2025 ICCA Southwest Quarterfinal @ University of Colorado

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 SOUTHWEST QUARTERFINAL

University of Colorado - Colorado Springs
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

The Aerodynamics is the United States Air Force Academy’s first female a cappella group! The group has been practicing and performing together since it was founded in spring 2022. The group has been privileged to perform at various events for the USAFA and Colorado Springs community, as well as events around the nation for DoD and Air Force leadership. Last winter, they had the honor of singing for the Secretary of the Air Force, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force at the Pentagon, along with USAFA’s men’s a cappella group, In the Stairwell. Despite the rigorous schedule of the Academy, these young women find time to rehearse after long days of classes and training and love sharing their creative outlet with fellow cadets and the larger community. Music is a passion for this group, but their priority extends to their future service, with hopes of becoming officers in the Air Force and beginning careers as pilots, cyberspace operators, intelligence officers, and much more.

Since 1996, Extreme Measures has always lived up to its name. Pushing the boundaries of what's possible with a cappella music, their diverse mix of voices ensures that their music is tight and their family is too. Their repertoire includes fun and challenging arrangements of pop songs, jazz, indie, hip hop, and more. The group is constantly adapting and changes every semester based on what talent and style new members bring to the group. You only have to answer one question...Are you extreme?

Exit 205 A Cappella calls the University of Denver home. Exit 205 was founded in 2008 and is DU’s premier co-ed competitive a cappella group. They’ve competed in the ICCA for the past two years and are excited for the opportunity to perform and compete in the 2025 season. In addition to creating beautiful music, Exit 205’s members spend their time skiing or hiking in the mountains and bonding over Just Dance. They are incredibly grateful for this opportunity to perform for tonight’s audience.

In The Buff A Cappella, from University of Colorado, cannot wait to dazzle tonight’s audience with their beautiful melodies and harmonies.

The United States Air Force Academy's In the Stairwell formed in 2004 by a group of freshmen who, due to the discipline and rigors of their freshman year, sang together in the only place they could: in the stairwell. They are the Academy’s premier all-male a cappella group that may have started in a dormitory stairwell, but has gone on to perform for millions across the country, including the President of the United States. They also were Semifinalists on “America’s Got Talent.” With approximately 12 members, the group practices each week and sings a variety of music, from contemporary hits to the national anthem. They perform for official functions and entertainment on base and in the community. This will be their 10th time competing in ICCA.

Colorado State University’s Mainstreet A Cappella is a dynamic vocal ensemble renowned for its captivating a cappella performances. Composed of talented singers from diverse musical backgrounds, Mainstreet A Cappella blends powerful harmonies and innovative arrangements to create unique and engaging musical experiences. The group performs a wide range of genres, from pop and jazz to R&B and contemporary hits, bringing a fresh and modern twist to each song. Mainstreet was founded in 2012 and continues to gain momentum in the a cappella world. Recent accomplishments include progressing to ICCA Semifinals in 2021and 2024, as well as placing 1st in Denver University's 2024 Acappellooza.

One Note Stand A Cappella is a mixed-voice group from the University of Colorado Boulder, and they are so excited to be returning for their fifth ICCA season. Founded in 2016, One Note Stand is composed of entirely non-music majors and performs for audiences on campus, around Boulder, and throughout Denver and northern Colorado. They perform original arrangements spanning a wide range of genres and are excited to announce their debut EP releasing later this year! Check them out on Instagram (@nenotestandcuboulder), TikTok (onenotestandacappella), and YouTube (One Note Stand A Cappella) to see what they’re all about. They hope you enjoy the show!

Rhapsody A Cappella is a student-led, coed a cappella group that seeks to provide a unique musical experience for the Montana State student body and community. The group is made up of students from all majors who dedicate their time to music and improving their craft. Each year, Rhapsody provides free concerts and frequently partners for performances with other groups in Bozeman and around the state. In the past, they have sung with The Chord Rustlers (a local barbershop chorus), held concerts at venues in town, sung at the Downtown Bozeman Christmas Stroll, and performed on campus in the SUB. They’ve had the pleasure of singing at the Day Of Student Recognition, as well as at the 125th MSU Birthday Bash. Beyond Montana, Rhapsody has traveled to Washington for the Annual Northwest A Cappella Festival, performing with regional groups and workshopping with leaders from the a cappella community. In addition to performances, Rhapsody is the first group from Montana to compete in the ICCA. The group rehearses frequently for this competition, improving their confidence, musicianship, and performance ability. Rhapsody provides a supportive community for all of its members, serving as a musical family.

Salt Flats A Cappella is the only student-led a cappella group at the University of Utah! You may have known them as Business Casual A Cappella and hope you continue to support them in their rebrand. They are dedicated to creating a fun and inclusive, yet competitive environment for students who love to sing at the U! While Business Casual competed in the ICCA competition for four consecutive years, this will be their first year as Salt Flats A Cappella!

Tonal Eclipse is Oklahoma City University's premier mixed a cappella group. Tonal Eclipse made its ICCA debut in 2024 and was fortunate enough to be selected as the ICCA Southwest Quarterfinal Champion! They also won Outstanding Arrangement for their entire set at Quarterfinals and Outstanding Soloist for Anna Catherine Morgan at both Quarterfinals and Semifinals. Tonal Eclipse is predominantly made up of acting and musical theatre majors, but represents every kind of major within their small university! Tonal Eclipse is incredibly excited to return to the ICCA competition and looks forward to another year of a cappella magic!

GUEST PERFORMERS

Colorado Springs, Colo. is home to Crimson & Slate, the premier a cappella ensemble from Cheyenne Mountain High School. Founded by director Dawn Wisdom in 2002, the girls (Crimson) and the guys (Slate) performed for many years as two separate ensembles, but combined to form Crimson & Slate in 2017. Crimson & Slate have a successful history with multiple state championships, eight trips to ICHSA Finals, two placements in the National A Cappella Convention (NACC) Finals, and the National High School Showcase. This spring, Crimson & Slate will return to both NACC and the National High School Showcase. Last fall, they were selected to perform in the showcase at the Kettering National A Cappella Festival. They truly love festival experiences and are always excited to perform in front of a crowd of a cappella fans! Crimson & Slate record music each year and release music videos. You can find their recent videos on their YouTube channel, and music on most streaming platforms. They have been nominated for A Cappella Video Awards (AVAs) for their videos, appeared on BOHSA albums, and have opened for several professional a cappella groups. Follow Crimson & Slate on Instagram!

Metallics Jazz Choir is a 16-voice treble jazz ensemble from Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, Colo. The group is directed by Dawn Wisdom and accompanied by Kim Gustafson. Metallics Jazz has been a part of the choir curriculum since 2015. The group performs home concerts, at community events, and at festivals each year. They have received Superior ratings and top rankings at Colorado events, including the UNC Jazz Festival, MusicFest, and the CHSAA Jazz and Aca Festival, as well as national events in Honolulu, Orlando, Fla., San Francisco, and more.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Lisa Estevez-Celi is no stranger to vocal music as a singer, arranger, and group leader. While attending undergrad at Saint Louis University, she was a member of Beyond All Reason, a treble a cappella group. There, she began studying music theory in her free time, using her knowledge to help arrange a variety of music, ranging from Jordin Sparks to Misterwives. Lisa and the rest of the group leadership helped take the group from Quarterfinal participants to Quarterfinal Champions, competing in ICCA all four years. Now in medical school, Lisa continues to pursue her a cappella interests as time allows with her school a cappella group, The MEDleys. Lisa also has an extensive base of musical knowledge from her eight years in the St. Louis Children's Choirs where she built a strong foundation in sight singing, harmony, music performance, and theory.

Jessica Glime has a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. While in school, she served as music director, a featured soloist, and arranger for The UNCG Sapphires, an award-winning female a cappella group, and managed production on two of their albums. She has been teaching choir, piano, music theory and ukulele in North Carolina and Colorado since 2008. Jessica is also a vocalist in the Colorado Caroling Company and the Denver Choir League.

Rhys-Jasper León has been involved in collegiate a cappella since 2018 when he joined Power Chord at Oregon State University. After transferring schools to the University of California, Irvine, he joined Uniting Voices as their bass. He was music director of the group for the 2022-2023 academic year and arranged the group's award-winning set, Colour Vision, for the 2023 ICCA season. Under his leadership, Uniting Voices won their Quarterfinal and advanced to West Semifinals, and Rhys-Jasper won the award for Outstanding Arrangement for the entire set. He has been a commissioned a cappella arranger since 2022.

Alex Ochs is excited to be judging his fourth season for Varsity Vocals. He is a 2014 graduate of Elizabethtown College, where he studied social work and music, with concentrations in piano and vocal performance. While in school, he served as music director for the all-male a cappella group, Phalanx, and was also a member of the co-ed group, Vocalign. Under his direction, Phalanx advanced to ICCA Semifinals for the first time in its 20-year history. He is an experienced accompanist for choirs, instrumentalists, and vocalists. He is currently a Ph.D. student at the University of Denver.

Nina Sypolt first embarked on her a cappella journey in 2010 at Elizabethtown College. While there, she pursued a degree in social work with a minor in music. She contributed her talents to various vocal groups, including the show choir, all-female a cappella group, and co-ed a cappella group. Within a cappella, she held roles as a vocalist, vocal percussionist, and arranger. Nina assumed the role of Melica's music director, guiding them to notable achievements including multiple appearances at ICCA Semifinals. Nina's expertise and passion for a cappella brought her here, where she is returning for her fourth year as an ICCA judge.

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank 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 Southwest 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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