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
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Saturday, February 8th, 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
A Sharp Arrangement is SUNY Potsdam's only all-treble a cappella group. Founded in spring 1994, their mission is to spread the joy of music-making through performances and workshops. Strong supporters of music education, they aim to engage students in music and explore the art form of treble a cappella through various musical styles. A Sharp Arrangement is also committed to learning healthy, supported, and energized singing techniques. This award-winning a cappella group has a legacy of success at the ICCA. They placed 3rd at ICCA Northeast Quarterfinals in 2011 and 2014, receiving Outstanding Soloist in 2014. They also placed 2nd in the 2019 and 2020 Quarterfinals, advancing to Semifinals and winning Outstanding Soloist again in 2020. Most recently, they competed in the 2021 and 2022 ICCA seasons, winning Outstanding Vocal Percussion in 2021 and Outstanding Choreography in 2022. They have grown and changed over the years into the incredibly close-knit and hardworking group that they are today! Nowadays, they spend their time competing, touring schools across the state, hosting annual concerts, recording EPs and albums for release on streaming services, and traveling for gigs.
The Allegrettos is a close-knit, all-gender a cappella group from Boston University, whose performances feature alternative pop and R&B songs. When they’re not singing at events on or off campus, they’re recording music, which can be found on all streaming platforms under the name BU Allegrettos. They recently released a new EP, titled Bridges, and plan to release more music soon, so stay tuned! The Allegrettos previously competed in the ICCA in 2020, 2023, and 2024. Last year, they advanced to the 2024 ICCA Northeast Semifinals after placing 2nd and winning both Outstanding Choreography and Outstanding Soloist at Quarterfinals. They are so excited to be back and hope you enjoy their set!
Established in 2004, The Audiophiles is Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s only SATB a cappella group. The group is composed entirely of engineers and scientists who share a love for music and singing. The Audiophiles have previously competed in the ICCA in 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023. In fall 2024, they released their new studio EP, BPM, which features a variety of songs arranged by several group members. They primarily perform songs arranged by active members of the group, which allows their repertoire to reflect the group's musical taste at any given time. While the academic interests of the group range from actuarial sciences to electrical and computer engineering, they bond over making good music and spending time together.
Established in 2003, Partial Credit is the tealest SATB all-gender a cappella group at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. They sing exclusively self-arranged music of all genres, from alternative to indie, pop, and more! They take pride in entertaining others and strive for musical excellence, though never at the expense of being silly little guys at rehearsals and performances. They have competed at ICCA nearly every year since 2007. They also have a mascot whale called Hwate, who is very adorable.
Pitch Please A Cappella is a co-ed group from the University at Albany consisting of 17 members! An extremely collaborative group, they take pride in their dedication to the arts and celebration of all musical genres. They incorporate movement and beatboxing into performances to help foster immersive, unique experiences. Each semester, their e-board carefully puts the group together to optimize their overall potential, displaying individual members’ talents, as well as the collective ensemble. Pitch Please is committed to community-based outreach efforts and providing a safe, inclusive, and fun environment! Their performances include an appearance at the Schenectady Holiday Parade and an event to display how music promotes unity across cultures! They have performed at several previous ICCA seasons and are excited to be back and showcase what makes Pitch Please special!
The Potsdam Pitches is SUNY Potsdam's oldest mixed a cappella group! Founded in 2007 by four students, the group now has an alumni network of over 100 Pitches! The Potsdam Pitches are dedicated to creating a safe and fun environment, and spreading the love of a cappella!
The Potsdam Pointercounts is SUNY Potsdam's premier all-basso a cappella group, with voices ranging from tenor to bass! They dedicate themselves to educating students of all ages about a cappella music and spreading their love for the arts into schools. The Pointercounts perform various styles of music in educational workshops and performances, engaging people of all ages with their creative spirit. A cappella music holds historic and cultural significance and The Pointercounts strive to share one of the oldest forms of choral singing with other students. The Potsdam Pointercounts’ mission is to create an atmosphere where they can create and enjoy music.
Founded in 1997, The Rusty Pipes is an all-gender, SATB a cappella group hailing from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Driven by a collective passion for high-spirited performance, The Rusty Pipes strive for vibrant and emotive performances. From pop to punk to jazz, The Rusty Pipes sing a wide variety of genres. The Pipes perform their original arrangements at events on campus, throughout the New York state region, and across the Northeast! They have also released several albums and EPs on Spotify. A tight-knit ensemble, even outside of rehearsals and performances, The Pipes pride themselves on their dedication to the group and continuous growth. The Rusty Pipes last graced the ICCA stage at the 2023 ICCA Central Quarterfinals and they’re absolutely ecstatic to return for the 2025 season.
Stay Tuned A Cappella hails from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. They are the second award-winning mixed-voice a cappella group on campus and have been around for over 10 years. Their goal is to redefine what a cappella music can sound like and have fun doing it.
Established in 2017, Viridescent is University of Vermont’s first-ever competitive a cappella group! They are so excited to represent UVM in their third consecutive ICCA season. Viridescent’s style is generally R&B-inspired pop, but they sing a mixture of all genres! The group’s main goals are to create music that they are proud to share while spending time with the people they love. Recent projects include the official music video of their 2024 ICCA set, which can be found on Youtube, as well as their fourth studio release, MoVement, available on all streaming platforms! They are also proud to share that all arrangements, recording, and production for that album were done in-group. For easy access to these projects and to stay up to date with all things Viridescent, follow them on Instagram @uvmviridescent. They are beyond thrilled to be here today and want to thank all of their supporters and everyone at Varsity Vocals who made this possible!
GUEST PERFORMERS
Duly Noted is RPI's premier lower-voice a cappella group! Since its foundation in 2008, the group has been bringing outstanding self-arranged harmonies to the ears of the Troy area. They are delighted to be your co-hosts for this part of the competition!
The Rensselyrics is RPI's oldest all-gender a cappella group founded in 1991. Since its founding, the group has self-arranged all of its music. More recently, they have expanded to recording, mixing, and mastering their own albums. Semesterly, they perform at RPI events, locally in the Capital Region, and at regional competitions. When they aren't performing, you can find the 'Lyrics hanging out at Jacob Alejandro, playing board games, and exploring Upstate New York! Find their newest album, Eclipse, anywhere you listen to music, and stay tuned for their upcoming album, Vertigo! Follow them @TheRensselyrics on social media to stay up to date on performances!
TONIGHT'S JUDGES
Anthony Pulido is an arranger and director for Uproar, a Boston-based, professional a cappella group. He attended Northeastern University, where he directed and arranged for The Unisons. He also records and workshops groups and artists in the greater Northeast region, notably at festivals such as BOSS, NE Voices, and Haunted Harmonies. You can also find him as the third member of the “Head/Voice” podcast team. Check out the podcast to hear Anthony discuss a cappella with other members of the community.
Melissa Rashford is a proud alumna of The Mandarins, Syracuse University’s oldest all-female a cappella group. Under her direction, The Mandarins competed and performed throughout the eastern United States, earning multiple awards and national recognition by advancing to the ICCA Finals. Melissa is in her 11th season working with Varsity Vocals. Melissa teaches musical theatre at Rome Free Academy in Rome, N.Y., performs with the Syracuse University Oratorio Society, and is a former adjudicator for the Syracuse High School Theatre Awards. She holds degrees in music industry and business administration from SU and works in the university's Division of Marketing.
Kevin Trapasso has spent the last 15 years involved in Varsity Vocals programs. While majoring in choral music education at Arizona State University, he helped found the school’s first all-male a cappella group, created an annual statewide a cappella festival, and eventually led this group to a Quarterfinal win in his senior year. Since then, he earned a master’s degree in choral conducting and has taught secondary, collegiate, and professional vocal ensembles around Florida and New York. He is so pleased to judge the very competition that helped him grow tremendously as a musician and educator and looks forward to a great night of music!
SPECIAL THANKS
Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank Duly Noted, The Rensselyrics, as well as the staff at EMPAC; 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!
#ICCA