017. She has worked in music licensing and custom commercial and film composition, taught voice lessons, and performed with a Portland-based band for several years. Having both competed and assisted with the production side of Varsity Vocals, she is excited to join this evening's panel.

Lisa Forkish (she/they) is a queer singer/songwriter, artivist, educator, community-builder, and vocal director, infusing all she creates with fierce authenticity and heart. Lisa uses song as an expressive art and a tool for building connection and her mission in life is to utilize music for personal and collective healing and liberation. Lisa has deep roots in both Eugene, Ore. and Oakland, Calif. and their vocal arranging and music directing work has been showcased alongside Kehlani, Ben Harper, Michael Franti, Pentatonix, and the Oakland Symphony Chorus. Lisa’s stint as director of her college a cappella group Divisi inspired the “Pitch Perfect” film franchise and she was previously named Portlandʻs “Songwriter of the Year.” More recently, Lisa was the founder and director of five-time National Champion high school a cappella group, Vocal Rush, who placed 3rd on NBCʻs “The Sing-Off.” A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Lisa has released five albums of original music. Her most recent album, From the Ashes, speaks to interconnectedness and the seemingly lonely paradox of the human experience through lush dissonant vocal harmonies. Lisa currently resides in Eugene where they direct Queer Choir Collective and offer music lessons and coaching services. lisaforkish.com.

David Fowler is a music producer and creator from the Pacific Northwest who specializes in vocals and contemporary a cappella. A believer in “harmony through harmony," he aspires to make group singing more accessible to everyone. He has collaborated professionally with many accomplished singers and brands including Home Free, Malukah, Peter Hollens, David Archuleta, Sam Tsui, Chester See, and Taylor Davis. David is also a member of Verdant, an award-winning collective of singers native to Eugene, Ore., who seek to make the Pacific Northwest a home for vocal music.

Cameron Graham-Mask is a singer, director, choreographer, and music educator from Eugene Ore. Cameron first entered the world of a cappella in 2008 with a group called Session 6. He was a music major at Linn Benton Community College in Albany, Ore., where he co-founded and choreographed an all-male group called Blue Light Special from 2009 to 2013. From 2014 to 2015, Cameron served as director and choreographer of University of Oregon’s co-ed a cappella group, Mind the Gap. During his time as music director, Mind the Gap competed and placed in several competitions such as Voice Jam (getting 3rd place), Bend A Cappella Festival (1st place), and Seaside A Cappella Festival (1st Place). His proudest achievement is receiving Outstanding Choreography at ICCA Quarterfinals and Semifinals in 2014. He founded Verdant A Cappella in 2015, and continues to direct the group, leading them to a 2nd place national title in the 2022 Harmony Sweepstakes. When he is not directing Verdant, Cameron pursues his passion for choreographing and workshopping college and high school a cappella groups throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Harmonie Nyounai-Herrera is a singer, songwriter, and dancer from Portland, Ore. His work as a contemporary a cappella music director, choreographer, and vocalist has been awarded internationally. Harmonie earned a Bachelor of Arts with a music performance minor from Portland State University. With over 20 years of experience, Harmonie is a passionate leader in community engagement among a cappella enthusiasts. Serving as a judge and clinician for Portland Rose Festival's Rose City Sing-Off, he is dedicated to nurturing safe spaces and a lifelong love of performing arts.

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 three placing groups at this event will advance to the 2024 ICHSA West 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