2025 ICCA Northeast Quarterfinal @ University of Hartford

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 NORTHEAST QUARTERFINAL

University of Hartford
Saturday, February 1st, 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 Bottom Line is Bryant University's one and only a cappella group! They perform on and off campus, featuring songs that range from current pop to other contemporary styles such as alternative, R&B, and everything in between. The Bottom Line was an ICCA Semifinalist in 2018, 2019, and 2023. During that time, they earned Outstanding Choreography awards for their entire set (2023 Quarterfinals, 2019 Semifinals and Quarterfinals) and Outstanding Vocal Percussion awards (2019 Quarterfinals and 2018 Quarterfinals). They are proud to have worked hard for each of their successes without a formal music program at their school. They have released multiple EPs, most recently Resilience, which is available on all platforms. The Bottom Line is a close-knit family that loves making music and memories togethe. In each performance, Bottom Line hopes to convey the complexity of life’s ups and downs and communicate a message of healing and acceptance.

HartAttack A Cappella is University of Hartford's most awkward a cappella group! They represebt one of four groups the university has to offer. They mostly sing pop music, but are always open to challenging themselves with something new. Their lovely mascot Dimitri accompanies them to every rehearsal and they cannot wait to bring him on their next adventure!

Hawkward is the Roger Williams University auditioned a cappella group. Consisting of 18 full-time students, this co-ed group is made up of unique individuals who lead diverse lives but come together to share their love of music and performing. They pride themselves on being a close-knit family who cares for one another onstage, in rehearsals, around campus, and even after graduation. Hawkward’s mission is to provide an inclusive and respectful community while creating their best sound possible. They are ambitious in honing their blend, arrangements, dynamics, personality, and style. Coming from a school that does very little to support the arts, they have become a self-sufficient team over its 11 years of existence. Hawkward has worked hard to develop a confident sound and reputation for excellence, earning them consistent gigs across the Roger Williams campus and beyond. From annual events, concerts, services, and sports games to celebrations, invitationals, and private events, they happily take advantage of every opportunity to perform. Hawkward is grateful for any chance to share their music and love for a cappella.

The Hofbeats is an award-winning mixed-voiced collegiate a cappella group at Hofstra University. They pride themselves on being a tight knit-family who share a love for making music. They love performing at on-campus events, invitationals hosted by other groups, and of course, at their own semesterly concerts. The members of The Hofbeats span a variety of majors, from music to business to nursing to psychology and more! In addition to music, they also love supporting one another in their various pursuits on campus, such as recitals, choir concerts, Greek life events, and sports! One of their favorite annual events is hosting WOHA (Worst of Hofstra’s Athletics), a sports tournament that they host with Hofstra’s other a cappella groups. The Hofbeats’ most recent achievements include placing 2nd at their 2024 ICCA Quarterfinal, along with receiving Outstanding Soloist. In 2023, they placed 1st at Quarterfinals, and won Outstanding Soloist, Outstanding Choreography, and Outstanding Vocal Percussion. Follow them on all social media platforms @TheHofbeats and stream their new EP, SoulBirds, on all streaming platforms!

L’Shir A Cappella is the premier all-voice a cappella group at The University of Hartford. Originally formed in spring 2000 as an all-Jewish a cappella group, L’Shir has evolved into one of many denominations. Stay still call themselves “L’Shir,” which means “to song” in Hebrew, referring to raising a glass and cheering for making music! L'Shir prides itself on being a family and is excited to celebrate its 25th anniversary this spring.

The Quinnipiac Legends, founded in 2012, is the university’s only a cappella group and is entering its sixth year of competing in the ICCA! Made up entirely of non-music majors, the group is fueled by a shared passion for making music. The Legends have advanced to the ICCA Northeast Semifinals twice in the past three years and are constantly working to improve their sound and performance. Rehearsing late at night three times a week, The Legends consider themselves a family with a shared love for music and performing. Beyond competitions, they’ve had the honor of opening for the “Christmas Spectacular” at Radio City Music Hall for the past two years, gracing one of the most iconic stages in the world. The Quinnipiac Legends hope to continue pushing the boundaries of what their group can achieve, all while having fun.

Established in 2010, Makin’ Treble is Hofstra University’s only all-treble-voiced a cappella group. Makin’ Treble is a group of 22 talented, kind, and supportive people who love to sing, have fun, and share in the community that making music brings. This group has competed in the ICCA since 2016 and placed 3rd at the 2021 ICCA Quarterfinals. Their repertoire includes a variety of music, ranging from Miley Cyrus to Stevie Nicks to Phineas and Ferb, all arranged by current members or alumni. They release their music on all streaming platforms. Last September, they released Begin Again, an EP featuring their 2024 ICCA set. They perform at various Hofstra events, including concerts, invitationals, and open houses, giving them an abundance of experience in live performance and ingratiating them into the tight-knit a cappella community at Hofstra. Makin’ Treble is incredibly excited to continue the ICCA tradition and to showcase their talent and passion for singing!

Notes Over Storrs is an all-gender inclusive a cappella group at the University of Connecticut, established in 2009! They love to sing a lot of pop with influences from R&B, indie, and other genres. Some of their favorite songs are "Lights Up" by Harry Styles, "Wings" by the Jonas Brothers, and "How Deep Is Your Love" by The Bee Gees. They started competing in the ICCA in 2020, and competed again in 2023 and 2024. In 2024, the amazing Saanvi Mammai won Outstanding Soloist at their Northeastern Quarterfinal with "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes." Outside of ICCA, Notes Over Storrs performs at gigs on and off the UConn campus, such as Jonathan the Husky's birthday and Heart Walks for the American Heart Association. They also love to connect with other a cappella groups at the ICCA and inivtationals. Above all, Notes Over Storrs is a tight-knit group of friends who simply love to sing and hang out. They are dedicated to creating beautiful music and sharing it with their families, friends, and the surrounding communities.

Founded in 1998, Sigma’cappella is Hofstra University's oldest mixed-voice a cappella group. Performing at events both on and off campus and appearing as guest performers at the 2023 ICHSA, Sigma has established itself as a driving force in the Long Island and New York a cappella scenes. Composed of members as different as the songs in their rep, Sigma refuses to settle for less than the best when it comes to the music that they create, perform, and release on streaming platforms for listeners around the world. Sigma'cappella has taken part in the ICCA for more than a decade, competing with exclusively in-house arrangements and recently winning Outstanding Arrangement in 2023. They are thrilled to be joining the other Northeast a cappella groups for this year’s competition.

Triple Major is Wesleyan University's only competition a cappella group. This is their eighth year in the ICCA. When they’re not performing on this stage, Triple Major is sharing their jazz-fusion arrangements with the Wesleyan community and beyond!

GUEST PERFORMER

Zac Burns is a singer/songwriter from Jericho, Vt. Surrounded by music from a young age, he quickly fell in love with sitting at a piano and writing songs. Finding the stage at age 9, Zac continued to develop his craft as a musician and was honored to perform at Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall. By the age of 17, he started professionally writing and producing music, and went on to release music on streaming platforms. Zac currently has over 50 songs released under his own name and has collaborated with numerous artists on their releases, most recently on Endelle’s latest album, SORROW’S JOY. He is also one-third of the indie-pop group, Portico Blue. In college, Zac fell in love with a cappella and competed in The ICCA for four years. Today, he loves arranging, coaching, and being the biggest a cappella fan possible. When he’s not writing music, he’s most likely golfing, hanging out with his cat, Manchego, or listening and reacting to music on his YouTube channel with his roommates, Marc and Dan (shoutout to The Truet). You can find Zac’s music content on social media platforms at @zacburnsmusic!

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Virginia DeMoss brings 15 years of professional involvement with Varsity Vocals as an ICCA and ICHSA event producer, BOCA/BOHSA album production coordinator, and ICCA judge, following an even longer history as an ICCA competitor with Florida State University groups, All Night Yahtzee and Acabelles. She has a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Social Work from Florida State University and has never gone more than a month or two without participating in some musical venture. Most recently, Virginia sang with the Asheville Vocal Ensemble (AVE, formerly Pastyme) from 2016-2024. After moving back to New England in fall 2024, she was welcomed to the Hartford Chorale as one of their newest members. She is thrilled to continue working with Varsity Vocals, an organization which has enriched her life for so many years and brings the joy of music, education, and community to folks all over the world.

Diana Alejandra Galeano-Bazzeghin is a proud alumna of the Florida State University, where she earned her degree in choral music education and sang with the 2009 ICCA Southern Champions, The AcaBelles. Since her collegiate days, she has passionately dedicated herself to advancing music education and performance, thriving as a K-12 choral educator, director of FSU’s summer music camps, member of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and co-director of AcaOpen Wildcard Champions, Sound Off (2014-2024). Diana was also instrumental in launching and managing A Cappella Academy, serving as assistant camp director and beloved “camp mom” from 2014 to 2018. Although she's stepped away from the traditional classroom and a cappella stages, Diana continues to share her love of music. She currently performs with a vocal trio in the Pioneer Valley, leads vocal workshops and masterclasses across Massachusetts, and hones her skills as an improviser. When not immersed in music, she enjoys traveling the globe with her husband and doting on her cats.

Originally from Chicago, Hannah Rosa Schiller is a writer and musician pursuing a Ph.D. in musicology at Yale University. She received a Bachelor of Music in music theory from Northwestern University in 2018, and is a singer, music director, arranger, and producer. At Northwestern, Hannah music-directed the award-winning Northwestern Undertones. Under her direction, The Undertones released their 2017 album, Spit It Out, and advanced to the ICCA Great Lakes Semifinals. Her arrangement of Adele’s "When We Were Young" was featured on Voices Only 2017. Hannah is also an avid contemporary classical musician. She sang in the Bienen Contemporary/Early Vocal Ensemble (BCE) conducted by Grammy-winning director Donald Nally, and co-founded a professional chamber choir, Stare at the Sun, which aims to commission and perform new work by Chicago-based composers.

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank Aaron Hochheiser, Liam Florence, and Rachel Landy from The Hartt School for their help in making this show possible; L'Shir for hosting their fellow competitors; 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 Northeast 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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