2025 ICCA Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinal @ Drexel 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 MID-ATLANTIC QUARTERFINAL

Drexel University
Saturday, February 22nd, 2025

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 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

Broad Street Line is Temple University's only low-voiced, gender-inclusive a cappella group. Composed of both music and non-music majors, BSL performs engaging arrangements for the Temple University community and the surrounding areas. BSL has always kept the joy of making music in its core values. This past year, the group decided to explore new ways to challenge themselves, including their ICCA debut. They also recently released their EP, Next Stop, on all platforms. BSL aims to create a space for people of every background to enjoy their music.

Founded in 2003, Casual Harmony is Rutgers University’s premier tenor-bass a cappella group. With over 20 years of history, this group has competed in many ICCA seasons and they’re excited to compete again this year! Casual Harmony also hosts many concerts each year, partnering with fellow musical groups in and around the Rutgers campus to keep the collegiate a cappella scene going strong.

The Drexel Cleftomaniacs is an all-gender a cappella group established in 2012. The group is composed of Drexel University undergraduate students who share a passion for singing and creating music. Their purpose is to provide a welcoming environment where Drexel students can appreciate and produce quality a cappella music, while fostering a diverse and tight-knit family. They aim to help each member develop as an individual musician and elevate the performance of the whole ensemble. Since 2020, they have competed in ICCA Quarterfinals in 2023 (finishing 4th place) and 2024. The Cleftomaniacs are thrilled to be back for the 2025 ICCA season.

The TrebleMakers formed in January 2001 and is presently the only all-female and non-binary a cappella group at Drexel. The group hosts concerts with guest groups once per academic term and performs at other concerts, both on and off campus. With a repertoire tailored towards indie, pop, and classic rock, the group strives to create a unique sound and twist the conception of female a cappella. Previous ICCA accolades include a 3rd place title in their 2019 Quarterfinal and two special awards for Outstanding Vocal Percussion. The TrebleMakers are excited to continue improving in the ICCA and share their voices with the a cappella community

Faux Paz is UMD's oldest all-gender a cappella group, performing mainly R&B and pop arrangements. In 2021, the group placed 1st at ICCA Finals and had the opportunity to come back to New York the following year to guest perform at ICHSA Finals. Back in 2016, the group was featured on Pop TV's docu-series, “Sing It On,” which was produced by John Legend and followed the group’s journey as they prepared for that ICCA season and ultimately took 3rd place at Finals. Nowadays, Faux Paz travels to perform at nearby schools, continues to compete, and is in the process of recording another album which will be released on all streaming platforms.

LiaChorus is an all-gender a cappella group representing the dynamic community of Temple University! They are passionate about sharing their electrifying performances with the greater Philadelphia area. Most recently, they had the privilege of performing at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Cancer Run and Walk, supporting cancer survivors and patients, a cause close to their hearts. When it comes to the ICCA, competition is just part of what drives them. LiaChoris is eager to share their music, connect with other talented groups, and push the boundaries of what they can achieve. In 2019, 2020, and 2022, they were proud to reach ICCA Semifinals. They have also won special awards over the years, including Outstanding Arrangement and Outstanding Choreography in 2022 and Outstanding Vocal Percussion in 2023. In ICCA 2025, LiaChoris is more determined than ever to make their mark and elevate the group to new heights.

PandemoniUM is the University of Maryland's most eclectic co-ed a cappella group! Their repertoire generally includes pop and indie songs, and is selected as a group. They celebrated the group’s 30th anniversary last spring and they’re happy to return for this year's ICCA, which marchs their ninth time competing (if their math is right)! You can find them on social media @PandemoniumUMD.

Founded in 1986, The Penny Loafers, or Loaf, is the University of Pennsylvania’s only all-gender indie-pop a cappella group. They perform an eclectic mix of songs in genres ranging from pop and indie to R&B, electronic, and more. They love introducing audiences to songs from up-and-coming artists and reinventing their favorite household jams. They're excited to be back for their second year competing after winning their Quarterfinal and moving onto Mid-Atlantic Semifinals last year. Check them out on social media @upennloafers!

The Supernovas is Villanova’s oldest all-gender a cappella group. Villanova does not have a music major, so the group members come from a wide range of undergraduate studies, including engineering, nursing, finance, and more. Even so, The Supernovas are dedicated singers and come together to arrange and perform their own music all year. You can hear The Supernovas’ latest work by searching “The Supernovas” wherever you stream your music. Tonight, The Supernovas are proud to take the stage for their ninth ICCA season!

Formed in 2018, UNTITLED is Towson University’s competitive a cappella group with a focus on contemporary music. Their mission is to bring forth a competitive, close-knit, and long-term organization on campus. In the past, they’ve won Outstanding Vocal Percussion at SoJam, as well as an A Cappella Video Award (AVA) for their music video, “SPECULATE!” In their spare time, UNTITLED professionally records singles and has also sung the national anthem at Orioles games. Check them out on Instagram @towsonuntitled and be sure to stop by their Spotify page!

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Neil Aaronson is a professor of physics and acoustics at Stockton College. A founding member of The TCNJ Trentones, Neil continued working with a cappella ensembles in graduate school at Michigan State University. Since 2008, he has helped the a cappella community grow from one ensemble with 10 members to three ensembles with over 45 singers, all working together to foster musical growth at their campus. He is the executive director of the ASTA/NJ Chamber Music Institute, assistant conductor of the Stockton Oratorio Society, and vice president of the Board of Directors for the Philharmonic of Southern New Jersey.

Jenna Camacho is a passionate music educator in the School District of Philadelphia, with a specialization in a cappella and choir. Jenna graduated from Temple in the spring of 2022 with a B.M. in music education and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in music education. She continues to share her love of a cappella and vocal music with her students. She currently sings with VICE, a women’s a cappella group based in New York. Most notably, she served as the music director of Cape Harmony, Cape Cod’s professional female a cappella group from 2020-2022. She has competed in the ICCA and The Open with various groups and loves to experience how a cappella music evolves over time. Jenna is excited to give back to Varsity Vocals, since this organization helped inspire her passion for a cappella.

Kate Elmendorf is a passionate advocate for contemporary voice pedagogy, currently serving as a Professor of Commercial Music at Shenandoah University and Temple University. With a master's degree in contemporary voice pedagogy, a B.M. in music education from Berklee College of Music, and background as an alum of Upper Structure (collegiate) and Sound Off (professional), she brings a wealth of knowledge surrounding vocalists and commercial music. Based in Philadelphia, Kate balances her teaching with a career as a professional vocalist. Her research focuses on vital topics such as transgender allyship in voice teaching and music education and the effects of Covid-19 on singers, all aiming to create inclusive spaces and address challenges faced by vocalists in today's ever-evolving landscape. tinyvoicestudio.com

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!

Ian Wolfe is a passionate lifelong musician who has been singing in a cappella groups since he first learned “Barbara Ann” at 9 years old. He is a singer, drummer, composer, arranger, and proud Philadelphia sports fan (GO BIRDS!). He graduated from Penn State University in 2018 and has judged for ICHSA and ICCA competitions since graduating. He is a music leader for Parkside Harmony, the current international silver medalist barbershop chorus, and performs regularly with his internationally-ranked barbershop quartet, Rule #1. Ian enjoys coaching high school and collegiate a cappella groups, barbershop quartets, and volunteering his time at youth music festivals across the region. Ian also serves on the board for the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs), the Grammys of a cappella music. Despite all of his musical endeavors, Ian spends his 9-5 working as a geologist, helping ensure the water that comes out of everyone's tap is safe to drink.

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
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 Mid-Atlantic 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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