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 SEMIFINAL

The New Wimbledon Theatre
Saturday, March 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

Hailing from Imperial College London, The Techtonics are back! Known for their trademark combination of energy and… erm… anyway, this ragtag team of scientists and engineers are taking a different approach to the ICCA this year (pause for oooos). By funnelling their busking money, they have managed to purchase time on the NASA supercomputer in order to create the mathematically perfect ICCA set. As it turns out, no amount of statistical analysis could account for what you are about to see! They do hope you enjoy and judges, please note the 10 pound note placed under each of your seats.

Northern Lights is Durham University’s mixed, premier a cappella group, made up of 15 talented and passionate performers. They have competed in the ICCA since 2015 and this 12th iteration of the group is excited to continue their legacy after two Semifinal titles. With eight incredible new members, they are proud to maintain their ethos of “One Entity, One Voice.” Find them on all of their socials @nlacappella to hear more about their latest music, projects, and exciting new ventures! 

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 Open A Cappella Competition (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!

When ICCA season rolls around, most groups do their best to quit messing around, get serious, and start acting professionally on stage. The Other Guys tend to do the opposite, bringing out their signature sense of humour, unexpected arrangements, and irreverent stage presence. Hailing from the University of St. Andrews, they placed 2nd in the 2024 ICCA United Kingdom Semifinals, and are back this year in search of that top spot. In addition to competing in the ICCA, they have placed 1st at the Scottish A Cappella Championships (SACC), released a full length album, filmed a music video, and acquired two new members, all in the last year. This year they’re back with a new set, but still overdressed for the occasion in their classic black suits.

Formed in 2008, The Hummingbirds is a close-knit all-female a cappella group from the University of St. Andrews. They love to perform a wide range of music with creative choreography and stunning harmonies. Individually unique and collectively charming, the only thing The Hummingbirds love more than rehearsing is showing off their impressive arrangements while having fun together onstage. These talented songbirds blend their voices effortlessly, creating a beautiful and powerful set that they can’t wait to share with you.

The Bristol Suspensions is the University of Bristol’s 16-piece, mixed collegiate a cappella group, known for stunning vocals, slick choreography, and that signature shade of maroon. Having recently celebrated their 10th anniversary, The Suspensions’ accolades include winning the 2021 ICCA U.K. Semifinals, the Voice Festival in 2016, and becoming international champions in the 2019 IIAF. Among their highest achievements is their Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA)-winning album, Red Hot, which highlights the group’s eclectic genre range, including pop, jazz, rap, and soul. In the 2022 ICCA season, The Suspensions qualified for the Wildcard round and achieved two special awards for Outstanding Soloist. In addition to winning Solevoci A Cappella Festival in 2024, they achieved the Best Soloist award and were described as “the future of a cappella” by Deke Sharon. Beyond competitions, the group had two consecutive sell-out runs at The Edinburgh Fringe and performed at venues in Italy, London, Wales, and across the U.S. East Coast. In Bristol, they can be found busking, bringing their infectious high-energy and stunning sound to the city centre. With fresh choreography, vocalists, and arrangements, you don’t want to miss the newest generation of The Bristol Suspensions. 

Illuminations is The University of Exeter’s premier mixed a cappella group. Currently in its 14th generation, Illuminations delivers powerful, energetic, and polished performances. Last ICCA season, they placed 1st at ICCA U.K. Quarterfinals in Exeter, took 3rd at Semifinals in London, and won Outstanding Vocal Percussion in both rounds, courtesy of the group’s nationally acclaimed beatboxer, Elliot Mainwaring. In addition to ICCA, the group’s recent accomplishments include selling out an Edinburgh Fringe show and recording an album (release imminent). With their clean blend, engaging performances, and balance of fun and professionalism, Illuminations Gen 14 is set up for another great year. This year’s cohort of powerhouse vocalists is undoubtedly impressive, especially considering that none of them formally study music at university. They can’t wait to show the ICCA what Generation 14 of Illuminations can do! 

The Rolling Tones is an upper-voiced a cappella group from King's College London, known for their tight harmonies, creative arrangements, and award winning choreography. Their many credits include 2018 ICCA Finalists, 2023 ICCA Quarterfinal Champions and U.K. Runners-Up, and 2024 CARA winners. The Rolling Tones love experimenting with different genres, honouring their favourite female artists and putting creative twists on well-known classics. With powerhouse vocals and an exciting new setlist, they are thrilled to be back at the ICCA!

Aquapella is a multi-award-winning a cappella group based in Bath in the United Kingdom. In addition to releasing their own music, they have performed at a host of incredible places, achieved multiple awards, and put on successful shows at The Edinburgh Festival Fringe each year. In 2023, they competed in the OAC, winning awards for Exceptional Choreography and Exceptional Vocal Percussion. That same year, they had an especially successful ICCA run, winning 1st place and Outstanding Arrangement at U.K. Quarterfinals and ultimately making it all the way to ICCA Finals as the Wildcard Champion. Aquapella was honored to be the first-ever U.K. group to win the Wildcard title and compete at Finals in New York for the group’s third time, following their appearances in 2017 and 2019. They sing everything, from pop bangers to heartfelt songs guaranteed to make you shed a tear.  Aquapella’s aim as a group is to share what they love most with others.  

GUEST PERFORMER 

"Diary of a Gay Disaster" is a new musical hit exploring the sapphic experience. Having just concluded a run at the Arcola Theatre, this comedy show just won Best Studio Production at the 2025 What'sOnStage Awards and is currently recording their cast album. Keep your eyes and ears out for where this show will go next!

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 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. 

Alicia Gayle's love of voices-only music began when she joined The Florida State University Acabelles. She served the group as an arranger, choreographer, and vocal percussionist, picking up skills on the way to be an inspiring and supportive musical director. After moving back to the U.K., Alicia directed The Oxford Belles through an incredible run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and participation in the Voice Festival U.K. competition. She then moved on to pursue her postgraduate studies at Imperial College London, where she sang and arranged for The Imperielles. The biggest highlight of her a cappella career remains competing in the ICCA and making it to ICCA Finals in New York! She is excited to be involved once again and looks forward to tonight's performances.

David Green has been performing a cappella for over 20 years, with over 200 performances under his belt. He began first as a singer and arranger for Naked Voices, touring all over the U.K. for eight years. Naked Voices was an early arrival on the U.K. a cappella scene, establishing a cappella music at the Edinburgh Fringe in the 2000s, winning the festival's Sell Out Show award for three visits in a row, and featuring on the BBC's "Best of the Fringe" show. In 2009, David formed Original Sing from former Naked Voices members, who went on to win the 2013 Voice Festival Community Championship and the open category of the Bristol Choir of the Year contest.

Midé Naike developed an avid interest in a cappella in 2012, and joined Sons of Pitches the following year as its beatboxer. Highlights over his two years with the group include performances at the Edinburgh Fringe, Paderborn (Germany) 2015, and a crazy three weeks in Hong Kong. In the U.K., they've run a number of school workshops, including his own solo beatbox masterclass. In 2015, he and the boys won BBC's The Naked Choir, which was a truly awesome experience!

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank MCs Dan Mailer and Jake Sauchella-Tice, sound engineer Tom Fairbairn, the New Wimbledon Theatre, 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 placing group at this event will advance to the 2025 ICCA Finals.

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