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 MID-ATLANTIC QUARTERFINAL
Ramsey High School
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 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
Evolve hails from Chesapeake High School in Pasadena, Md. Founded in 2017 by former CHS Director Michael Brisentine, this group quickly burst into the a cappella scene, placing 4th at the 2019 ICHSA Finals and earning an award for Outstanding Choreography. In 2020, Evolve was featured on BOHSA, singing “Just Like Me” by Betty Who. More recently, they placed 2nd at the 2021 Mid-Atlantic Semifinals and were named Quarterfinal Champions in 2022. Check out Evolve's EPs on your favorite streaming services worldwide!
The Firetones is a newly formed a cappella group, making their ICHSA debut in 2025. Composed of talented vocalists from High School of the Liberal Arts Harlem, many of whom have strong musical theatre backgrounds, The Firetones deliver performances rich with emotion and stage presence. Their repertoire blends modern hits with timeless classics, all arranged to highlight their dynamic harmonies and theatrical flair. The group aims to foster a deep sense of community through the art of vocal performance, all while showcasing the creativity and spirit of its membership. With their passion for storytelling through song, The Firetones are set to ignite the stage and make a bold entrance into the a cappella scene.
Tamanend Middle School's Gold’n’Blues is a lively group of 7th, 8th, and 9th grade students from Warrington, Pa. who love to sing. They do, however, have a dirty little secret: they are not truly an a cappella group, but rather a chamber choir with an a cappella habit. Over the years as a choir, they have been selected to perform at the Pennsylvania State Music Educators Annual Conference, have won multiple Grand Sweepstakes Awards, and are yearly participants in the Central Bucks Save the Music Charity Concert, the largest scholastic fundraiser for the Save the Music Foundation. As an a cappella group, they have been commended for their engaging, energetic, and sometimes humorous performances. Past performance highlights include ICHSA appearances in 2020 and 2022, opening for Vocalosity at the Bucks County Playhouse, and regional a cappella festivals, where they have worked with many highly respected a cappella clinicians. Gold’n’Blues is active in their local community and beyond, performing at school functions, charity events, festivals, senior centers, shopping centers, and sports games. They are thrilled and honored to compete in the 2025 ICHSA. Gold’n’Blues is directed by Mr. Ian Sanchez.
LumeNAtion hails from Newark Academy in Livingston, N.J, where their motto is "Ad Lumen," or "toward the light!" They rehearse once a week and getting them all together in one room is nothing short of a miracle. They have competed in the ICHSA for about nine years and have loved every experience, meeting wonderful people from other groups and making great music. After many years being led by Mr. Viraj Lal, this year's group has a new director, Mr. Jack Bender. He is very proud of these hardworking, talented students.
The Nocktaves is a competitive a cappella group from PequanNOCK (get it?). The group began in 2018 after attending an ICHSA event. They are three-time Mid-Atlantic Semifinalists and have performed at Yankee Stadium twice.
The Ram Jams is the principal competitive a cappella group within the Ramsey High School Chorus Program. The group represents the top auditioned students from within the chorus program and performs works from a wide variety of genres, including contemporary a cappella, classical choral repertoire, and new works. The ensemble was established in 2016 and is a yearly competitor in ICHSA, where they have earned the titles of Mid-Atlantic Champion and Runner-Up many times over the years. Outside of competition, The Ram Jams have been invited to perform in many concerts and festivals, including invitations to ACDA Eastern conference, and as the first-ever student group featured at the NJMEA Gala concert. The Ram Jams’ recordings have been featured on BOHSA albums and they recently released their second album, Unchained, which is available on all digital platforms!
The Ramsey Blues is one of the two competitive a cappella groups within the Ramsey High School Choral program. The group was established in 2021 and has grown significantly since its inception. The ensemble contains students from various parts of the Ramsey High School community and participates in local concerts and festivals at Ramsey High School and in the North Jersey area. They are very excited to participate in this year's ICHSA competition!
Remix is Montclair Kimberley Academy’s a cappella group. They love singing together in performances at school and in their community. They have 18 members, two student captains, student choreographers, a director, and a student music arranger. They have been a part of ICHSA for many years and are excited to return. Remix values ICHSA as an annual highlight to meet and hear other a cappella groups!
The Rhapsodies is an all female a cappella group based in Ridgewood, N.J. They enjoy singing songs from current artists such as Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, Laufey, and more. They rehearse before school starts in the morning and love to begin their day with friends and music. Rhapsodies promote inclusivity and positivity in their rehearsals, and work to make sure everyone feels like a part of the team. They can't wait to perform for you all today!
The Spartones was founded in the fall of 2019 at Steinert High School in Hamilton, N.J., by their choir director, Miss Madelyn Curtin. Since then, Spartones has become an unbreakable musical family. They take every opportunity they can to perform and are excited to be back at the ICHSA this year. In the past, they have performed at the National Jazz Fest and A Cappella at the Rock. They are also the proud hosts of the Spartan A Cappella Showcase, now in its third year this spring. They are excited to share the stage with so many other great groups! Enjoy the show!
TONIGHT'S JUDGES
Brian Chambers has founded or helped found three award-winning collegiate groups, including, at the time, the youngest group to make ICCA Finals ever. He has earned three ICCA awards for Outstanding Vocal Percussion and received the first Outstanding Arrangement award for a hip hop song in ICCA history. He created and founded The Red States, named a best a cappella group by “Time Out New York.” He also helped launch the first digital A&R agency for A-list and Billboard 100 artists. Brian is a Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARA) nominator, the former director of communications and marketing for the Contemporary A Cappella Society (CASA), and served on its board of directors. He is the co-producer for the NY Harmony Sweepstakes, the longest running a cappella competition in the U.S., and does artist management in his spare time. He currently leads digital for (RED), the nonprofit founded by Bobby Shriver and U2's Bono, which fights two pandemics helping relaunch their music franchise, Dance (RED) Save Lives. If you don't blink, you can catch him in “Pitch Perfect 2.”
Kevin DeLisa is a charismatic, well-rounded vocal educator with a bachelor's degree in music education from Ithaca College and a master’s degree in music and music education from Columbia University. He has taught in a wide variety of musical spaces throughout his young career, allowing for a sense of diversity in educational thought. Kevin’s pedagogy for music education through an instrumental, vocal, and theoretical basis all prove to give high-level musicianship, community, and performance opportunities for his students. Kevin has also been nationally recognized for his vocal and a cappella arrangements, including a 2018 ICCA award for Outstanding Arrangement and a 2021 CARA for Best Male Collegiate Arrangement. He has written over 90 vocal arrangements for collegiate, professional, and high school ensembles, all of which return with high praise of engraving, voice leading, and enjoyment. His writing style focuses on cohesion of line for the performers, without sacrificing intrigue and emotional development for the audience. His scoring is succinct, advanced, and comprehensive for any level of performance.
Andrew Richardson is a recent graduate from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam where he received a bachelor's degree in music education, specializing in choral and general music. During his time at Potsdam, Andrew was a member of The Potsdam Pitches and served as music director for two years, leading The Pitches to one of their most successful seasons since their inception. Besides directing, Andrew is also a skilled arranger who has been recognized by Varsity Vocals, CASA, and the Recorded A Cappella Review Board (RARB) for his exemplary creative works. Andrew arranges for a variety of groups outside of the collegiate scene as well, including middle school, high school, and semi-professional groups. Currently, Andrew is a master’s student at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami where he studies music education and works with the Donna E. Shalala MusicReach program to enrich the education of underserved communities within Miami-Dade County.
Andrew John Kim Siribansop is an a cappella producer, recording engineer, vocal percussionist, and prolific arranger from New York City. He received his Bachelor of Music in music composition from Northwestern University and his Master of Music in film scoring from New York University. At Northwestern, Andrew was a founding member and music director of his cfollegiate a cappella group, Extreme Measures. He also founded, music-directed, and arranged for the professional a cappella group, Backtrack. With Backtrack, Andrew had the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall, the Beacon Theatre, the UN, during the Broadway show "Kinky Boots" and on "The Steve Harvey Show." Currently, Andrew sings, VPs, and arranges for Irish, a vocal trio and winner of the 2018 Open, and completing his M.B.A. at NYU Stern.
Mason Van Gieson is an actor, vocalist, and clinician based in New York City. You might know her as the Creative Director of women's vocal collective VICE A Cappella (@viceacappella) or as a member of BLACKOUT (@blackout_nyc). She is also a member of brand-new pro quintet Chasing Saturn (@chasingsaturnofficial). No stranger to Varsity Vocals, she is an alumna of the University of Michigan’s Amazin’ Blue and was a (not TOO long ago!) ICCA Finalist with them, serving as performance director and choreographing their cinematic set, “Chasing Love.” In addition to performing, Mason serves as a clinician for scholastic vocal groups around the nation, with a particular focus in helping students find the “why” behind their music. She also serves as a teaching artist with music education nonprofit Midori & Friends, bringing an a cappella-focused curriculum to NYC elementary schools. For more follow @masongvang www.masonvangieson.com
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 Mid-Atlantic 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!
#ICHSA