2025 ICHSA Great Lakes Quarterfinal @ Niles West 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

Niles West High School
Sunday, February 23rd, 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

The Angelics is Plainfield North High School’s premier treble a cappella group. An innovative and passionate group of musicians, they seek to push the boundaries of contemporary treble a cappella, using their angelic voices to connect, inspire, and empower. Last year, The Angelics competed in their first ICHSA, performing their set, “The Power of Us: Reflections on the Female Experience.” In their debut, The Angelics were named Quarterfinal Champions and ultimately took 3rd place in the Wildcard round. They also won Outstanding Soloist at Quarterfinals and Outstanding Choreography for both Quarterfinals and Great Lakes Semifinals. A student-centered group, The Angelics show leadership in choreography, assistant directing, arranging, song selection, and event planning. They take pride in creating a supportive space for music, celebrating authenticity and collaboration. A powerfully united group, The Angelics’ music transcends notes on the page through their sisterhood connection. They are thrilled for their second ICHSA and bring the highest standards of musicality, choreography, and heart.

The Hinsdale South Acafellaz is an all-male a cappella ensemble from Darien, Ill. Founded in 2023 by directors Chris Gumban, Collin Page, and Sean Lohmeyer, the group is made up of talented young men from Hinsdale South, ranging from freshmen through seniors. The Acafellaz was named after Illinois State University’s Acafellaz, of which the group’s current directors are alumni.

Hinsdale South’s Secondary Dominance is an all-female a cappella ensemble from Darien, Ill. Founded in 2023 by directors Chris Gumban, Collin Page, and Ashley Kratschmer, the group is made up of talented young women from Hinsdale South, ranging from freshmen through seniors. SD was named after Illinois State University’s Secondary Dominance, of which the group’s current directors are alumni.

The Spartan Singers is the premier a cappella group of St. Francis High School and they’re back for their second ICHSA season. The group performs a wide range of music, from choral to jazz to pop and rock. They have been recognized as exceptional musicians and community members. They have performed at various events on campus, participated in the Illinois Music Education Association district choir and vocal jazz ensemble, Millikin University’s Vocal Festival, and the Illinois High School Association’s solo and ensemble competition, assisting in St Francis’s five consecutive 1st place wins. They have also performed in Disney World and Universal Studios. The Spartan Singers love performing together and sharing music with their community. They are so excited to be back for a second ICHSA and share their sound with a new audience!

Upscale A Cappella is a brand-new, entirely student-run group on the North Shore. They sing a little mix of everything, but especially love pop music. Small but mighty, they are passionate, enthusiastic, and always 100 percent committed. Friends first and singers second, they frequently have group “Glee” and “Pitch Perfect” watch parties! In the wise words of T-Pain, one of their greatest musical inspirations, “I make sure I sing a cappella to let people know I can sing.” They recite this mantra at the start of every rehearsal, reinforcing their a cappella journey. Special shoutouts to their parents and teachers who encouraged them to start the group, and to their dog mascot who often joins in the choir at rehearsals. Beyond being aspiring a cappella stars, Upscale A Cappella always has a blast at rehearsal and is super excited to compete for their first time. Follow their Instagram @upscale.acappella and always stay acamazing!

Vocal Point is a treble group from Lockport Township High School. They have competed at both the Quarterfinal and Semifinal levels of ICHSA and placed at ICHSA Great Lakes Semifinals in Milwaukee. Vocal Point has also competed in the ICHSA Wildcard competition.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Stephen Lanza has been referred to many times by his friends as a walking encyclopedia of a cappella music. He graduated from the University of Missouri in spring 2015. As a student, he sang with and eventually ran the all-male group, Add9, for four and a half years and was a member of Hitt Street Harmony, the contemporary music group through the School of Music, for a year and a half. In summer 2013, Stephen had the privilege of performing alonside “The Sing-Off” contestant, Groove For Thought, as a vocal percussionist during their exhibition performance at VoCALnation. Currently working as an industrial engineer in the Milwaukee area, Stephen continues his love of a cappella by writing for the Recorded A Cappella Review Board (RARB) and has penned over 150 reviews. He is currently the music director for Focus, an award-winning extracurricular a cappella group at Port Washington High School, as well as an active arranger and a cappella clinician in southeastern Wisconsin.

Rowan Ownby graduated from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in choral music education. During her time there, she was a member of the all-treble a cappella group, The Illinois Rip Chords, serving as music director and arranger. Having begun her a cappella career in high school, she has been arranging for a cappella groups since 2013 and continues to do so for college groups and high schools around Illinois. She is now working as an audio engineer for a cappella groups at The University of Illinois and does not see herself stopping anytime soon.

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.

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

#ICHSA