2025 ICHSA Great Lakes Quarterfinal @ Port Washington 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

ICHSA GREAT LAKES QUARTERFINAL

Port Washington High School
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 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.

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.

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

Beloit Turner Overdrive (BTO) from F.J. Turner High School is in its eighth year of existence as a competitive group. Composed of freshmen through seniors, this group is almost entirely student-led. This extracurricular group meets on Monday nights and during the school day.

Colla Voce, from Madison West High School, is an entirely student-led a cappella group. They were formed in 2018 and have competed in ICHSA since 2020. When they;re not practicing for ICHSA, you can find Colla Voce members caroling, having sleepovers, and learning strange bird calls. Last year, they made it to ICHSA Semifinals for the first time in the group's history. Even more exciting, they were awarded Outstanding Arrangement for “First Light” by Hozier (arranged by Cassandra Sabota and Gilbert Pawelski). Their 2025 set is R&B inspired, channeling the great voices of exuberant Black female artists Alicia Keys, Rihanna, and Beyoncé. Feel free to grove along as they take you on a journey through the syncopated motifs and sweet clashes of the blues. Colla Voce’s dream this year is to push the envelope, so they hope you enjoy theirset.

CYC Out is a contemporary a cappella group from Clinton High School located in south central Wisconsin. Founded 11 years ago, they meet three or four times each week to rehearse, make music, and have fun. Made up of 16 amazing students from a small agricultural community, CYC Out blends harmonies and choreography to bring a fantastic show for every audience. These students design all choreography and support one another in being their best. They hope you enjoy the show!

Genesis A Cappella is an all-treble group from Brookfield East High School. Proudly student-led, this group includes students from all grades who love making music. This set was choreographed by current group members and arranged by alumni. Throughout the year, the self-proclaimed “genesisters” love to have potlucks galore, including a “carbo cram” just last night. Their bond and love for their community is so strong, they are happy to wake up at 6:30 a.m. three days a week for rehearsal! Aside from the music, Genesis members love competition outfits and insist they’d win the Outstanding Outfit award if it existed. Genesis A Cappella is ready to show you what they love doing most: singing in pink!

Graftonics is a competitive a cappella group from Grafton High School, composed of freshmen through seniors. This dedicated group of students rehearses each week and sings at various school and community events. They love competing and believe it pushes them to be better artists and form an unforgettable community!

King’s Court is composed of students from Rufus King High School's Advanced Choir and they are thrilled to be the first group from Milwaukee Public Schools to compete in the ICHSA. King's Court prides itself on its diversity and originality, performing both covers and original songs. They hope to build meaningful connections, both within the group and with other groups from around the region. They always aim to put on a great show for every audience and they’re especially excited to take the stage for their ICHSA debut! King's Court would like to wish all groups good luck in the competition.

Knight Club is Oak Creek High School's premier mixed-voice a cappella group. They have been heavily involved in the high school a cappella scene since 2014. During that span of time, they have participated in ICHSA every year, including the year that it was a virtual competition, and have been fortunate to advance to Semifinals and Finals on multiple occasions. Knight Club enjoys hosting a cappella workshops and concerts, like OCAP (Oak Creek A Cappella Party) http://www.singocap.org/ and AC in the OC (a cappella in Oak Creek). They have been featured on BOHSA, and have a growing catalog of songs available on various streaming services. Knight Club prides itself on putting together powerful performances that tell their stories. Follow Knight Club on Instagram @ochsknightclub

Limited Edition is a talented mixed group of young men and women from the Port Washington/Saukville School District in Wisconsin. Founded by their director, Dennis Gephart, the ensemble began as an extracurricular a cappella group that provided opportunities for advanced music students throughout the district. The name Limited Edition was chosen to represent the group’s most unique characteristic: each roster of Limited Edition only lasts one school year, at which point an entirely new group is formed.

Nothin' But Treble is Loyola Academy's all-female a cappella group. They have performed competitively throughout the Midwest and are in demand throughout the Wilmette community. Nothin' But Treble won their ICHSA Great Lakes Quarterfinals in 2023 and 2018, and they’re excited to be back this year.

The Trebelsome Teens from Hortonville High School is a student-run group. The only help from the choir director is opening the door to let them in the building. They audition members from the pool of 1,300 ninth through 12th grade students at our school. The Treblesome Teens enjoy making music together and are proud to be entirely student-directed.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Lili Fujiu is an a cappella director and arranger currently based out of Waukegan, Ill. Lili was the music director of The Harmelodics, the treble a cappella group at Northern Illinois University, for four years. As a former ICCA competitor, she is one of the most decorated treble arrangers in ICCA history with three Outstanding Arrangement Awards. With over 10 years of arranging experience, her catalog contains nearly 100 arrangements, mainly specializing in SSAA. Post-college, she clinics, presents arranging workshops, and continues to arrange for various groups in the Chicagoland area.

Michell Lazarow has over a decade of experience in a cappella music, including serving as music director for The Ohio State of Mind and No Comment. He reached the ICCA Finals with both groups, earning a 4th place finish in 2024. Along the way, he’s received accolades including four Outstanding Arrangement awards, an Outstanding Vocal Percussion award, and nominations for both the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs) and A Cappella Video Awards (AVAs). Mitchell currently serves on the Production and Events and Education teams at Cut Off Studios, and helps groups across the country prepare for competitions.

Michael Severino (he/him/his) began his a cappella journey at Illinois State University, where he served as the music director and choreographer of The Clef Hangers. Under his leadership, the group consistently excelled, earning top placements at the ICCA Great Lakes Quarterfinals and advancing to Semifinals for three consecutive years. Michael was recognized with awards for Outstanding Arrangement and Outstanding Choreography for his contributions to their award-winning performances. Currently, Michael is the education coordinator for the Los Angeles A Cappella Festival (LAAF), where he organizes the workshop schedule and collaborates closely with a cappella educators to deliver a diverse and enriching experience for attendees. He also evaluates recordings as a judge for the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs) and A Cappella Video Awards (AVAs), helping recognize excellence in collegiate, high school, and professional groups. In his role at Cut Off Studios, Michael organizes and manages nationwide educational events designed to inspire and connect the a cappella community. Finally, as a production assistant for Varsity Vocals, he ensures the smooth operation of the ICHSA competitions, coordinating logistics, and working behind the scenes to support successful events. Michael’s extensive experience in performance, education, and event management highlights his passion for fostering growth in the a cappella community.

A native of upstate New York, Erin (Shults) Smith developed her passion for contemporary a cappella as a member of Premium Blend, Ithaca College’s Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA)-winning treble a cappella group. Erin quickly discovered a love for arranging and vocal percussion in college. She received her B.A. in music from Ithaca College in 2010 and went on to obtain her M.A. in arts management at the Florida State University College of Music. Erin served nonprofit organizations and universities in Texas as a fundraising professional for nearly a decade. In 2022, she moved to the Chicagoland region, joining the leadership team of the Northern Illinois University Foundation. As Senior Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, she helps NIU faculty and staff connect their transformative research projects and impactful programmatic initiatives with philanthropic support and external engagement opportunities. Outside of work, Erin continues to arrange and has volunteered as a Varsity Vocals adjudicator since 2018. She also previously served as a master clinician, workshop presenter and panelist at SoJam and briefly supported the fundraising efforts of the A Cappella Academy. She remains a dedicated advocate for the contemporary a cappella discipline and for the performing arts.

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 ICHSA Great Lakes 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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