2025 ICCA Northeast Quarterfinal @ New York Society for Ethical Culture

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

New York Society for Ethical Culture
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

The Cleftomaniacs is New York University’s premier all-treble a cappella group, built on a strong love for music and an irreplaceable chosen family. The Cleftos, as they call themselves, have been stealing hearts and stirring up treble since 1997, with a diverse group of members spanning the university from pre-med students to drama majors. Their repertoire ranges from contemporary pop and R&B to classics that everyone knows and loves, all featuring a signature Cleftos flair that makes it completely their own. Last year, they placed 2nd overall at Northeast Quarterfinals, earning a spot at Semifinals for the first time in the group’s history, and earned their second consecutive special award for Outstanding Choreography. The Cleftomaniacs are ecstatic and grateful to compete in their sixth ICCA season! Make sure to follow them on Instagram @nyucleftos to stay up to date on upcoming music releases (EP coming soon!) and shows!

The Clefhangers, Columbia University’s contemporary all-gender a cappella group, have been harmonizing the halls of New York City since 1988. Known simply as The Clefs, this diverse ensemble blends pop, rock, jazz, and R&B into dynamic performances. Composed of both undergraduate and graduate students, The Clefs represent an inclusive and passionate arts community, with members hailing from around the world. Their performances have reached beyond campus, with highlights including appearances at the Rockefeller Tree Lighting Ceremony and the NYC Marathon. In the competitive a cappella scene, The Clefhangers have a long history of success, including six ICCA Quarterfinal and Semifinal placements, plus awards for Outstanding Soloist and Outstanding Vocal Percussion. After competing in the 2024 ICCA, their first since 2008, The Clefs are back and ready to take the stage again in 2025!

The F Sharps is a mixed a cappella group of 14 members coming from various musical backgrounds. While some of them are trained vocalists, others are talented instrumentalists. They are the only a cappella group at Fordham Lincoln Center, their Manhattan campus, and they sing all types of music. With original arrangements and selections determined through a democratic vote, The F Sharps align with the “power to the people” mantra, supported by their E-Board and music directors. Outside of rehearsal, they pride themselves in forging meaningful connections among group members and believe that friendship is the key to success. For example, they love to go on outings, such as karaoke at Dave & Buster’s in Times Square. The F Sharps are excited to share their music in the 2025 ICCA.

Frequency is Pace University’s premier a cappella group. In fall 2017, Frequency was founded by a few Pace students to offer a creative outlet for students to grow their musical gifts. Their mission is to be a place for students from all different cultures and backgrounds to express their love for music. Frequency was the 2023 ICCA Northeast Quarterfinal Champion, placed 2nd overall in the 2023 ICCA Northeast Semifinals, and received the award for Outstanding Choreography. Their latest EP, Thaw, is out now on all streaming platforms.

Hawkappella is Hunter College’s only a cappella team! Founded in 2011, they allow all students to audition and join, regardless of major and experience. They have been competing in the ICCA since 2020 and took 3rd place at the Northeast Quarterfinals both in 2023 and 2024. Their goals are to create a community to perform the music they love and to form a family.

The Mixtapes is a competitive group from NYU that is entirely student-organized, student-led, and student-arranged. Winners of Outstanding Arrangement at the 2024 ICCA Quarterfinals, The Mixtapes sing all genres, from pop, soul, R&B, and folk, including music from artists such as Phoebe Bridgers, Daniel Caesar, Lizzy McAlpine, Lorde, and Hozier. In addition to competing, the Mixtapes recently released their EP, Freefall, which you can find on their Spotify, and spend lots of time traveling and connecting with other groups and artists. They've collaborated with Northeastern Unviersity's Nor'easters, Princeton's Roaring 20, and performed with touring artists Alexander Stewart and Spencer Sutherland. To stay up to date with The Tapes, you can follow their performances, trips, collaborations, and vlogs on YouTube and Tiktok by searching “The Mixtapes”, and on Instagram @themixtapesnyu!

Tonal Recall is a mixed a capella group from Pace University in New York City. This family of performers is open to anyone willing to dedicate their energy toward bettering themselves and their art. Tonal Recall sees music and a cappella as a way to express themselves and bring people of different backgrounds together. Above all, this group is a place for its members to come together and create something that makes them proud. Tonal Recall views the ICCA as the end goal of their semester and works throughout the year to ensure that they bring their best when they compete. Tonal Recall has competed in the ICCA since around 2014 and they are thrilled to compete again.

Founded in September 2022, Unjust Intonation is an all-gender, student-run a cappella group at The New School. Created to build performance opportunities for non-music majors, this group welcomes students from all of The New School’s colleges to audition, fostering opportunities for cross-college collaboration that are uniquely powerful and uniquely fun! Every year since its inception, Unjust Intonation has been accepted to compete in ICCA Quarterfinals. At its core, Unjust Intonation is focused on engaging with their community, both on and off campus. Unjust Intonation seeks to perform a diverse repertoire, pushing themselves over time to learn both familiar favorites and entirely new musical genres as they grow. They especially pride themselves in devoting time to learn their group members’ musical heritages. Within the walls of Arnhold Hall, where incredible (but often intense) school-run classical and jazz ensembles rehearse every day, Unjust Intonation is a bright, welcoming, inclusive, and supportive ensemble that embraces the joy of creating music together. No voice is ever unwelcome here!

Vocollision is a competitive mixed-gender a cappella group at NYU that specializes in outside-the-box performances and exploring diverse genres. Founded in 2008, this all-inclusive group has performed nationwide, released singles, an EP, and music videos, and competed across the Northeast. Recently, they were named ICCA Quarterfinal Champions in 2024 and 2021, and won awards for Outstanding Arrangement, Choreography, Vocal Percussion, and Videography at ICCA Quarterfinals and Semifinals. Above all, Voco is a family that loves to chill and have fun but they’re ready to kick ass when the time comes!

Originally founded in 2005, The Vocaholics was established by students interested in exploring the world of a cappella. Today, they count between 14 to 18 members in their ranks and perform an eclectic mix of music, ranging from Beyoncé and Renee Rapp to Caroline Polachek! They pride themselves in cultivating a diverse group of singers who share a passion for performing. The Vocaholics are so excited to be back at ICCA this year and they can't wait to perform for you!

GUEST PERFORMER

Black to Gold is an award-winning six-piece New York City a cappella group. The group is a diverse set of stellar individual artists, blending their talents into a high-energy musical engine that is sure to get any audience on its feet. The group produces smart original arrangements of music across many genres, from classics to modern pop and electronic music, reinventing it with a unique sound and tight blend that can't be matched.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Steven Alexander is a graduate of the University of Miami's Frost School of Music with a degree in music education. While there, he led the award-winning a cappella group BisCaydence to a 2nd place finish at the 2019 ICCA Finals. He served as an associate conductor with the Miami Children's Chorus and at the Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts. His passion for a cappella and vocal continues to this day, and he actively serves as a clinician for groups around the country. Steven recently completed a dual M.A./M.B.A. at the Eastman School of Music/Simon Business School at the University of Rochester.

Candice Helfand-Rogers, a longtime Varsity Vocals judge, has been active in the a cappella community for decades. At Rutgers University, she sang with and music-directed Deep Treble, then went on to help found and direct ShockWave, leading the latter group to ICCA Finals in its first year. After graduating, she co-founded semi-professional a cappella group Restated (formerly known as The Red States) and served as its musical director for several years. She garnered multiple awards for her onstage and studio contributions to these groups as a soloist, arranger, and choreographer. In addition, Candice is a session singer whose voice can be heard in Universal Studios' hit a cappella movies, "Pitch Perfect" and "Pitch Perfect 2,” as well as in numerous ad campaigns. Candice now sings with several New York City ensembles, including Broadway Inspirational Voices and Ghostlight Chorus, as well as the choir at First Unitarian in Brooklyn, where she is a section leader. She has also been a featured performer at venues like Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Minskoff and New Victory Theaters. Outside of her musical endeavors, Candice is a journalist and an extremely proud mom.

Originally from Torrington, Conn., Kyle Hogan currently lives in Washington, D.C. and works in antitrust law. As an undergraduate at the University of Rochester, Kyle dedicated most of his time outside of his core studies to making music as he trained in classical voice and sang bass with The YellowJackets, joining shortly after their feature on NBC's “The Sing-Off.” Recently, Kyle has lent his voice to a number of collaborations, including work with Street Corner Symphony and June. Kyle currently sings bass in the new six-person vocal band, Nomadic.

Leon Hua is a vocal percussionist, arranger, performer, and music educator living in New York City. Leon is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he was a part of the five-time ICCA Champions, The SoCal VoCals, as a VP, singer, and arranger. Leon began his a cappella journey in high school, when he attended A Cappella Academy, a summer camp co-founded by Ben Bram, Rob Dietz, and Avi Kaplan. Since then, Leon's performances and arrangements have appeared on BOCA, BOHSA, Voices Only, the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs), and the A Cappella Video Awards (AVAs).

Andrew John Kim Siribansop is an a cappella producer, recording engineer, vocal percussionist, and prolific arranger from New York City. He received his Bachelor of Music in music composition from Northwestern University and his Master of Music in film scoring from New York University. At Northwestern, Andrew was a founding member and music director of his collegiate a cappella group, Extreme Measures. He also founded, music-directed, and arranged for the professional a cappella group, Backtrack. With Backtrack, Andrew had the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall, the Beacon Theatre, the UN, during the Broadway show "Kinky Boots" and on "The Steve Harvey Show." Currently, Andrew sings, VPs, and arranges for Irish, a vocal trio and winner of the 2018 Open, and completing his M.B.A. at NYU Stern.

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank Nicole Palmetto for day-of producing; New York Society for Ethical Culture; RDX; 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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