2025 ICCA South Quarterfinal @ Cypress Lake 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 SOUTH QUARTERFINAL

Cypress Lake High School
Saturday, February 15th, 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

BisCaydence is an award-winning a cappella group from the University of Miami, founded in 2011. Known for their vocal excellence, they placed 2nd at ICCA in 2019 and earned a spot on the BOCA 2020 album. In 2024, they advanced to the ICCA Finals and released Frostbite, an EP featuring their competition set. Dedicated to pushing creative boundaries, BisCaydence captivates audiences with their unique sound and sets themselves apart within the a cappella scene.

The Crescendudes is the only tenor-based all-male a cappella group at the University of Central Florida. They sing all types of songs and always infuse their sets with fun. They want their audiences to have just as much fun watching them as they have onstage. Not only an a cappella group, The Crescendudes is a brotherhood with a connection beyond the music. They put heart and soul into their sets and hope to give the performance of a lifetime. After a long hiatus, this is The Crescendudes’ second consecutive year performing at ICCA. They hope to raise the bar from last year and showcase everything these talented men can do. Good luck to all of tonight’s groups!

HEARTbeats A Cappella is Florida International University's only award-winning a cappella group, winning both Outstanding Choreography in the 2022 ICCA South Quarterfinals and the Gold Division of Panther's Got Talent. The HEARTbeats was created 10 years ago as part of the FIU Honors College Honors Education in the Arts (HEARTS) program, which aimed to create spaces for STEM-minded students to express their creative side. This all-gender a cappella group includes all majors, from pre-law and pre-med students to those with Broadway ambitions. HEARTbeats’ goal is to share the gift of music with others and give back to their community by performing around campus and volunteering at local nonprofits.

KeyHarmony is the only all-treble a cappella group at the University of Central Florida. Founded in 2009, they emphasize storytelling through music and forging strong bonds among the group. KeyHarmony has been competing in their signature purple at ICCA since 2010 and was the highest scoring all-treble group at their 2023 Quarterfinal. In addition to ICCA, KeyHarmony looks forward to competing at VoiceJam this April and releasing their single, “Another Lifetime.” At their core, KeyHarmony deeply cares for one another, both as an ensemble and as people. They are grateful for the opportunity to share their hard work and perform alongside the other wonderful groups tonight!

Mixed Mode is an all-gender a cappella group from the University of Central Florida, established in 2015. They’ve been competing in ICCA for several years and are so excited to be back. They are a group that values artistic expression, storytelling, and individuality. Over the past couple of years, they took 2nd place in their 2023 ICCA South Quarterfinal and won several Outstanding Choreography and Outstanding Soloist awards. In addition to traveling and competing, they released two singles to Spotify and Apple Music this past school year. They specialize in pop and alternative music and also love to reimagine classic songs. This group provides each member with valuable experiences that help them grow as musicians, performers, and leaders. To keep up with Mixed Mode, follow them on Instagram @mixedmodeacappella. They hope you enjoy their set as much as they enjoyed creating it!

Phoenyx A Cappella is a co-ed group from the University of Miami. They pride themselves in their love for music and creating strong bonds within their Phamily. Like the legend of its namesake, Phoenyx is a rebirth of a former a cappella group at the University of Miami. Phoenyx is distinguished by their black and burgundy performance attire, as well as their hand sign, which consists of interlocking your thumbs and facing your palms inward to create a phoenix. Fueled with fire and fervor, you don't want to miss a Phoenyx performance.

Rocky’s Angels is the only all-female a cappella group at the University of South Florida. The group is completely student-run, leading all of their own efforts in arranging, choreography, and fundraising. The group name is a play on “Charlie’s Angels,” replacing Charlie with the name of USF’s beloved mascot, Rocky D. Bull. Established in 2016, the group is approaching its 10th anniversary and has only grown in talent and community. In that time, the group has supported one another through a global pandemic, performed all over Tampa Bay, and built a sisterhood. This year, the Angels are proud to present a set all about growing and coming of age, with crowd favorites and classics that are sure to leave the crowd smiling and reminiscing. Horns up and wings out!

Tones of Gold is an all-gender a cappella group from the University of South Florida. An entirely student-led group, all of their arrangements are composed in-house. This year marks Tones of Gold’s 10th year anniversary as an ensemble and the group members are excited to carry on its legacy for many years to come.

“A story has no beginning or end: arbitrarily one chooses that moment of experience from which to look back or from which to look ahead.” “Our job in this life is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.” “Stories are cyclical in nature—it’s a tale as old as time. “What is today, was before. What was yesterday, will be tomorrow.” “Stories never really end...even if the books like to pretend they do. Stories always go on. They don't end on the last page, any more than they begin on the first page.” “Stories don’t end. They just turn into new beginnings.” —Graham Greene, Steven Pressfield, David Hatcher Childress, Cornelia Funke, and Voicebox

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Christopher Andres attended The Ohio State University and studied music education and music performance. He also was a member of The Ohio State University Men's Glee Club and University Chorus. Chris has been singing and playing the piano since he was 5 years old and also plays flute, tenor saxophone, baritone, and trombone. Chris has performed on numerous stages around the world as both an instrumentalist and vocalist. He currently 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. He is currently in his sixth year at Greenville Senior High School in Greenville, Ohio as the assistant vocal music director and accompanist.

Paige Betts is the orchestra director at Mountain View High School in Lawrenceville, Ga. She is an experienced music educator, having taught string orchestra, chorus, and musical theatre, and has twice been runner-up for Teacher of the Year. She has given clinics with various orchestras, chorus, and a cappella ensembles across the Southeast, and has taught private voice and viola lessons. Paige is a graduate of the University of Georgia and is currently working towards becoming a Double Dawg. Paige lives in Winterville, Ga. with her husband, Andrew, and their dogs, Jake and Barbara.

Sean Dean is a Nashville-based singer, songwriter, vocal arranger, dancer, and choreographer. Originally from Phoenix, Ariz., Sean moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University and graduated with a B.M. in commercial music and a minor in music business. While in school, he served as the president and choreographer of The Pitchmen, leading the group to their 1st place ICCA Finals win during the 2023 season and taking home the special award for Outstanding Choreography at every ICCA competition that year. He was also a vocal arranger and dance captain for Company, the university’s award-winning commercial vocal ensemble. Currently, Sean is a choreographer and show designer for high school and collegiate a cappella programs, a clinician, and continues to write and perform original music.

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank Gary Stroh; 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 South 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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