2025 ICCA Central Quarterfinal @ Penn State University

DEAR FRIENDS,

Welcome to Varsity Vocals’ 29th 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 700 groups and over 11,000 singers at over 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 29 years ago and we can’t wait to see how our 2025 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 CENTRAL QUARTERFINAL

Penn State University
Saturday, March 1st, 2025

WE'RE SOCIAL

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

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@varsityvocals

ABOUT VARSITY VOCALS

Since 1996, we have encouraged students worldwide to sing a cappella throughout their lives. Our programs include both the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA), and the International Championship of High School A Cappella (ICHSA). 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 four or 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 26th.

The high school tournament is now in its 20th year. The winners of each of seven Semifinal rounds will advance to the ICHSA Finals at The Town Hall in New York City on Friday, April 25th.

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 Whole Step Up is Lehigh’s premier all-gender tenor/bass a cappella ensemble. Founded in 2009, they have a long history of performing a wide variety of exciting music while building a fun-loving, dedicated community! Whole Step is committed to delivering high quality, stimulating music into the hearts, minds, and souls of their listeners.

Cadence is Lafayette College's premier all-treble a cappella group. The purpose of Cadence is to elevate the Lafayette and Easton communities by performing a range of a cappella music for all. Cadence acts as a creative outlet for all members and encourages everyone to take risks, have fun, and be themselves. Together as a group, we hang out, learn, and perform a cappella style music.

The Chorduroys is Lafayette College's premier TBB (tenor, baritone, bass) a cappella group. When they aren't rehearsing, The Chords love to kick around a hacky sack and sing about their group mascot, Dr. Worm. Activities like this help The Chorduroys to bond and foster community, which is one of their core values. Think of The Chorduroys as the boy band that will never break up.

The Echoes is Lehigh University's premier all-female a cappella group on Lehigh’s campus, founded in fall 2003. They sing many musical styles, including pop, indie, country, hip hop, jazz, and more. In addition to performing, every song on their set list was hand chosen, arranged, and taught by the members themselves! The Echoes have been competing at ICCA for as long as they can remember!

Founded in 2015, The Lafayette Mar-keys is one of Lafayette College’s all-voices a cappella groups on campus. They are so excited for their seven new members to be taking the stage with them this year! This is their third year competing in the ICCA and they are thrilled to share their love for singing and one another on the ICCA stage.

The Lehigh Melismatics is Lehigh University’s oldest co-ed a cappella group and they’ve been making music since 2001. Over the years, they have performed a diverse range of songs across multiple decades and genres, from timeless classics to modern favorites. They compete annually in the ICCA, and were recently recognized with an award for Outstanding Vocal Percussion. To date, The Melismatics have released seven studio albums and singles, including their latest release, Run Away With Me, in fall 2023. In addition to performing around campus and competing in ICCA, they have the honor of performing every other year at Radio City Music Hall as part of the Christmas Spectacular. A close-knit group, The Melismatics grow together, learn from one another, and create lasting memories along the way. As they return to the ICCA stage, they are thrilled to showcase their unique style and arrangements while connecting with a broader audience.

Founded in 1991, None of the Above is Penn State's oldest co-ed a cappella group! An entirely student-run group, NOTA members arrange all the music, manage rehearsals, plan and organize performances and social events, record and edit music videos, and more! NOTA is proud of the family they have created at Penn State. In addition to competing, the group is currently working on releasing their first EP! Follow them on Instagram @noneoftheabovepsu to keep up with everything the group has going on.

Off the Record (OTR) is an all-voice a cappella from Lehigh University. The members of Off the Record come from all different backgrounds and majors and share a common love for music. OTR not only enjoys singing together, but also deeply loves spending time together as a group. At their 2024 ICCA Quarterfinal, Off the Record placed 3rd overall and received a special award for an Outstanding Arrangement. OTR has been competing in ICCA for the past 10 years! Competing is many group members’ favorite time of year. Off the Record’s mascot is an otter and their colors are green and lavender. They are so excited to perform in ICCA this year and cannot wait to show everyone that they have what it takes!

Founded in 2003, Soulfege is Lafayette College’s premier all-voices a cappella group specializing in pop. Soulfege is dedicated to showcasing their shared love of music to their campus and the greater Easton, Pa. community. They deeply value rehearsing and performing difficult musical arrangements, while prioritizing a supportive environment for their members to grow together as singers and closer as family. They competed at ICCA for many years and are excited to share their talent with a larger audience.

The Statesmen is Penn State's premier all-male a cappella group because they are Penn State's only all-male a cappella group. They're a bunch of guys that love to hang out and make great music of all genres, so make sure to check them out on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Spotify @statesmenpsu. Check out their new album, What's New Statesmen, on all your favorite streaming platforms and be on the lookout for more releases soon!

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Brendan Duffy is a Pittsburgh-based musician and educator with a passion for blending contemporary and traditional musical styles. He studied vocal performance and music education at Ithaca College before earning a music education degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. A tenor with over a decade of experience in contemporary a cappella, Brendan has performed, directed, and arranged across a variety of vocal ensembles. Highlights include founding his high school a cappella group, music-directing Voicestream at Ithaca College, and serving as president of Crimson Chords at IUP. He is committed to fostering community and providing meaningful learning experiences through music.

Alex McKay is a vocalist, arranger, and music director based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. He has been performing since the age of 9, singing across the U.S. and Europe with ensembles such as the Richmond Symphony Chorus and the University of Michigan Chamber Choir, as well as state, regional, and national honors choirs. Alex earned his Bachelor of Music Arts in vocal performance from the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance, where he studied with world-renowned operatic tenor, George Shirley. At Michigan, he served as the music director of Amazin' Blue A Cappella for three consecutive years, arranging and producing multiple award-winning ICCA sets. During his senior year, he was elected to the executive board of the University of Michigan A Cappella Council, which oversees the nation’s largest collegiate a cappella community. Competing in ICCA was a highlight of Alex’s undergraduate experience and he is thrilled to continue his journey with Varsity Vocals!

Rachel Seiden, a Penn State University alumna, was a member of Penn State’s concert choir, Essence of Joy Choir, and The CODA Conduct. She served as music director of The CODA Conduct for two years, during which she played a pivotal role in leading the group. Her responsibilities included arranging music, conducting rehearsals, running auditions, and refining the group’s sound, blend, and musicality. Under her leadership, CODA achieved notable success, securing 1st place in the 2023 ICCA Central Quarterfinal, 2nd place in the 2023 ICCA Central Semifinal, and 4th place in the 2024 ICCA Central Quarterfinal. Rachel also served as the sound engineer for CODA’s most recent album, Renewal.

John R. Starr is the former music director and vocal percussionist of The Songburghs, a co-ed a cappella group from the University of Pittsburgh. He led his group to three back-to-back ICCA Semifinals appearances from 2018 through 2020 and holds an Outstanding Vocal Percussion award for their entire 2019 set. His a cappella arranging work can be found on their first two EPs, Forward and Orbit, and he has frequently arranged and edited arrangements for other collegiate groups. John is a classically trained pianist and has arranged music for jazz bands, choral groups, small orchestras, in addition to a cappella groups.

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank Chelsea Perticone, Ben Moore, and Jenna Campbell; 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
Senior Producer, ICCA & ICHSA West

Lindsay Howerton-Hastings
Senior Producer, ICCA South

Arvin Zabalerio
Senior Producer, ICCA Central

Gemma Davies
Producer, ICCA United Kingdom

Emily Benjamin
Producer, ICCA Northeast

Adam McNeil
Producer, ICHSA Great Lakes

Valentyna Simon
Producer, ICHSA West

Ben Garza
Producer, ICHSA Southwest

Bryce McCracken
Associate Producer, ICCA Central

Bri Decerio
Associate Producer

Angelina Corbin
Associate Producer
ICCA & ICHSA South

Sara Yood
Senior Producer

Emily Flanders
Director of Adjudication
Senior Producer, ICCA Great Lakes

Andrew Poole
Director of Digital Media

Charlotte Taylor
Marketing & Social Strategy

Holli Kitching
Senior Producer, ICCA Mid-Atlantic

Leah Alrutz
Senior Producer, ICCA Midwest

Alaina Wegner
Producer, ICCA Southwest

Christopher Witham
Producer, ICCA United Kingdom

Jillian Kimberlin
Senior Producer, ICHSA Mid-Atlantic

Christopher Hoffman
Producer, ICHSA Northeast

Jake Yoakum
Producer, ICHSA West

Nicole Palmetto
Associate Producer, ICCA Northeast

Tyandria Jaaber
Associate Producer, ICCA Mid-Atlantic

Rebecca Williamson
Associate Producer, ICCA South

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 2025 ICCA Central 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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