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 UNITED KINGDOM QUARTERFINAL

Squire Performing Arts Center
Sunday, January 26th, 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

Entering its ninth generation, Steelworks, Sheffield’s premier a cappella group, returns to the ICCA stage with signature stunning vocals, killer moves, and immaculate vibes. Over the last year, the Steelworks have been busy travelling up and down the country sharing their talent at events, making the top 10 at the Open A Cappella Competition (OAC), performing as the only northern group at the London U.K. A Cappella Showcase, and producing their second successful show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. With their iconic sparkly silver attire, Steelworks is very excited to put on a show for you tonight! 

AbraCappella is a mixed-gender group from the University of Birmingham. This eclectic group includes students from all fields of study, including liberal arts, chemistry, and computer science. Despite this, they’re a close-knit group of musicians who love singing together, whether for local gigs in Birmingham or competitions like the ICCA. They get on so well and although cliché, it’s fun to rehearse with people they love creating Abra magic with. For their fourth consecutive ICCA season, they had to rebuild the group after all except two members passed on (to the next phase of life after graduation)! They are delighted to be back with fresh faces that are just as eager to enter the a cappella world. In past years, AbraCappella have loved performing pop mashups from Bruno Mars to Arianna Grande. This year, they have been graced with some arranging talent with an R&B touch and the whole group has invested hard work and drilling to learn the songs. AbraCappella hopes you love their performance as much as they do! Abra love <3 

The Uptone Girls hails from the University of Birmingham! As a 2022 ICCA U.K. Semifinalist and Wildcard Champion, this all-female group has been performing and competing for 14 years. Their vocal and stylistic range is unmatched, bringing class, elegance, and heaps of energy to each performance. With their pop medleys, R&B classics, soulful ballads, and jazzy hits, it's no surprise they're known as the real-life Barden Bellas! Gigging all over Birmingham, they reinvent each song with their own unique, vibrant twist, not to mention their heart-stopping harmonies, bringing fresh life to every note. They hold fundraisers for different charities and have even held school workshops to inspire young people to be creative! More than just a group, The Uptone Girls is a sisterhood of talented singers, united by a shared passion for music, collaboration, and empowering female voices. This powerhouse of talent, dedication, and camaraderie is sure to leave a lasting impression, soget ready to be blown away by the unmistakable sound, spirit, and style of The Uptone Girls! 

OffScore is the University of Warwick’s newest, pinkest, mixed a cappella group, here to take the "mid" out of Midlands and put the W in Warwick. Featuring 13 members from diverse cultures and backgrounds, this year’s set celebrates their vibrant energy, featuring classics across thundering Bollywood dance, soulful R&B, and delightfully camp, pitch-perfect-inspired pop. Having made their competition debut just last year, OffScore is back for more and ready to shine (hopefully with no soloists battling throat issues this time). They hope you enjoy watching as much as they enjoy performing for you! 

The Leamingtones is University of Warwick's leading a cappella group. This is their fourth ICCA, and they hope to improve upon their back-to-back Quarterfinal victories of the past two years. Last year, they received multiple awards for their soloists and arrangements, and placed as the top collegiate group in the OAC. They are the No.1 society on campus alphabetically and have over 1 million YouTube subscribers between them. When The Leamingtones are not being threatened with Nerf guns by their musical director, you can find the humanities students at concerts and the STEM students in the library. Whether they're competing on the national stage or performing at local events, The Leamingtones love to perform and look forward to sharing this new generation with you today. 

The Songsmiths is the University of Leeds' competitive a cappella group and they are thrilled to present this latest generation of talent! After welcoming three new members, they’re more energised than ever to showcase their  incredible growth. Following their success in making it to the 2024 Semifinals, The Songsmiths are excited to bring their passion and creativity back to the ICCA stage. They have carefully crafted a powerful set to take you on a journey of highs and lows. With each member contributing unique strengths, The Songsmiths aim to captivate and inspire through their vocal artistry. This year, the 13-person group is pushing the limits of what they can achieve, determined to go even further competitively, and, above all, to have fun singing as a group, because that’s what a cappella is really about! 

The Skylarks of The University of Manchester are proud to make their ICCA debut! Founded just a year ago, this group shares a passion for a cappella and a collective dream to take the competitive stage. The group is incredibly diverse, with members representing a total of 10 different countries! Despite their different backgrounds, The Skylarks have grown close as a family through a cappella. As a first-time competitor, they are excited to share their amazing set with an audience and hope their debut leaves a lasting impression! 

Aca-Pocalypse is a mixed group from the University of Nottingham, now in its 10th year! They are returning to the ICCA, bringing their signature blend of feel-good hits and gorgeous ballads that just might make your mum cry. Known across the U.K. for their high-energy performances, Aca-Pocalypse has done it all, from charity events to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where they had an incredible sold-out Fringe run with their fellow group from the University of Nottingham, RadioOctave, in 2023. Aca-Pocalypse is more excited than ever to take on the ICCA once again! This 10th generation of members is ready to rock the stage, so get ready for unforgettable harmonies, contagious energy, and a performance you won't want to miss! 

Echotones have quickly established itself as one of the University of Nottingham's most dynamic a cappella groups, known for their infectious energy and fun arrangements. They put a fresh and creative twist to both classics and chart-toppers, with their signature sound showcased in their newest single “No Peace.” Echotones can’t wait for you to see what they’ve been up to this year and hope to have you vibing right along with them in their ICCA debut! 

Firecracker: a loud, explosive firework; a banger! The Firecrackers is a brand new mixed a cappella group at the University of Nottingham hoping to go far in the ICCA. They sing mainly indie/pop songs but also encourage member creativity and are open to any kind of music. The group is bolstered in experience with three group leaders (former members of Radio-octave, Acapocalypse, Echotones, and Noise), as well a World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA) World Champion singer from Malaysia. They are also blessed to include a group of largely international students, showcasing talents from all over the globe.

RadioOctave is the longest established competitive group at the University of Nottingham. This is the 11th generation of the group and they have qualified for the ICCA U.K. Semifinals for the last four years, most recently earning 2nd place in 2024. They specialize in pop music, but have branched out to choral pieces (notably at the 2023 ICCA U.K. Semifinal!), as well as rock and musical theatre numbers! Over the last decade, they have performed at Nottingham Splendour Festival, pub gigs, radio, TV, and more. Throughout the year, RadioOctave performs at gigs on campus in and around Nottingham. They also travel around the country, performing at the Showcase of Northern A Cappella, Vocal Jam, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where they had a sold-out week of shows in 2023 in collaboration with Aca-Pocalypse! Their most recent Fringe show theme was movies, with some moving “make your mum cry” ballads like “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and some upbeat funky dance numbers like “Footloose!” RadioOctave is a close-knit group, committed to having fun both on and offstage and creating the best sound possible!

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Felix Dickenson is an award-winning London-based producer, conductor, arranger, and performer. He has toured across Europe with professional vocal group LowKey, for whom he is also music director. He performed at ICCA with the University of Bristol's lower-voice outfit, Academy, reaching consecutive ICCA U.K. Semifinals. As an audio producer, Felix has also received multiple Contemprary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs) and nominations. Outside of the a cappella scene, Felix is an in-demand bass-baritone soloist, choral conductor, classical producer, and musical theatre performer, specialising in originating roles in new British musicals. He currently works at the Royal Academy of Music. 

Duncan Parker-Payne served as primary arranger and musical director of Semi-Toned, the University of Exeter's all-male a cappella group. During his time in the group, Semi-Toned competed on two television shows on BBC 2 and Sky One, performed in three U.S. tours and five Edinburgh Fringe shows. The group also placed 2nd in the ICCA U.K. Semifinals twice. Post-university, he sang with The Great Western Chorus as tenor section leader, winning Bronze at The British Association of Barbershop Singers convention. He currently serves as the musical director of Rebound, a Bristol-based contemporary a cappella group. 

Annie Winson was educated as a vocalist at Wells Cathedral School in Somerset, where she learnt a range of music genres and was first introduced to singing with big bands. She continued to sing throughout university, performing with a collection of pop and soul bands and occasionally as a classical soprano soloist. Annie attended the University of California, Santa Barbara where she heard a cappella music for the first time. A roommate encouraged her to audition for the all-female group, Vocal Motion, after hearing her sing around their apartment. Annie joined the group and sang with them for the duration of her time at UCSB. Annie has also worked as a professional vocalist. Whilst living in Singapore, she was able to return to her love of performing with big bands and jazz groups and was lucky to sing with a group of fantastic musicians at some of the biggest and most exciting venues in the country. 

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank emcees Jake Sauchella-Tice and Helen Wieland, sound engineer Simon Allen, the Squire PAC, and production assistant Rachel Xuereb; 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 United Kingdom 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