2025 ICCA Midwest Semifinal @ Hilliard Bradley High School

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 MIDWEST SEMIFINAL

Hilliard Bradley High School
Saturday, March 22nd, 2025

WE'RE SOCIAL

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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

The Mosaic Whispers is WashU’s oldest all-gender a cappella group, with 11 award-winning albums. They perform around the Midwest and at ICCA, where they have been recognized with awards for Outstanding Arrangement, Choreography, Soloist, and Vocal Percussion. They are passionate and dedicated to music, but their sense of community truly sets them apart. Whispers work hard and play hard, from family dinners, karaoke nights, and annual spring break trips to recording music at Pixar Studios. The various alumni that travel to their spring concert each year prove that Whispers are forever, whether they’re going viral on TikTok, singing backup for Taylor Swift, or releasing music of their own!

Echoes A Cappella is the University of Notre Dame's all-gender a cappella group! They sing a variety of genres, including pop, soul, funk, jazz, R&B, and more. They have performed in four previous ICCA competitions, most recently in 2022. In their 2018 ICCA Midwest Quarterfinal, an Echoes member (Annie Battle) won the Outstanding Soloist award.

Hailing from Bloomington, Ind., Resting Pitch Face is an all-gender a cappella group at Indiana University. Established in 2015, this group is known for its close-knit bond and high energy. This is their ICCA debut and they are beyond excited to perform their set. Their repertoire ranges from Florence + the Machine to Sam Smith and they love to share and perform their favorite songs together. Outside of their two annual concerts, Resting Pitch Face spends each semester performing at university-led and community-based events throughout the Midwest. The group includes members from various fields of study and brings them together to make music and friendships that outlast their time spent at Indiana University. Resting Pitch Face is so proud of how far they’ve come in nine short years of existence and cannot wait to share their sound at ICCA for the first time!

Remedy A Cappella is a co-ed contemporary a cappella group from the University of Dayton. Founded in 2013 as the University of Dayton's first a cappella group, Remedy performs a variety of styles and genres, including dark pop, rock, and jazz. Remedy has traveled, competed, and won awards in different competitive circuits, including ICCA and Harmony Sweepstakes. Most recently, Remedy was named the 2024 ICCA Quarterfinal Runner-Up and received Outstanding Soloist for alum Deven Cannon in both the ICCA and Harmony Sweepstakes. Remedy competed in the Harmony Sweepstakes Finals in San Francisco this past fall, representing the Midwest region after winning the Audience Favorite award and being named the Midwest Champions last spring. Remedy also released an EP, The Compilation, on Spotify in 2021.

A Cub Bella is the premier all-treble competitive a cappella group at Missouri State University. Originating in 2002, A Cub Bella is notorious for their dedication and undeniable talent, which moved them up the ranks of collegiate a cappella. They even progressed to ICCA Finals, but unfortunately disbanded in 2021 due to complications from the COVID-19 pandemic. In spring 2023, the group’s current president and music director knew they had to bring back a musical outlet for treble voices to thrive and sought to restore A Cub Bella. Last year, ACB returned better than ever, earning Outstanding Choreography at the first Midwest Quarterfinal. Back in action, each group member brings a unique history and relationship with music, lending to the group’s diverse learning and working environment. ACB offers a safe and inspiring community that welcomes individual perspectives and reminds them how rewarding music can be. This year, A Cub Bella is even stronger and they can’t wait to perform together.

Based out of Springfield, Mo., The Beartones is Missouri State University's tenor/bass a cappella group. Founded in 2000, The Beartones have always been focused on musical excellence and creating an environment that champions the success of its members, in and out of the group! For more than two decades, The Beartones have consistently thrilled various audiences. The group is renowned for their “polished” and “memorable” sets, while racking up numerous performances across the country, in cities such as Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, and New York!

The Vocaholics is UC's premier a cappella group, including students from all fields of study! Established in 2014, the group has sung for and competed in countless events ever since. The Vocaholics have placed in ICCA Quarterfinals and Semifinals multiple times, winning awards including Outstanding Arrangement and Outstanding Soloist. They have gone to SingStrong New York, invitationals, campus events, and everything else, from caroling to wedding proposals! The group is proud to create original arrangements that take their audience through an emotional journey. They hope you enjoy their set!

New Chords on the Block was founded as Ohio University's first mixed competitive a cappella group in 2010 by Sarah Mason, under the advisory of Dr. Paschal Younge. Located in Athens, Ohio, the group currently consists of 17 talented musicians from all different majors who enjoy performing together. From top 40 hits to R&B, New Chords performs many styles of music across the country. Whether they’re competing, performing for the community, or traveling to other universities, New Chords knows how to have fun while making music and keeping audiences entertained. New Chords is a group of fun-loving students with a passion for making music. New Chords on the Block was named ICCA Midwest Quarterfinal Runner-up in 2020, Quarterfinal Champion in 2022, and 3rd place in 2023. They look forward to this year's competition season!

Dhamakapella is Case Western Reserve University's premier all-inclusive, award-winning South Asian fusion a cappella group that derives its influences from Indian classical, contemporary South Asian film, and western pop genres. Founded in 2005, they began competing in 2011 and have accrued dozens of national titles and individual awards at competitions across the United States. Their mission is to enrich the world of music by blending South Asian and western musical influences, fusing diverse elements to create innovative a cappella arrangements. Through their captivating performances, Dhamakapella hopes to inspire, entertain, and educate audiences around the world about South Asian culture and music.

Sol A Cappella is the only competitive a cappella group from Baldwin-Wallace University. They are so proud to share that they recently released their first-ever EP, The Traveler, on streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. Sol A Cappella is so excited to share all of the work they have done this year!

GUEST PERFORMER

Originally founded in 2010, The Ohio State of Mind is The Ohio State University's premier all-gender a cappella group. The group consists of 14 talented vocalists from a range of backgrounds and majors who share a passion for making music. The Ohio State of Mind has performed on Broadway at the ICCA Finals in 2017, 2022, 2023, and 2024 as Midwest Champions. In addition to competing, the group performs at local events and invitationals, and released the EP, Coming Home, in 2021, which is available on all streaming platforms. This year, OSM has taken a break from competing to record a new album featuring their ICCA Finals sets from 2022 to 2024 for which they are currently fundraising.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Christopher Andres is a passionate and dedicated music professional with a diverse background in both vocal and instrumental music. He attended The Ohio State University and Sinclair Community College, where he actively participated in The University Chorus and Men's Glee. A proud graduate of Greenville High School, Christopher was deeply involved in the school’s Vocal Music Department, singing in the men’s choir, concert choir, Choraliers, and The Wavaires. He was also a key member of the Instrumental Band Department, performing in symphonic band, concert band, and marching band. His instrumental talents include the flute, saxophone, and baritone. Christopher has performed on numerous stages across the world as an instrumentalist and vocalist. Currently, he serves as the music coordinator and music director at Oakland Church of the Brethren, where he directs the bell choir, adult choir, women’s choir, and the contemporary praise band. In addition to his church leadership, Christopher is in his seventh year as assistant vocal music director and accompanist at Greenville Senior High School in Greenville, Ohio. Christopher's musical journey began at age five when he first played the piano at his local church, a connection that ignited his lifelong passion for music and education. Over the years, he has music-directed for various churches. Through his work, Christopher continues to inspire and enrich the musical community.

Charlie Arthur began performing at a very young age, participating in as many musical ensembles, theatrical productions, short films, and middle school dance battles as he could seek out. He discovered his love for contemporary vocal music when he joined Forte, the award-winning a cappella group at Centerville High School. In Forte, Charlie received national recognition as a vocal percussionist and began arranging, recording, producing, and teaching vocal music full-time. Over the last decade, these experiences have taken him across the U.S., Canada, Russia, and the Caribbean, working and performing with vocal artists such as Vocalight, m-pact, Vybration, The Edge Effect, and Peter Hollens. Currently Chicago-based, Charlie is also a member of the recently-launched band, Chasing Saturn, and a co-producer of Broadway Goes A Cappella.

Isaiah Hawkins is an arranger, songwriter, and music educator from Auburn Hills, Mich. He graduated with a degree in music education from Michigan State University, where he was a music director of State of Fifths and The MSU Spartones. At MSU, he was a production assistant for the ICHSA Great Lakes region and received Outstanding Arrangement awards from ICCA and The AcaOpen. He also released an EP, Lifeline, and an album, Legacy, with State of Fifths, receiving Contemporary A Cappella Recoridng Award (CARA) and A Cappella Video Award (AVA) nominations and awards along the way. Isaiah was also one of the members of the Voices Only Productions arranging team, sang with Flux Vocals, served as the North Region Relationship Manager for the Contemporary A Cappella Society of America (CASA), was on the Boston Sings (BOSS) team, and is a clinician for vocal groups of all ages!

With a Master of Music in choral conducting (Kent State University) and a Bachelor of Arts in music theory and voice performance (Ashland University), BK Riha is a music educator, producer, vocalist, live looper, and arranger with a special interest in building pop a cappella repertoire for treble ensembles and young scholastic groups. Surpassing 25 thousand copies sold worldwide, BK's 200+ innovative yet accessible arrangements have been performed and recorded by ensembles all of levels and ages in over 30 countries, with notable appearances at 2018 World Choir Games in South Africa, the 2021 World Choir Games in Belgium, and the 2023 NACC in Orlando, Fla. BK also adjudicates for the ICHSA, the ICCA, and the CARAs. BK regularly coaches ensembles and leads workshops at festivals like SoJam and the Nordonia A Cappella Festival, as well as various Ohio high schools. BK currently teaches Commercial Voice, Music Fundamentals, and Second Year Project at Tiffin University, one of the only schools in the country to offer scholarships for a cappella, beatboxing, live looping and hip hop music. BK also directs TU's vocal harmony group, Higher Ground, and assists with arts recruitment. BK is the founder, director, and producer of ZERO TO SIXTY, Ohio's summer a cappella group. In their free time, BK tries new recipes and studies the link between psychology and music.

Jeremy Witt is an educator, conductor, and performer from Hilliard, Ohio. He holds a bachelor’s degree in vocal music education from Cedarville University and a master's degree in music education from Kent State University. At Cedarville, Jeremy founded the school's first contemporary a cappella group, The Inversions, and served as music director/president for four years. Jeremy currently serves as the Director of Choirs at Hilliard Bradley High School, conducting the symphonic choir and tenor-bass concert choir. In addition to his responsibilities at Bradley, Jeremy directs the seventh and eighth grade tenor-bass choir at Memorial Middle School. Alongside his coworkers Alyssa Schott and Kelsey Burkett, Jeremy established the Jaguar A Cappella program. This program boasts four contemporary a cappella groups, including one middle school group, Blue Notes, and three high school groups, WAVE, ECHO, and the award-winning Shades of Blue. In 2023, Shades of Blue won the ICHSA!

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank Jeremy Witt and the staff at Hilliard Bradley High School; 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 placing group at this event will advance to the 2025 ICCA Finals.

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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