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 WEST QUARTERFINAL

Downey Theatre
Saturday, February 1st, 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

Circle of Fifths is UCI’s premier lower-voice a cappella group. This student-run group provides a space for its members to come together and sing. They prioritize showmanship and brotherhood and reflect that energy in their performances. Circle of Fifths creates opportunites for singers to compete and perform memorable music. 

Clair de Lune A Cappella is the only all-female a cappella group at the University of California, Irvine, composed of members from various ethnicities, social classes, and levels of musical experience. CDL priortizes inclusivity and support, bringing together women from all over the UCI campus. Their goal is to provide sisterhood for women who are passionate about music, especially music that promotes women empowerment. CDL is thrilled to showcase their sisterhoood’s growth at their fifth ICCA! 

The FullerTones, founded in 2016, is a student-led a cappella group that made its ICCA debut last year! As the only a cappella group at California State University Fullerton, they’re excited to continue growing and sharing their voices through competition. This ensemble proudly represents a diverse mix of backgrounds, cultures, and identities, including people of color and members of the queer and trans communities. Despite their differences, The FullerTones enthusiastically unite to create music that both reflects their individual and collective spirits. They value representation and a strong sense of self and work hard to convey that in their music. The FullerTones hope that their audiences connect with the stories they share through song and enjoy their perofmrance. 

Morse Coda A Cappella is the newest all-inclusive a cappella group at the University of California, Irvine. This group of passionate musicians shares a love for a cappella. With members hailing from various academic backgrounds, Morse Coda thrives on collaboration and innovation, blending contemporary choral, pop, jazz, and R&B in their arrangements and compositions. They participate in campus events and showcases, embodying their love for singing through rich harmonies and engaging performances. Morse Coda aims to foster a kind and supportive community, where members build lifelong friendships in addition to developing their vocal skills. They value connection and creative growth, creating an uplifting space for members to connect with fellow musicians. Through their passion for music and commitment to excellence, Morse Coda strives to impact the community at UC Irvine. 

Pitch, Please! was founded in the winter of 2017 and is a co-ed, competitive a cappella group at UCLA. Their music varies widely, from indie ballads to upbeat experimental-pop hits, most of which is arranged by members of the group. Their passion for a cappella has driven Pitch, Please! to strive for bigger and better things. In 2019, they competed in ICCA, released a music video, and recorded their debut album, Made To Fly, which was nominated for three Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs)! They followed up that success with a 2nd place finish at their 2020 ICCA West Quarterfinal, also taking special awards for Outstanding Arrangement, Outstanding Vocal Percussion, and Outstanding Choreography. They were honored to receive more special awards for Outstanding Vocal Percussion and Outstanding Choreography at the 2022 ICCA West Quarterfinals, as well as 1st place wins at Quarterfinals in both 2022 and 2023. Pitch, Please! loves sharing their music with others and hopes to continue performing, competing, and releasing music in the future.

Founded as a quintet in 2012, Resonance has since transformed one of UCLA's premier all-gender a cappella groups. Their love for music unites students from all fields of study and they pride themselves on next-level performance, competition, and content-creation. Since 2017, Resonance has competed annually in the ICCA, where they advanced to Semifinals in 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2024, and all the way to Finals in 2021. Their competitive spirit does not stop there. Over the years, they have qualified for and performed in the Los Angeles A Cappella Festival (LAAF) Scholastic Competition and in UCLA’s most competitive talent showcase, Spring Sing. Resonance also enjoys making content, releasing their 2023 ICCA set music video on YouTube, their first studio album, In This Light, to all streaming platforms, and all sorts of content on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. They are currently producing their second studio album and recording an EP! Guided by their passion for performance and community, Resonance is a diverse family of musicians who hope to make a lasting impact with their music. 

As one of the University of Southern California’s premier mixed a cappella groups, Reverse Osmosis A Cappella is thrilled to return to the ICCA, ending their long competitive hiatus. Since its founding in 2001, the group has provided musicians a safe, fun, and inclusive space to build community through a shared love for  music. They reflect these values in their diverse musical selections, with repertoire extending from indie-pop to oldies to rap. In addition to performing throughout the USC and Los Angeles communities, Reverse Osmosis is featured on three studio albums, all of which can be found on streaming platforms. As “the purest sound on campus," the group is known in the USC community for their distinctive stage presence and precise harmonies, having performed for many large events and in many of the major performance spaces at USC. Reverse Osmosis is excited to bring their enthusiasm, talent, and love for music to the 2025 ICCA and return to the competitive a cappella scene.

Established in 2009, Vermillion Vocalists, also known as VeVo, is an all-inclusive a cappella group at the University of California, Irvine dedicated to musical excellence. The group is composed of diverse and talented individuals, all united with a shared passion for music-making. They have a similarly diverse taste in repertoire, ranging from classic hits to today's chart toppers in genres such as pop, hip hop, and R&B. In addition to performing for on-campus events such as Take Back the Night and TEDxIrvine, VeVo performs throughout the community for private events and competes at the ICCA. Previous ICCA honors include 3rd place at 2024 ICCA Quarterfinals, 1st place at 2022 ICCA Quarterfinals, and 2nd place at 2020 ICCA Quarterfinals, plus several special ICCA awards along the way. 

VOXEM is an a cappella group from the Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Estado de Mexico founded in 2023. Its members are university students who perform a mix of different musical styles, such as Mexican folk music, musical theatre, and pop songs in English, Spanish and Spanglish. VOXEM's goal is to share the fusion of all these styles, which, as different as they may seem, connect together with harmony. Director and arranger Dave Pineda is the former director and arranger of famous Mexican a cappella group, Los Saviñón, which had an extensive career on YouTube and digital platforms. VOXEM rehearses with love, effort, and discipline and is already preparing material for digital platforms and social networks. VOXEM is honored for the opportunity to make their ICCA debut and share their talent on an international stage.

GUEST PERFORMERS

In 1992, UCLA's Awaken A Cappella made history by becoming Southern California’s first collegiate co-ed a cappella group! Awaken alumni include Broadway actresses Nicolette Robinson (Jenna in "Waitress") and Joanna Jones (Peggy Schuyler in "Hamilton"), members of the award-winning group ARORA, and nine-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles. The group has continued to share its love for music by performing at events such as UCLA Dance Marathon, AIDS Walk Los Angeles, the LEAP Gala, WOW2023 Mental Health Summit, ICCA, and other events both on and off campus. Awaken has placed 3rd in ICCA West Quarterfinals and has won awards including Outstanding Choreography and Outstanding Vocal Percussionist. Awaken is a diverse group of talented individuals from all over the world. Group members are studying a variety of subjects, ranging from engineering to literature to musical theatre!

8eyes is an L.A.-based singer-songwriter pop duo, made up of Abe Soane and Jeong-Soo Park. They met in college at UCLA and have been friends and writing partners ever since. When they write music, they keep a quote in mind: “Music is for the listener, but the performers are the first listeners.” Their goal is to write music that tells a story, and makes the audience feel something. Soane and Park know they've done their job well when their music makes them feel the story while playing it.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Julia Chase is a Los Angeles-based creative dedicated to creating art that provides space for people to feel and heal. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and Theatre, with a minor in Performing Arts Administration, from Northeastern University. While there, she was an integral part of Pitch, Please!, a women-centered treble a cappella group, and held several leadership roles, including business manager, PR manager, treasurer, and choreographer. Julia earned Outstanding Choreography two times in the 2023 ICCA season, taking her group to Finals where they placed 3rd overall. She was previously the Creative Director of a theatre workshop in Massachusetts and most recently served as movement director for Playboy’s “Chokecherry’s Raw and Real Story of Love, Music, and Power,” as well as the band’s music video, “Messy Star.” Julia is currently in pre-production for a music video she is directing, set to release in Marc 2025. As a Varsity Vocals judge, she hopes to use her experience to support the next generation of a cappella talent.

Natalie Gonzalez is an award-winning Guatemalan-American vocalist known for her rich, warm alto tone and extraordinary versatility. She has performed and recorded with renowned artists such as Josh Groban, Scott Hoying, Kelly Clarkson, David Foster, Chlöe Bailey, and Björk, touring with her on the acclaimed Cornucopia tour in 2022. Most recently, her voice was featured on Scott Hoying’s Grammy-nominated “Rose Without the Thorns” and his debut single “Mars.” Natalie won a 2024 Grammy with choral group, Tonality, for Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album for “So She Howls” by Carla Patullo. Her voice has been featured in major film and television productions, including “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” “Agatha All Along,” “The Masked Singer,” “Hocus Pocus 2,” “Disenchanted,” “The Rookie,” “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F,” and Rihanna’s Oscar-nominated “Lift Me Up.” Natalie was a standout member of California State University Long Beach’s Pacific Standard Time, one of the nation's premier vocal jazz and a cappella groups. She won a DownBeat Award for Outstanding Soloist and performed at the Next Generation Jazz Festival in New Orleans. She has also appeared in prestigious choral productions, including performances with the Kronos Quartet and Distant Worlds: Final Fantasy Live. A proud Latina Natalie has performed in prominent Hispanic projects, including singing for President Joe Biden and world leaders at the 2022 Summit of the Americas. She also took center stage as a soloist in “Encanto: Live to Film” with the Evergreen Orchestra in Taipei, Taiwan, sharing her voice and Latin American heritage on a global platform. Currently, Natalie is a worship leader at Hour of Power and an alto in the esteemed L.A. Choral Lab. She continues to establish herself as one of L.A.’s most sought-after vocal talents. 

Will Lagos (he/him) is a Los Angeles-based singer, actor, and vocal arts educator with over 20 years of singing experience. Will attended the University of Southern California’s School of Dramatic Arts where he performed with four-time ICCA Champions The SoCal VoCals, winning the title of ICCA Champions in 2008. Currently, Will serves as the music and performance director of The Westminster Chorus, a men's barbershop choral ensemble, which holds the titles of 2009 Choir of the World and International Barbershop Chorus Champions in 2007, 2010, 2015, 2019, and 2024. As a member of The Westminster Chorus, Will has given concerts all around the United States, as well as in Canada, England, Germany, Holland, The Netherlands, and New Zealand. As an active member of the Barbershop Harmony Society, Will is a certified judge in the Performance Category of BHS's Contest and Judging program. A sought-after clinician and coach, Will teaches barbershop performance and singing techniques here and abroad, whether on the faculty at Harmony University in Nashville, Tenn., as a guest clinician at the LAAF, as a guest lecturer at European universities, or coaching the hobby's highest achieving performing ensembles. Finally, Will is also a founding member of Public Assembly (@thepublicassembly), a nonprofit theatre company and performing arts collective producing free theatre every month in the city of Los Angeles. Will currently serves on the faculty at the California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley, where he teaches musical theatre repertory, vocal technique, and theatre history.

Maddi Lasker is a multitalented vocalist, music director, voice actress, and award-winning arranger. She recently graduated from the University of Southern California, where she majored in popular music and was a member of USC’s premier a cappella group, The SoCal VoCals. While in The VoCals, she served as the music director for two years, leading them to a 2nd place finish at the 2023 ICCA Finals. She also served as vocal percussionist, co-arranger, and a soloist during ICCA. Along with her two co-arrangers, she won Outstanding Arrangement at the 2023 ICCA West Quarterfinal. During her tenure as music director for The VoCals, the group also performed at various events honoring Grammy-winning artists and songwriters. Before college, Maddi was a co-director of Calabasas High School’s a cappella group, Unstrumental, where the group was the first to ever win the LAAF in consecutive years (2018 and 2019). She was also awarded Outstanding Soloist in 2019. In addition to competing, the group performed at Carnegie Hall and for various festivals across the country. Now, Maddi records and arranges vocals for various artists, musicians, and music studios. She records background vocals regularly at Cherokee Studios in Hollywood and she's performed live with artists including Karen O and Pentatonix. As a voice actress, she can be heard on various networks, including on YouTube, where her roles have garnered millions of views and are watched internationally. 

Kayla Pichichero is a music producer and songwriter from Long Island, N.Y., currently living in Los Angeles. Kayla has extensive experience in the a cappella world, teaching at various festivals across the country, writing and recording music with her band, Birdland Avenue, and interviewing over 100 guests on her podcast “Head/Voice.” Kayla regularly writes and produces indie pop, alternative, and singer-songwriter music with and for artists across the country. 

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank tonight's emcee, Aaron Jung; opening act, Awaken A Cappella; guest deliberation performers, 8eyes; volunteers, Valentyna Simon and Max Pruett and all the staff at the Downey Theatre, especially our sound engineer, William Harper, and Steven Humenski, Kimmi Perkins, and Elizabeth Speltz; 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 West 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