2025 ICCA Great Lakes Quarterfinal @ University of Wisconsin

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 GREAT LAKES QUARTERFINAL

University of Wisconsin
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

As the oldest, gender-inclusive a cappella group at the University of Minnesota, 7Days A Cappella is proud to have a history of strong musicianship, performance skills, and campus presence. Founded in 2003 by Anthony Brown and Brienne Foyt, 7Days began as an opportunity for a diverse group of students to connect over a shared love for music and performance. Today, 7Days A Cappella works hard to spread that musical joy on campus and across the region. They frequently perform at concerts, professional events, meetings, and high schools around the Twin Cities area. In addition, they travel to other universities to guest perform and collaborate with other top groups in the area and throughout the country.

CounterPoint is University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point's advanced, mixed a cappella ensemble, composed of the university's most talented contemporary singers and performers. CounterPoint is one of six ensembles on UW-Stevens Points's campus under the student-run organization, A Cappella UWSP. The organization prides itself on showcasing a variety of talents and experience levels among its ensembles, with CounterPoint representing the most seasoned and knowledgeable singers in the organization. Under the direction of Lexie Riefel and Brayden Bellile, CounterPoint is UW- Stevens Point's first-ever competitive a cappella ensemble and they are overjoyed to make their ICCA debut in their first year of existence!

The Enchantments is the only gender-inclusive all-treble a cappella group on the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus. The Enchantments have been participating in ICCA since 2018 and moved on to Semifinals in 2019.

Impromptu A Cappella is an all-gender a cappella group from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. They strive to create impactful music performances for all audiences. Every year, Impromptu A Cappella performs gigs around campus, such as A Cappella Extravaganza, Viennese Ball, and their annual fall and spring concerts. In 2022, Impromptu had the opportunity to compete at Port Washington's Acapocalypse, placing 2nd and earning awards for Best Choreography and Best One-Hit Wonder. Impromptu A Cappella has competed in the ICCA in 2001, 2010, and 2023.

Since 2016, Parkside Range has been the flagship ensemble of the Contemporary Commercial Music - Voice Program at UW-Parkside in Kenosha. They recently competed at the 2023 Acapocalypse Festival, where they won 3rd place and member Walter Smart took home Best Soloist. They were also featured at the National A Cappella Convention (NACC), SoJam, A Cappella University, and have been mentored by some of the a cappella world’s most respected representatives and clinicians. They meet on a weekly basis and focus on strengthening, enhancing, and emotionally connecting to their pieces. One of their favorite exercises is creating improvised melodies and vocal lines in less than five minutes! As a group that has historically been smaller in size, they are thrilled to take the stage this year with seven new members, encompassing over six different majors. Despite their different career goals and focuses, the singers of Parkside Range are proud to find the time to make music together.

Pitches and Notes is a competitive, treble a cappella group formed by students on UW Madison's campus. Pitches and Notes strives to increase a cappella opportunities for upper-voiced musicians on the UW campus, utilize members' talents to create new musical experiences, and foster individual character and musical growth in a group setting. The group participates in the ICCA annually and was honored to win 1st place at ICCA Finals in 2022.

Under A-Rest is the premier mixed-voice competitive a cappella group from the University of Wisconsin-Madison! UAR was founded in 2014 and recently celebrated their 10th anniversary. They have been competing in ICCA for almost as long, progressing to Semifinals four times and winning many special awards over the years. In the 2023 season, they won Outstanding Soloist, Outstanding Arrangement, and Outstanding Choreography at Great Lakes Quarterfinals, and another Outstanding Soloist award at Great Lakes Semifinals. Last season, they defended their Outstanding Choreography title at their 2024 Quarterfinal. UAR hopes to continue their ICCA success in the 2025 season and advance as far as possible by performing a carefully crafted, passionate set. They cannot wait to leave it all out on the stage and showcase their hard work!

Vocal U A Cappella is an a cappella group at the University of Minnesota that seeks to develop musical talent, perform throughout the greater Twin Cities area and beyond, and have fun while doing it. This is their first time competing in ICCA since before the Covid-19 pandemic and they are thrilled to be back! As a group of students from various backgrounds, they connect over their shared love for music and passion for the arts. At its heart, Vocal U is a family that motivates each member to be the best performers they can be while having a great time creating art together. Catch them at one of their many events on the University of Minnesota's campus and around the Twin Cities!

Wisconsin Waale is the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s premier South Asian a cappella group. They are dedicated to creating powerful musical experiences through unique mashups of western pop hits and South Asian music. Their mission is to deliver captivating performances that blend the best of both worlds, seamlessly fusing the energy of contemporary western songs with the rich traditions of Bollywood, Carnatic, and Hindustani music. By combining these diverse influences, they aim to leave a lasting impact on their audiences and spark cultural curiosity within the Badger community. Waale’s innovative approach to music allows them to push boundaries, creating dynamic mashups that highlight the beauty of cross-cultural collaboration. Whether they’re merging a popular chart-topper with a classical South Asian melody or reimagining a Bollywood hit with modern western harmonies, Wisconsin Waale brings a fresh and engaging sound to every performance. They strive to elevate cultural awareness by showcasing the versatility of South Asian music alongside mainstream western genres. Through competitions, cultural events, and performances on and off campus, they aim to celebrate the richness of both musical worlds, inspiring a deeper appreciation for diversity and the powerful connections that music can create across cultures.

GUEST PERFORMER

Fundamentally Sound (FS) is UW-Madison's only competitive lower-voiced a cappella group. Founded in 2005, the group celebrates a dynamic blend between complex musical arrangements and high energy performances. FS is always thrilled to showcase their ability to push the boundaries of collegiate a cappella while remaining confident in their suspender-clad traditions. Today, FS continues to seek new heights in musical innovation and explosive performances. In 2020, FS achieved 3rd place in the ICCA Finals. In the years since, the group has recorded and released their 2023 ICCA set and a music video of “Parent's House" on their newest album, released in November 2024.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Laura Kruschke has been involved in a cappella since her college days at UW-Madison, where she sang with Tangled Up in Blue and earned her degree in music education. In 2007, she participated in launching the Contemporary A Cappella League (CAL) and founded greenTONE A Cappella in fall 2007. gT is 10 members strong today and sings for a variety of local events, including weddings, holiday parties, fundraisers, and flash mobs. In addition to gT, Laura continues to offer her expertise to local high school choirs through workshops and group coaching. In addition to Laura’s aca-involvement, she arranges music for local high school show choir and a cappella groups, sings and plays saxophone in a local band, teaches yoga, and wears many other hats as a mom to three busy school-aged kids.

Stephen Lanza has been referred to many times by his friends as a walking encyclopedia of a cappella music. He graduated from the University of Missouri in spring 2015. As a student, he sang with and eventually ran the all-male group, Add9, for four and a half years and was a member of Hitt Street Harmony, the contemporary music group through the School of Music, for a year and a half. In summer 2013, Stephen had the privilege of performing alonside “The Sing-Off” contestant, Groove For Thought, as a vocal percussionist during their exhibition performance at VoCALnation. Currently working as an industrial engineer in the Milwaukee area, Stephen continues his love of a cappella by writing for the Recorded A Cappella Review Board (RARB) and has penned over 150 reviews. He is currently the music director for Focus, an award-winning extracurricular a cappella group at Port Washington High School, as well as an active arranger and a cappella clinician in southeastern Wisconsin.

Benjamin Lebovitz is a musician and educator based in Madison, Wis. They're thrilled to be returning for this year's competition season, having served as a Varsity Vocals judge since 2018. A current Ph.D. student in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, they are a national board-certified teacher (NBCT) in music and previously directed collegiate and high school ensembles in southern Arizona. While teaching, Ben served on the board of the Arizona Choral Directors Association, chairing contemporary a cappella repertoire and activities across the state. Ben previously served as a nominator and judge for the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs) and is looking forward to a great show!

Kimberly Sailor is the editor-in-chief of the Recorded A Cappella Review Board (RARB), where she has authored nearly 500 published reviews for scholastic, collegiate, and professional groups worldwide. Sailor has judged for Varsity Vocals since 2005 after graduating from her collegiate group, USC's Reverse Osmosis. She works as a writer, teacher, and firefighter.

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank University of Wisconsin, the staff of Shannon Hall at the Wisconsin Union, Ethan Barajas, Fundamentally Sound, and Joseph Aquino; 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 Great Lakes 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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