2025 ICHSA Mid-Atlantic Semifinal @ Neptune 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 MID-ATLANTIC SEMIFINAL

Neptune High School
Saturday, March 29th, 2025

WE'RE SOCIAL

We're talking about this event, and all of our events around the world!

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@varsityvocals

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

Mpulse is a co-ed a cappella from Montville Township High School in New Jersey. Last year, they made their ICHSA debut, winning 1st place at Quarterfinals, as well as Outstanding Choreography and two Outstanding Soloist awards. They are so excited to be back in the ICHSA!

CHS Varsity Vocals was founded in 2015 as the premier a cappella group at Carteret High School and they have performed at many venues locally and statewide. They always look forward to competing at ICHSA, notably winning 1st place at the 2020 Quarterfinals and 2nd place in 2024, as well as earning the title of Wildcard Champion in 2022. Most of all, the Varsity Vocals enjoy singing and performing together and are proud to represent Carteret.

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!

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.

AChoired Harmony is Egg Harbor Township High School's premier a cappella group, led by Mr. Richard Tinsley. In their ICHSA debut, they placed 3rd in the 2024 Quarterfinals. With 17 members, this season brings more experience and motivation for even greater success. AChoired Harmony has won numerous awards in New Jersey, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Excited to compete and perform, they look forward to another outstanding ICHSA season. Please stream their music on all platforms and support them as they continue to make their mark in the a cappella world!

Since its inception in 2012, Stay Tuned from Cherry Hill East High School, created and directed by Heather Lockart, has experienced widespread success. They were selected to be featured on an eight-week Lifetime docuseries, "Pitch Slapped," which aired during the winter of 2016. Since then, Stay Tuned has performed at the Kimmel Center, Lincoln Financial Field, The Town Hall, Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall alongside the cast of the "Pitch Perfect" films. Most recently, Stay Tuned has competed in two ICHSA Finals competitions in New York among the top groups from across the nation. While they have enjoyed such great national success, sharing their love and passion for music with their local friends and supportive community has always been their main priority. The members of Stay Tuned are thankful for every performance opportunity and strive to inspire and bring joy to their audiences.

Sol is a group from Severna Park, Md. and was formed in fall 2021. Sol, by definition, means both “sun” and a pitch on the solfege scale, but means so much more to this group. For them, Sol means joy, pride, acceptance, family, and a bright passion for music. In order to create amazing music, Sol believes that a group must have a close-knit dynamic and a soulful connection. They hope their selections convey that something as small as a bunch of choir kids can make a family.

The Screechin’ Eagles is a dynamic a cappella group from North Point High School. The current ensemble is made up of 10th through 12th graders who are passionate about music and performance. These students love to create powerful and lush harmonies and perform with a vibrant stage presence. With a commitment to teamwork and musical excellence, this group entertains and inspires their audiences with their infectious enthusiasm for a cappella music. The members of Screechin’ Eagles share a passion for a cappella, but many of them are also part of North Point High School’s larger choral music family. Numerous members have further distinguished themselves with selections for regional and state-wide honor ensembles. Whether at school events or regional performances, Screechin’ Eagles always soar to new heights, leaving a lasting impression wherever they perform.

The Bee's Knees, from Bayonne High School, was founded in 2018 under the direction of Samantha Herskowitz. The group is composed of current Bayonne High School students from all grades, many of whom are involved in multiple music programs at the school, including the award-winning Bayonne High School Marching Band and Drama Society. Last year, The Bee’s Knees competed for the third time in the ICHSA. They placed 1st at the Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinals for the second consecutive year and advanced to Semifinals. The Bee's Knees perform at community events, clinics, and concerts and are so excited to be competing for their fourth ICHSA season.

The Ridgewood High School Acabellas is an all-female a cappella group made up of passionate and independent musicians from the school’s choir, band, and orchestra programs. They were founded in 2011 and annually compete in the ICHSA. They perform at school functions, including sporting events, assemblies, and notably Valentine's Day when they serenade students with singing grams. They enjoy performing songs by women from all eras. You can support them at their school a cappella concerts and check out their live performances on Spotify.

GUEST PERFORMER

Scarlet Sound is Neptune High School's premier vocal ensemble. Scarlet Sound has been competing in the ICHSA for eight consecutive years and has earned a spot in Semifinals four times. They have also been nominated to the New Jersey State Teen Arts Festival seven times, each time garnering a Distinguished rating. Scarlet Sound has been a featured performer at the NATO Parade and was chosen to perform in Disney World twice. Their most recent accomplishment was winning the NBC New York/Telemundo 47 Star Choir Competition, where they were selected by Kelly Clarkson herself to perform at the "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" tree lighting this past December. When the students were asked to describe their set in one word, they chose “emotions.” Scarlet Sound wants to thank their hometown for coming out to support them this evening. #TuneSquad!

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Gyasi Barber, a New Jersey native, completed his Master of Music in vocal performance at the New England Conservatory. There, Gyasi played Figaro in "Le Nozze di Figaro," Don Pedro De Hinoyosa in Offenbach's "La Perichole," and Ben Benny in "Paul Bunyan." Prior to that, he earned his undergraduate degree in music education from Syracuse University, and played such roles as Pish Tush in "The Mikado," Frank in Strauss' "Die Fledermaus," and Sarastro in "Die Zauberflote." Gyasi has performed as a featured soloist with the Masterworks Chorale in Boston, as the bass soloist for their annual Messiah Sing, and played Collatinus in Opera Brittenica’s production of Britten's "Rape of Lucretia.” Currently based in New York City, Gyasi performs with the Oratorio Society of New York, in addition to other small groups.

Alex Green is a recording engineer, producer, and arranger from New York City. He is a graduate of Tufts University with a dual degree in music and archeology. There, he was a member of The Tufts Amalgamates, with whom he sang, directed, and recorded 2011′s Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA)-winning Hands Off The Mannequin. He is a co-owner and producer at Plaid Productions, a full-service a cappella production company with dual home bases in Brooklyn, N.Y. and Somerville, Mass. Alex shares two RIAA-certified Platinum and Billboard-charting albums with Ed Boyer and Ben Bram for his work with Pentatonix, while other clients of Plaid Productions have had songs featured on SING, BOCA, and Voices Only, garnering over 100 CARA nominations. Since graduating in 2010, he has regularly served as a masterclass leader and instructor at a cappella festivals nationwide, sung with Overboard (Boston), and written for the Recorded A Cappella Review Board (RARB).

An instrumentalist for most of his early life, Chris Hoffman found his calling in vocal music as a member and eventual president of Hofstra University’s Sigma’cappella. After bringing the group to ICCA Semifinals twice in its first three years of competition and earning individual awards for Outstanding Arrangement and Outstanding Vocal Percussion on the way, Chris went on to coach and arrange for various college and high school groups in the area. He's also performed with groups like Satellite Lane, competing in tournaments such as the Aca Open and the Harmony Sweepstakes. Chris enjoys helping students reach their potential and find their voice, both as the ICHSA Northeast producer and as an admissions counselor for the University of Minnesota.

Sean Patrick Riley has worked for the Contemporary A Cappella Society of America (CASA) on the social media and talent teams for ACappellaFest, SoJam, the Los Angeles A Cappella Festival (LAAF), and Boston Sings (BOSS), and has served in CASA's ambassador program for the past seven years. He holds a bachelor's degree in both music and communication, as well as a master’s degree in nursing from Saint Louis University. At SLU, Sean served as music director and business manager of recent ICCA Finalists, The Bare Naked Statues, and was featured on the Voices Only and BOCA compilations. Sean coaches a cappella groups across the country, and is the camp nurse and counselor for the L.A.-based summer camp, A Cappella Academy. He is a nurse practitioner for the Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health Babs Siperstein PROUD Center.

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 Director of Recruitment for A Cappella Academy. For more, follow @masongvang www.masonvangieson.com.

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank the parent, alumni, and student volunteers from Neptune High School for volunteering their time to help make this event happen; Ray Kelly and the PAC Techs for ensuring everything runs smoothly behind the scenes; Bruno's Pizza and Subs and Chick-fil-A for catering dinner for the competitors; All Shore Printing for creating the t-shirts and bags that are for sale; Dr. Tami Crader and the Neptune Board of Education, Karen Watt, VPA Supervisor and High School administration team for supporting the arts in Neptune; 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 ICHSA 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!

VIEW ALBUMS

#ICHSA