2025 ICCA Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinal @ West Chester 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

West Chester University
Saturday, March 1st, 2025

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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

Chromatic is the premier a cappella group at Millersville University. Founded in 2017, Chromatic has performed in the ICCA for three years, winning the 1st place title at Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinals in both 2021 and 2022. Since then, Chromatic has released an EP, an album, and has gained a following on TikTok. Chromatic was also featured on BOCA! Stay tuned for updates by following Chromatic on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube!

The Golden Blue's was established in 1989 at The University of Delaware. As UD's first all-gender a cappella group, they enjoy performing for a variety of gigs, especially on campus to support other student organizations. Their favorite performances include semesterly concerts, in which they share their music with friends and family. They love the chance to share their love and passion for music with others! The Golden Blue's sing all musical genres, but especially alternative and indie-pop. They competed at the ICCA in 2024 and are thrilled to be back! This group is known for being a huge family and sharing their love for one another through their music in every performance.

Founded in 2013, High Street Harmonix is a dynamic and inclusive a cappella ensemble from West Chester University. Since its ICCA debut in 2015, the group has consistently excelled, earning top placements on four occasions since 2018. Known for their talent and innovation, they’ve garnered multiple accolades, with awards recognizing their outstanding vocal percussion, and solo performances. High Street Harmonix has released three studio albums: XCLAMATION, Exhale, and With An X, each highlighting the group’s unique style and evolving sound. They will be working on their fourth album this year, which will showcase a variety of new arrangements and fresh voices from the current group. In addition to their vocal talent, the group’s success stems from their commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment. High Street Harmonix pushes the boundaries of contemporary a cappella, experimenting with new musical styles, and embracing bold, creative risks. In recent years, their growing reputation has opened doors to more performance opportunities, including gigs at local music venues, campus events, and collaborations with other a cappella groups at universities. Beyond the stage, they actively engage with their community and work to inspire the next generation of a cappella performers.

Interchoir, also known colloquially on campus as InterChorus, is the co-ed a cappella group at St. Mary's College of Maryland, a very small school in St. Mary's City in southern Maryland. They have been operating consistently since the 1990s, and the current group is composed of 18 members from a variety of disciplines and majors. Interchoi tries to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment and part of that includes us arranging all of their own songs. The group includes some experienced people with extensive music backgrounds, but also includes newer musicians, and they teach one another how to arrange songs. They hope to make every group member feel welcome, no matter their music experience, background, or knowledge. In 2019, this group was an ICCA Mid-Atlantic Quaterfinalist, but everyone from that group has since graduated from St. Mary’s. With a whole new group and vibe, Interchoir hopes to wow you with their freshpersonality, while still keeping the tone and essence true to the group’s history.

The MelUDees is an all-gender a cappella group from the University of Delaware. Established in 2006, The MelUDees strive to create strong relationships by sharing music with their community. They have been competing in the ICCA for the last 11 years, most recently placing 2nd in 2023 and 3rd in 2024. A fun fact about MelUDee is that when they practice for the ICCA, they perform in front of an audience of stuffed animals! Above all else, The MelUDees love to "have fun while working hard!"

The Muses from The University of Maryland Eastern Shore is proud to be the first competitive HBCU a cappella group in history. Founded in 2023, The Muses quickly made their mark by finishing as Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinalists in their inaugural season. The Muses have become a staple in the Maryland area and in the eyes of ICCA for their memorable, high-energy performances and unique arrangements and covers. Known for their commitment to pushing the boundaries of a cappella, The Muses continue to represent excellence, both on and off the stage, through representing the unrepresented.

Under A Rest is one of four a cappella groups at West Chester University, and just celebrated 10 years as a group! As one of two competitive groups at the school, UAR is a gender-inclusive a cappella group that performs contemporary a cappella music in and around the West Chester community. In 2024, Under A Rest competed in and placed 2nd in the ICCA Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinals, 3rd at the Mid-Atlantic Semifinals, and 2nd in the Wildcard round. UAR is so grateful for the experiences that they have had sharing their music with the community! In 2022, UAR traveled to New York City, to perform as the opening act for the Radio City Rockettes on the Radio City Music Hall Stage! Under A Rest made its CASA/SoJam debut this past November in North Carolina! UAR has been working on recording their newest repertoire to share on all streaming platforms, with an album release tentatively planned for this upcoming summer. Keep an eye on their social media for more updates and information.

VilleHarmonics is one of three student-led a cappella groups on Millersville’s campus. This is their third year as a group and they couldn’t be prouder of all they accomplished in the past few years. They have had the privilege of competing alongside many other talented groups from various universities at the ICCA. In addition to this incredible competition, VH has performed in Glorious Sounds of the Season and showcases on and off campus, and hosted two concerts of their own. They are proud to be a part of such a vibrant and supportive community!

Vocal Point is a gender-inclusive a cappella group from the University of Delaware. They have been performing for over 25 years, with roots as an 80s pop tribute ensemble. Vocal Point harmonizes musically as well as socially, connecting with their community on and offstage. They have been featured on compilations such as BOCA, Voices Only, and albums of their own. These collections include Phoenix, Fragile, and their most recent addition, Collision, highlighting their award-winning ICCA set from 2022. As nine-time ICCA Semifinalists, Vocal Point has accumulated numerous awards, winning 1st place at their 2024 ICCA Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinal, as well as Outstanding Choreography, Outstanding Soloist, and Outstanding Vocal Percussion. They also won Outstanding Arrangement at VoiceJam in Fayetteville, Ark. Vocal Point is excited to entertain you with their music and story shown onstage tonight!

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.

While Ben Harris has performed in a myriad of choral ensembles, bands, and stage shows, Ben's true source of musical happiness comes from contemporary pop a cappella. Ben started rocking bass beats in The Pitt Pendulums as a bright-eyed freshman and soon took over as the group's director. He spent the next three years as a singer, vocal percussionist, instructor, music arranger, group manager, and general morale-booster. He now lives in central Pennsylvania, teaching high school and raising his amazing son, Gavin. Ben would like to thank Varsity Vocals for the opportunity to judge at this event and he looks forward to some great performances!

Sebastian (Sebi) Santiago-Rivas is a native of Philly (Go Birds!) and former ICCA competitor with Temple U's OwlCappella. He currently teaches choir and music technology, and directs the high school a cappella group at the Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP) in Philadelphia. Sebi is on the staff at Camp A Cappella in Dayton, Ohio, where he teaches small ensembles, rhythm section techniques, and barbershop. He currently sings bass in Prior Engagement, a Philly-based barbershop quartet, and is a member of Parkside Harmony, a competitive barbershop chorus currently ranked fourth in the world. On the side, Sebi dabbles in vocal music production, recording, and live sound. He lives in West Philadelphia with his girlfriend and their cat, and is excited to be back to judge for another ICCA season!

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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