2025 ICCA Great Lakes Quarterfinal @ University of Chicago

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 GREAT LAKES QUARTERFINAL

University of Chicago
Saturday, February 7th, 2026

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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 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

Blue Fusion, an a cappella group from Eastern Illinois University, provides an outlet for its members to express themselves musically, using nothing but their voices. After a long day of classes, work, or life in general, this group is like a second home and family. Known on campus for their fun outreach and even better friendship, Blue Fusion believes that their supportive bond offstage makes their sound even stronger. Whether they’re sharing the stage or laughing through a missed note, their authentic chemistry shines through. Blue Fusion believes that music is meant to move people, so if you laugh, cry, or dance a little in your seat, they’ve done their job. They’re proud to represent Eastern Illinois University in their third competitive season and hope that their performance showcases how fun and freeing music can be. For Blue Fusion it's not just about the notes, but the people who sing them.

Founded in 1989 under the name Unaccompanied Women, Cadenza is the oldest a cappella group at UChicago, and one of two treble-voice groups on campus. At the 2024 ICCA Great Lakes Quarterfinals, they placed 3rd overall, and their closer in that set, “Light of a Clear Blue Morning,” was featured in BOCA 2025. Cadenza offers a community for musicians who take their craft seriously and push themselves, but they’re also a loving and supportive family. All of their songs are arranged by past and present group members, creating a rich repertoire that reflects and grows with the group’s membership. They have released two full-length albums, I tried to love you in 2023 and Ampersand in 2017, and two EPs, Let Me In in 2019 and Overflow in 2024. Cadenza performs at a variety of events, including Bar Mitzvahs and proposals, and they serenade campus every February with singing Valentines, from “Toxic” in 100-person lecture halls to rickrolling people in a mini-blizzard. This is one of their most treasured group traditions.

Final Cut A Cappella is an SATB singing ensemble from North Central College. They offer a non-academic space for each group member to develop their musical skills and perform at North Central College and in the greater community. Final Cut's notable performances include their Winter Tour, in which they travel to surrounding schools, nursing homes, restaurants, and cafes to spread some holiday magic. They also hold a final concert during the spring semester to showcase their diverse musical repertoire, powerful soloists, and intricate group blend. Final Cut had an incredible experience competing in the 2025 ICCA Quarterfinals and are thrilled to be back this season! Their mission is to remind audiences of the unifying power of music. Half of the group majors in subjects outside of the performing arts, but all of them cherish the opportunity to express their love of music with Final Cut.

Fundamentally Sound is UW Madison’s only lower-voiced competitive a cappella group. They are super excited to be back performing at the 2026 ICCA season. This is their 19th year competing and they most recently took 3rd place at the 2025 ICCA Great Lakes Semifinals. With five new members, they’re still rockin' their classic suspenders and can't wait to share their unique brand of a cappella with you tonight. Fun fact: this year, Emmit, Casey, and Logan sewed all the suspender buttons into their newbies’ pants and some of them are shaped like hearts and flowers. Go check out their new album, Crossing the Rubicon. FS hopes you enjoy their performance!

Horizon A Cappella is the first and only competitive a cappella group at Columbia College Chicago. Founded last semester by Holden Magee, the group is thrilled for the opportunity to compete alongside such talented groups! Members of the group can be found across campus in theatrical productions, film sets, and student bands when they’re not holding late-night rehearsals and “Pitch Perfect” marathons.

Illini Awaaz, from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is the school’s premier co-ed South Asian fusion a cappella team. Known for their innovative sound and powerful storytelling, the group combines the vibrant rhythms and melodies of South Asian music with the energy of contemporary Western styles. From soulful Indian classical ragas to chart-topping pop hits, Illini Awaaz crafts performances that bridge cultures and celebrate community through music. Since joining the Association of South-Asian A Cappella (ASA) circuit, Illini Awaaz has become one of the most recognized collegiate fusion teams. They have earned top placements at major competitions, including 1st and 2nd place finishes at UT Austin’s Jeena, and a 2nd place finish at the 2024 All-American Awaaz National Championship in Chicago, where they ranked among the top eight collegiate South Asian fusion groups in the country. Beyond competition, Illini Awaaz promotes South Asian culture and identity both on and off campus, performing at cultural festivals, university showcases, and community events. With a growing legacy of creativity, Illini Awaaz continues to push the boundaries of a cappella, uniting voices across genres, traditions, and stories.

Parkside Range, from UW-Parkside, thrives on collaboration, creativity, and snacks (lots of snacks). Every song they perform is arranged by members of the group, usually after a spirited debate and a bag or two of chips. They’ve snagged multiple awards at the 2023 Acapocalypse Festival, performed across Wisconsin, and return each year as the Holiday Season Singers at Lake Geneva’s Grand Geneva Resort. Tonight, they have just one question for you: How do you eat your Pringles?

The Ransom Notes is an all-gender a cappella group from the University of Chicago. Founded in 1997, they are recognized for their energetic performances and signature blue and black color scheme. The Ransom Notes perform at venues around Chicago and across the country on annual tours. They also love singing with other a cappella groups in informal arch sings, teaching music workshops to high school students, and competing in the ICCA. They recently released a new album, RN FM, on Spotify, Apple Music, and all other major music streaming platforms, along with several music videos to their YouTube channel! Beyond their musical adventures, The Ransom Notes love one another as much as they love to sing. Group members can be found gathering for late-night study sessions, monopolizing niche campus jobs, and ordering way too much dim sum in Chicago Chinatown. As their friends will readily tell you, you never see just one Ransom Note!

Sonata Problem is North Central College's premier, all-gender a cappella group, established in 2012. In the past, they have performed for high schools, local businesses, weddings, and hosted the 2025 Chicago Harmony Sweepstakes. They have vocalists featured in two Sleeping at Last songs and took 3rd place at their 2025 ICCA Great Lakes Quarterfinal! In 2018, they released their first album, Exposition, on Spotify and Apple Music!

Founded in 2001, The Undertones is a co-ed a cappella group at Northwestern University. Maintaining their high-level musicianship goes hand in hand with being a group of friends who love to sing and laugh together. Their members come from all over the world and represent every school Northwestern has to offer. They have competed in ICCA eight times, most recently taking a 1st place win at their 2024 Great Lakes Quarterfinal, in addition to special awards for Outstanding Arrangement, Outstanding Soloist, and Outstanding Choreography. They are so excited to compete at ICCA again this year!

GUEST PERFORMER

Voices in Your Head is a student-run a cappella group from the University of Chicago who aims to "push the bounds of contemporary a cappella." Their unique repertoire includes original pieces, as well as an eclectic mix of pop, R&B, jazz, and alternative music. Voices competes regularly in Contemporary A Cappella Society of America (CASA) festivals and the ICCA, in which they most recently advanced to Finals in 2025. They also regularly release studio recordings of their arrangements. Follow @uchicagovoices on Instagram!

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

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.

Gloria Liu is a medical student at Northwestern University in Chicago. She fell in love with music at the age of 4, when she began learning piano. By age 15, she received the highest grade of Distinction for Piano by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music multiple times, performed at Carnegie Hall and Merkin Hall in New York, and received numerous awards and accolades. At age 10, she began playing the violin and singing in various orchestras and choirs, joining the Regions I Orchestra and All-State Chorus during her middle and high school years. She became the concertmaster of her high school's orchestra in 2021. She graduated in 2025 with her B.A. in biology and B.S. in finance from Case Western Reserve University, where she was a soprano in the co-ed a cappella group, Case in Point. During her time with the group, Case in Point placed in ICCA Midwest Quarterfinals and Semifinals and gigged on and off campus, including opening for Jay Leno at Playhouse Square in Cleveland. Gloria is also a music volunteer with Pillar Care Continuum, an organization in New Jersey dedicated to the education of disabled students. Music is a key part of Gloria's life and she is excited to delve further into the a cappella world as a Varsity Vocals judge.

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.

Antonio Rodriguez graduated in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in music from Washington University in St. Louis, where he sang with The Amateurs for four years. He also served as arranger and music director of the group. He spent the next five years performing as a stage actor in St. Louis before gaining his union card and moving to Chicago in 2014. Favorite past musical credits include “The Who’s Tommy” (Tommy Walker), “Urinetown” (Bobby Strong), and “Altar Boyz” (Matthew). He was a member of the St. Louis Theatre Circle Award-winning ensemble of the a cappella musical “All is Calm” for three years, and is a four-time nominee and two-time Theatre Circle Award winner for his individual acting work in both musicals and straight plays. In addition to performing in full-length stage works, he has conceived and performed two solo cabarets in both St. Louis and Chicago. Antonio is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association.

Jessica Young-Eleazar (she/her/hers) is an alumna of Saint Louis University where she was a member of Astha A Cappella. In Astha, she sang everything from soprano to tenor and if you were lucky, she would bring freshly baked pies to rehearsal. She coached the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy's Mod21 during their 2019 and 2020 ICHSA seasons. Jessica is currently working on her Doctor of Education in curriculum, culture, and communities at Loyola University and holds an M.A. in teaching and learning (K-12 reading specialist) from Roosevelt University and a B.A. in middle school mathematics education from Saint Louis University. She is a certified Illinois teacher for middle school (fifth through eighth grades) with endorsements in mathematics, language arts, and music. Although she doesn’t technically work as a music teacher, she integrates music into her lessons whenever possible (ask her about her songs for “Life Cycle of Stars” or “Helping Verbs”!). When she is not teaching, she loves to take dance classes with DivaDance Chicago and try out new restaurants and recipes!

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank University of Chicago, Claire Sangster, Grace Hill, Voices in Your Head, Cilcan Pierce, and Joseph Aquino; 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 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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