2026 ICCA Great Lakes Semifinal @ The Pabst Theatre

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 SEMIFINAL

The Pabst Theatre
Saturday, March 28th, 2026

WE'RE SOCIAL

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

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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

Founded in 2003, 7Days is the oldest gender-inclusive a cappella group at the University of Minnesota. This diverse group shares a love and passion for musical artistry and works diligently to provide high-quality performances to the University of Minnesota and the Great Lakes region. They have achieved many ICCA accolades, including a 1st place win at their 2024 ICCA Great Lakes Quarterfinal and Outstanding Arrangement at Semifinals that same year! In addition to being a group of singers, 7Days is proud to also be a group of best friends. They spend many hours together in and out of rehearsals, and a good amount of time eating McDonalds together!

Amazin’ Blue is the University of Michigan’s oldest all-gender a cappella ensemble. Since its inception in 1987, Amazin’ Blue (AB to their friends) has produced 14 studio albums, performed around the nation, and competed on national stages. The group's dedication and commitment to excellence and creative expression is only outshone by their tight-knit community. With over 30 years of existence, the group has undergone many transformations, but their core principles remain the same: caring for one another and taking creative risks. When they’re not singing, AB members can be found making fritas runs, holding Super Smash Bros tournaments, and making references only they understand. Beyond competing and performing, AB’s ultimate goal is to inspire a love for a cappella in their audiences.

Capital Green is the oldest co-ed a cappella group at Michigan State University! Founded in 1998, they are in their 27th year of singing together and making memories to last a lifetime. In 2024, they were lucky enough to place 1st at ICCA Great Lakes Semifinals and became the first group in MSU history to advance to ICCA Finals in New York City! In 2025, they were overjoyed to return to the Semifinals stage and take home 2nd place! Capital Green is best-known for their genuine connection as a group and how much fun they have performing together. More than anything, Capital Green is a chosen family and they are so grateful that their collective love of music brought them together! They are thrilled to be back at ICCA for another year and cannot wait to see what the 2026 season has in store. Be sure to follow Capital Green’s journey on Instagram @msucapitalgreen and check out their studio works on all streaming platforms! Go Green!

Clef Hangers is the first mixed vocal a cappella group at Illinois State University, founded in August 2008 by a small group of ambitious students who shared a passion for a cappella music. In the years since, the group’s members have shaped Clef Hangers into the ensemble it is today. Open to all majors, the group typically includes about three to five voices on each part (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass/baritone), plus a beatboxer. They hold auditions each semester and rehearse three days a week for two hours. These rehearsals are crucial meeting times for the Clef Hangers to reconnect and nurture their sound and musicality, primarily led by the music director. The group makes performance decisions, including repertoire selection, through collective input each semester, representing the group members' wide range of musical interests and backgrounds. All of their music is arranged by current or former members of the Clef Hanger family. They perform all over campus throughout the semester and hold free concerts for the university and community.

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!

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.

Maize Mirchi is the University of Michigan’s premier fusion a cappella group. Performing locally on and off campus and touring all across the nation, they operate by the motto "South Asian-inspired, but never required." They incorporate elements of South Asian and Western music to create a unique a cappella sound and aspire to build a beautiful, musically inclined family, full of love and mutual respect. Outside of singing, they love to spend time remixing arrangements into rap songs and making 3 a.m. Taco Bell runs. Check out Maize Mirchi on Instagram, YouTube, and all streaming services!

No Comment is a 15-member, all-gender a cappella group from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. This group of friends share a passion for music and performance. NoCo has been wowing audiences for two decades, most notably advancing to the 2024 ICCA Finals in New York City and winning 1st at the Boston Sings (BOSS) scholastic competition last year! Also in 2025, NoCo found success outside of the box when they placed 2nd at the Reser’s Fine Foods 75th anniversary jingle-writing competition. With new projects and releases on the horizon, NoCo is sure to leave you wanting more!

Hailing from Northwestern University, The Treblemakers is the university’s premier East Asian-interest a cappella group, dedicated to sharing the power of music across cultures and languages. Founded in 2004, The Treblemakers strive to perform a wide range of genres, from pop to R&B to indie, and to musically represent a diverse array of East Asian languages, including Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Tagalog, and more. Beyond Northwestern’s campus, The Treblemakers have taken their music across the globe, most recently touring in Singapore last year. The group most recently competed in the 2024 ICCA Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinals and took 3rd place. The Treblemakers are thrilled to be back for the 2026 ICCA season!

Under A-Rest is a gender-inclusive, mixed-voice a cappella group from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Founded in 2014, they recently celebrated 10 years as a group! UAR proudly features both music and non-music majors and creates all of their own musical arrangements and choreography. The group performs for live audiences across the state and beyond and has a successful record in the ICCA. Over the years, UAR has advanced to ICCA Semifinals four times and received all four special awards. In 2025, they won their first Outstanding Vocal Percussion award and their most recent Outstanding Soloist award. They most recently won Outstanding Choreography in 2024 and Outstanding Arrangement in 2023. Under A-Rest is thrilled to compete in the ICCA once again and can't wait to showcase all of their hard work!

GUEST PERFORMER

The Gold 'n Blues is Marquette University's first and premier all-gender a cappella group. GnB was founded in 2008 and entered the competitive scene in 2022. They most recently competed professionally in Harmony Sweepstakes in 2025, where they earned Audience Favorite at the Chicago Semifinal. The group consists of 17 undergraduate and graduate students, all focused on creating intricate and breathtaking music, while establishing meaningful connections among the GnB family and the entire a cappella community.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Heather David is a proud alumna of Syracuse University's Main Squeeze, for whom she sang, arranged, choreographed, and did vocal percussion. Since graduating, Heather has remained active in the a cappella world as social media coordinator for BOSS, Program Manager of Social Media for the Contemporary A Cappella Society of America (CASA), associate producer of Voices Only, and an instructor for workshops and masterclasses at a cappella festivals nationwide. She has won ICCA awards for Outstanding Arrangement and Outstanding Vocal Percussion as a college student and Varsity Vocals has held a special place in her heart ever since.

Laura Kruschke has been involved in a cappella since her college days at UW-Madison, where she sang with Tangled Up in Blue and earned her degree in music education. In 2007, she participated in launching the Contemporary A Cappella League (CAL) and founded greenTONE A Cappella in fall 2007. gT is 10 members strong today and sings for a variety of local events, including weddings, holiday parties, fundraisers, and flash mobs. In addition to gT, Laura continues to offer her expertise to local high school choirs through workshops and group coaching. In addition to Laura’s aca-involvement, she arranges music for local high school show choir and a cappella groups, sings and plays saxophone in a local band, teaches yoga, and wears many other hats as a mom to three busy school-aged kids.

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.

Benjamin Lebovitz is a musician and educator based in Madison, Wis. They're thrilled to be returning for this year's competition season, having served as a Varsity Vocals judge since 2018. A current Ph.D. student in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, they are a national board-certified teacher (NBCT) in music and previously directed collegiate and high school ensembles in southern Arizona. While teaching, Ben served on the board of the Arizona Choral Directors Association, chairing contemporary a cappella repertoire and activities across the state. Ben previously served as a nominator and judge for the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs) and is looking forward to a great show!

Sam Wulterkens started singing a cappella at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire with The Innocent Men. He has bachelor's and master's degrees in music education, and currently teaches at Oak Creek High School. With his co-director, Gillian Pacetti, Sam leads two ensembles at Oak Creek, who have been active members of the ICHSA community. His group, Knight Club, qualified for ICHSA Semifinals for three straight years, and competed at the 2019 ICHSA Finals. He also directs the highly lauded Ladies Knight, who, along with Knight Club, recently qualified to compete at the Semifinal level. He serves as a board member and district representative for the Wisconsin Choral Directors Association.

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank Robyn Schultz, Amber Solheim, Kyle Burke, Charlie Shields, and the rest of the PTG Team; McKinley and Kyle Thoreson, Seth Fetro, Jaykob Archer, Bryan and Sabine Pennington, VV6, 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 placing group at this event will advance to the 2026 ICCA 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

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