2025 ICCA Central Quarterfinal @ Binghamton University

DEAR FRIENDS,

Welcome to Varsity Vocals’ 30th season! After more than a quarter century of presenting the best student groups on the stage and in the studio, our enthusiasm for the art of a cappella is greater than ever.

Our tournaments have grown from a handful of events to the massive showcase they are today, currently featuring more than 730 groups and around 12,000 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 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 from other groups.

We have seen a cappella make great strides from where it began on our stage 30 years ago and can’t wait to see how our 2026 competitors continue to 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 CENTRAL QUARTERFINAL

Binghamton University
Saturday, January 31st, 2026

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 college tournament, now in it's 30th year, 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 25th.

The high school tournament is now in its 21st 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 24th.

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 10 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 Chordials is an award-winning collegiate all-gender a cappella group from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. Known for their edgy and passionate style, they perform a variety of music genres, ranging from rock to alternative/indie to pop.

The Class Notes is Cornell's oldest existing all-gender a cappella group. Originally founded in 1983 as a jazz group, the group has since grown to sing everything, spanning from Beyoncé to Ariana Grande to James Arthur. The Class Notes have spread their sound across Cornell's campus, throughout New York, and around the globe, with annual tours to places like Jamaica, Toronto, Miami, Boston, and Philadelphia. Known for their sharp choreography, crazy concert themes, and love for Tostitos Hint of Lime chips, The Class Notes have carved a special place for themselves in the Cornell community and beyond. Over the years, The Class Notes have earned features on compilation albums and internationally produced music videos. They made it all the way to ICCA Finals in 2022 as the ICCA Central Champions and have earned many special awards over the years, including Outstanding Arrangement at the 2019 ICCA Central Quarterfinals for “Japanese Denim” by Daniel Caesar. With a unique style and bold passion built from four decades of dynamic performances, The Class Notes continue to redefine collegiate a cappella on every stage they take.

Echoes is the premier and only all-female a cappella group at Lehigh University. They engage in a wide range of musical styles, including pop, indie, R&B, rock, and more! Their music is entirely student-led, with every song chosen, arranged, and taught by group members. Since its debut in fall 2003, Echoes has built a lineage of sisterhood through music. More than just an a cappella group, Echoes is a strong community of talented women with shared passions for performance, music, and friendship! Last year, Echoes placed 3rd at their 2025 ICCA Central Quarterfinal and took home the award for Outstanding Choreography! They are excited to return to this incredible competition and share their sound, energy, and love for music with every audience!

The Harpur Harpeggios, fondly known as The Pegs, is Binghamton University’s oldest and only soprano-alto a cappella group! Founded in 1983, they sing everything from Leslie Gore to Michael Jackson to Lady Gaga! They go on winter and summer tours and recently recorded some of their greatest hits. You can find them on Instagram, YouTube, and all major music streaming platforms. Their favorite pastimes include peg bopping, doing kazoo covers of their songs, and holding a séance or two. The Pegs are so excited to be here tonight and hope you have as much fun watching their set as they do performing it!

Ithacappella is Ithaca College's only all-male a cappella group. They share their love of music through community performances, releasing original arrangements to streaming platforms, and going on tours to inspire younger singers. Ithacappella believes in the power of music to help people grow and learn. They aim to spread that message, while bringing professionalism and personality to classrooms, street corners, and other community spaces nationwide

Off The Record (OTR), is one of Lehigh University’s premier co-ed a cappella groups. Founded in 2009, they recently celebrated 15 years of music and memories with a reunion concert featuring over 20 alumni! Last year, OTR made history as the first Lehigh a cappella group to place at ICCA Semifinals, following their 1st place win at ICCA Central Quarterfinals. Their incredibly successful 2025 ICCA season also included special awards for Outstanding Arrangement, Outstanding Soloist, and Outstanding Choreography. OTR’s journey to ICCA Semifinals was supported by an outpouring of community fundraising, a testament to the group’s lasting impact and devoted network of alumni, friends, and family! Beyond competitions, they perform at campus events, such as The Rally, Family Weekend, Founder’s Day, Pride-a-Palooza, Rivalry Week’s Le-Lafapella, and the Soaring Together Summit. Last spring, the group released a new album, It’s Not The Song, It Is The Singing, on streaming platforms and has more recordings on the way. Above all else, OTR is a family, singing for their community, alumni, and themselves.

Otto Tunes is Syracuse University's all-male a cappella group, and yeah, they’re the ones in the orange pants. The group began back in 2011 when a bunch of guys who loved singing decided to form a group. No music majors required, just people who want to perform together. As Syracuse's only touring a cappella group, Otto Tunes can be found performing at campus events, local schools, churches, and community organizations across Central New York. They’re especially proud of Cockapella, their annual benefit concert for the Testicular Cancer Foundation. The orange pants are kind of their thing, but Otto Tunes is truly special because of the brotherhood. This tight-knit group supports one another on and off stage and that energy comes across in everything they do. Whether they’re harmonizing in Hendricks Chapel or performing at a charity event, Otto Tunes is just doing what they love: making music and giving back to their community. Follow them on Instagram @ottotunes, TikTok @ottotunes, Facebook @Otto Tunes, and their Linktree for everything else.

Founded in 1993, Rhythm Method is Binghamton Universit’s only a cappella group specializing in 80s, 90s, and 2000s music. Repping bananas and singing all the songs you grew up to, Rhythm Method loves bringing people together through music and performance. Rhythm Method has competed in many ICCA seasons, most recently placing 1st in their 2023 ICCA Central Quarterfinal and going on to place 3rd at Semifinals. This group of dedicated performers is constantly evolving and they can’t wait to compete again and perform for the ICCA audience. Their 2026 set tells a story of self-discovery and resilience after the difficult end of a relationship. Through powerful and emotionally rich songs, they portray the bittersweet process of letting go, resisting the pull of the past, and embracing the future with authenticity and strength. Above all else, Rhythm Method values community and their everlasting friendships, all based on a shared passion for music and performance. You can always find them down, down, down where the fun never ends!

Tone Cold is Ithaca College’s pinkest, silliest a cappella group! As one of Ithaca College’s all-gender a cappella ensembles, they arrange and choreograph all of their own performances. Tone Cold loves a themed concert, with recent shows including "Road Trip!" and "Tone Cold Passes the Bechdel Test," in which they donated all of their proceeds to Planned Parenthood. Tone Cold took 3rd place at their 2025 ICCA Central Quarterfinal with their set, “People Pleaser.” They recently released Tone Cold’s first-ever EP, Cheers!, to all music streaming platforms! They are planning more releases, so follow along for the ride @ictonecold on Instagram and @ic_tonecold on TikTok. This will be Tone Cold’s fourth ICCA appearance.

IC Voicestream is the premier, all-inclusive, audition-based a cappella singing group at Ithaca College. They perform two full concerts each semester featuring a cappella covers of everything, from contemporary pop to rock songs. After around a decade of competing in the ICCA, they are happy to be back! Check them out on Facebook at IC Voicestream, YouTube at IC Voicestream, and Instagram @ic_voicestream. Lastly, they would like to thank Arvin, the real GOAT of the ICCA.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Allison Cranmer is a graduate of the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam with degrees in music education and mathematics. While at Potsdam, Allison music directed and arranged for A Sharp Arrangement, the only all-treble group on campus. As the music director, she led the Sharps to their first-ever ICCA Semifinal, toured around New York State, and recorded several different projects. Currently, Allison is the vocal and general music teacher at Palmyra-Macedon Middle School. She shares her love of a cappella with her students by listening, arranging, and performing a cappella music with them daily.

Bryce Davis is a performer and arts administrator based in Rochester, N.Y. His love for a cappella was ignited in high school by a grainy YouTube video of Rockapella performing "Sixteen Tons," and he never looked back. Bryce studied music theory and history at the University of Rochester, where he sang bass in the Midnight Ramblers and served as creative director of their three-time Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA)-winning 2021 release, Things That You Say. He has also performed and directed with ROC Players Musical Theatre and Wellsville High School's WAVE. He currently serves as the Director of Institutional Partnerships of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.

John R. Starr is the former music director and vocal percussionist of The Songburghs, a co-ed a cappella group from the University of Pittsburgh. He led his group to three back-to-back ICCA Semifinals appearances from 2018 through 2020 and holds an Outstanding Vocal Percussion award for their entire 2019 set. His a cappella arranging work can be found on their first two EPs, Forward and Orbit, and he has frequently arranged and edited arrangements for other collegiate groups. John is a classically trained pianist and has arranged music for jazz bands, choral groups, small orchestras, in addition to a cappella groups.

Kayla Whisenhunt entered the a cappella scene as a high schooler, founding her school’s first a cappella groups, Pitch Please and ToneDef. She is a graduate from The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, where she sang with The Potsdam Pitches. At her 2020 ICCA Quarterfinal, she won an individual award for Outstanding Arrangement and shared the award for Outstanding Choreography as the group's assistant choreographer. Kayla's arrangements have been reviewed by the The Recorded A Cappella Review Board (RARB) and she was nominated for a CARA in the Best Mixed Voices Collegiate Arrangement category for her arrangement of “God is a Woman.” Currently, she is the co-music director of Noise of Summer A Cappella and teaches fifth through seventh grade chorus and general music at the Greater Johnstown School District.

Leanne Zito is in her 17th year as a public school music educator and her seventh at East Rochester Schools. She earned her bachelor's degree in music education at Roberts Wesleyan College and her master's degree at University at Buffalo, receiving certifications in GIML and PACE pedagogies. As a choral director, her select choir earned 1st place Gold rating at Heritage WorldStrides Festival in Chicago. Leanne is an active accompanist and performer and has been a guest conductor at FLMEA All County Festival. From 2006 through 2013, she was a member and vocal director of the a cappella group, Cut-Off, and earned two CARA nominations during her tenure. Leanne lives in Rochester with her husband and two kids and is excited to be back judging for Varsity Vocals!

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank Bryce McCracken, Chelsea Perticone, The Binghamtonics, Dave Guilford, RDX, Radiant Sound, Joey Cassata, Daniel Sonnen, Marnie Writer, and Watters Theater (Binghamton University); 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 Witham
Producer, ICCA United Kingdom

Rebecca Williamson
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

Angelina Corbin
Associate Producer
ICCA & ICHSA South

Sara Yood
Senior Producer, ICCA & ICHSA Finals

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

McKinley Thoreson
Associate Producer
ICHSA Great Lakes

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 2026 ICCA Central 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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