2025 ICCA Southwest Quarterfinal @ Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

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 SOUTHWEST QUARTERFINAL

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
Saturday, February 21st, 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

Amplified is a mixed-voice, student-led a cappella group from the University of Arizona, donning the Ampli-colors: black and La Fonda turquoise (yes, it is that specific shade!) Founded in 2012, the group was created to provide a fun, close-knit community for people who love to sing, create, and perform. Amplified aims to maximize the meaning behind each of their songs through their arrangements, choreography, and passionate performances. They were honored to earn the 2023 Southwest Semifinal Champion title and make Arizona history as the first group in the whole state to progress to Finals in New York City! The group revolves around forging friendships and expanding their Ampli-family. Between balancing jobs, academics, and life beyond the university, they come together and share their talent, skill, and creativity. Together, they, and their sound, are Amplified.

The Axecidentals is an all-treble a cappella group from Northern Arizona University. Established in 2013, they have been rocking that black and gold for a decade now! They sing music from various artists, ranging from Radiohead to Little Mix to Billie Eilish. A gender-inclusive group, The Axecidentals cater to all voices on the treble clef. As one of the premier groups on campus, they represent the NAU School of Music’s high standards, while including members from all majors and career paths. Some former group members have gone on to develop their own groups, such as Red Letter Daze, Side Note, and Unaccompanied, who you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, and TikTok! They regularly tour high schools in the Southwest area, including Arizona, Nevada, California, and Utah, for outreach to spread the love of the a cappella community! You can find the Axecidentals' latest EP on Spotify and Apple Music, titled Room to Breathe. They hope to record much more music in the future! The Axecidentals are proud to represent treble singers in Flagstaff and hope to keep the tradition of an empowered music-making community alive.

The Canyon Crescendos is Grand Canyon University’s premier competitive a cappella team. Founded in 2021, The Canyon Crescendos have doubled in size, rebuilt stronger from the challenges of the pandemic, and emerged as a powerhouse group of 18 vocalists, united by a passion for music. Every voice in the group brings something special, creating a vibrant community in which diversity, creativity, and connection take center stage. This year, they’re turning up the volume by exploring fresh genres, bold arrangements, and crowd-favorite hits alongside timeless classics. Last year’s ICCA experience lit a fire under them, pushing the group to up their game and dream even bigger. From campus events and GCU games to local venues like Desert Ridge Marketplace and Beatitudes Campus, The Canyon Crescendos are passionate about sharing their music wherever they go. They believe that every performance is an opportunity to inspire, connect, and celebrate the power of the human voice. Their mission is to create a space that supports and empowers each member to grow as a musician and as a person. Through powerful harmonies and heartfelt storytelling, The Canyon Crescendos aim to create unforgettable memories and they’re so excited to bring you along for the ride.

Devil Clefs A Cappella is a co-ed performance group at Arizona State University. The group is proud to include a diverse spread of backgrounds and majors, with only a small percentage of music students and other studies ranging from STEM to business law! The group’s talented and dedicated members work together to make their vibrant visuals, music, and performances possible! The Devil Clefs’ 2022 EP, Always Forever, features the "idontwannabeyou when the party's over" mashup of two songs originally sung by Billie Eilish, from their viral YouTube stairwell video, "Good Thing" originally sung by Zedd and Kehlani, "The Other Side," originally sung by Bruno Mars featuring CeeLo Green and B.o.B, and "I Love You Always Forever" originally sung by Betty Who. Their other releases include their 2023 single, "Late Night Talking," originally sung by Harry Styles, their 2023 ICCA set, "Gravitation," showcasing “It Gets Dark” originally sung by Sigrid, “Space Song” originally sung by Beach House, and “Cosmic Love” originally sung by Florence and the Machine, and their 2024 single "Telephone" originally sung by Lady Gaga and Beyoncé. They may be devils, but their singing is angelic! Aca-hell yeah!!!

Formed in 2014, Enharmonics has made a name for itself as The University of Arizona's only all-treble a cappella group. They placed 2nd at their 2022 ICCA Virtual Quarterfinal, and received the Outstanding Choreography award at their 2024 ICCA Southwest Quarterfinal. In addition to their annual ICCA appearances, they can be found performing a variety of pop, indie, and jazz a cappella covers at various events throughout Tucson, Ariz. Beyond the stage, Enharmonics has released three studio EPs (streaming everywhere!) and several music videos, showcasing their choreography and arrangements. This year, Enharmonics is excited to present a powerful set centered around themes of loss, individuality, and anger, showcasing the emotion, precision, and creativity that defines their sound.

Founded in October 2008, Meow or Never A Cappella is the premier, lower-voice, student-run a cappella ensemble on the University of Arizona campus. They strive to perform, educate, compete, and make music, both within and outside of the Tucson, Ariz. community. Meow or Never performs for weddings, campus events, and TedTalks.

Founded in 2009, Noteriety is a group of 18 dedicated, unique individuals who share a passion for singing and making music. In 2025, Noteriety advanced all the way to ICCA Finals after earning the ICCA Southwest Champion title at Semifinals and 1st place at Quaterfinals. In addition to their top placements, Noteriety earned many special awards throughout the 2025 ICCA season, including Outstanding Vocal Percussion (Finals), Outstanding Arrangement (Semifinals), Outstanding Soloist (Quarterfinals), and Outstanding Choreography (Quarterfinals). This adds to additional 1st place wins at ICCA Southwest Quarterfinals in 2023 and 2019. Noteriety's award-winning music has also been featured on BOCA and Voices Only compilations! You can check out their music on all streaming platforms, including their latest EP, Embers!

Founded in 1992, The Pitchforks is the first a cappella group established in the state of Arizona. Composed of members from diverse majors, backgrounds, and musical experiences, The Pitchforks have been celebrating empowerment, creativity, and community through music for over 30 years. The Pitchforks have competed in ICCA since 1997. Some of their proudest ICCA moments include placing 3rd at Southwest Quarterfinals in both 2022 and 2023, and winning Outstanding Arrangement for their rendition of Billie Eilish's "Copycat" (arranged by Delaney Balk). Above all else, The Pitchforks are dedicated to cultivating a space where students can express their authentic selves, form lasting friendships, and encourage one another to grow, both on and off the stage. Follow them on Instagram @asupitchforks and on TikTok @asupforks, and stream their latest EP, Echoes in Gold, on all platforms now!

Priority Male is the premier all-male a cappella group at Arizona State University. Founded in 2009, Priority Male strives to connect with the local community through their love of singing and performing. In 2025, Priority Male took 2nd place in their ICCA Southwest Quarterfinal and won the awards for Outstanding Vocal Percussion and Outstanding Arrangement for the entire set. They progressed to the 2025 Southwest Semifinal, and won another award for Outstanding Vocal Percussion. Priority Male is thrilled to be back for the 2026 ICCA season!

The TEMPEtations is the premier co-ed a cappella group at Arizona State University (ASU). The group is composed of 14 musicians, all of whom are non-music majors! The members of The TEMPEtations bond over a shared passion for music, but they’re also close friends offstage. Each member has a part in curating every performance by arranging songs, choreographing dances, leading rehearsals, and, of course, bringing their best selves to every rehearsal. The group is not limited to any one genre or style of music, so the options are endless when they come together. For 15 years now, The TEMPEtations have been competing in the ICCA with fully original sets, performed with incredible dedication and talent. In 2024, they won their Southwest Quarterfinal and have been working hard this year to show off their talents as an ensemble, while also highlighting some incredible soloists! The TEMPEtations hope you enjoy their 2026 ICCA set!

GUEST PERFORMER

Celine Mireille has been globally recognized as an outstanding singer, performer, arranger, and educator, within the contemporary a cappella community and throughout the wider music industry. She has performed and recorded with world-renowned artists, including Pentatonix, The Real Group, Sarah Brightman, and Josh Groban. In October 2025, she released her debut album, SALUTATIONS, celebrating the start of her journey as a solo independent artist (which you can check out wherever you listen to music!) Celine is a proud Northern Arizona University alumna (where she was a founding member and musical director of The NAU Axecidentals) and recently earned her master’s degree in contemporary performance and production from Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Spain. Now as an adjunct faculty member at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Celine continues to inspire the next generation of musicians while continuing to work professionally as a freelance musician across her home state of Arizona and beyond. @celinemireillesings

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

As a founding member of the USC Sirens in 1997, one of the first female vocal percussionists, and an all-female a cappella trailblazer, Jenny Barmach has seen a cappella grow before her eyes and couldn't be more pleased! Jenny has competed in the ICCA and Harmony Sweepstakes, been featured on BOCA, participated in the West Coast A Cappella Summit, and sang/crashed with countless groups on tour, including Venus Envy (2001) and Acazona (2014). After graduating from USC and working for A&E in Los Angeles, Jenny moved to Chandler, Ariz., where she works As a founding member of the USC Sirens in 1997, one of the first female vocal percussionists, and an all-female a cappella trailblazer, Jenny Barmach has seen a cappella grow before her eyes and couldn't be more pleased! Jenny has competed in the ICCA and Harmony Sweepstakes, been featured on BOCA, participated in the West Coast A Cappella Summit, and sang/crashed with countless groups on tour, including Venus Envy (2001) and Acazona (2014). After graduating from USC and working for A&E in Los Angeles, Jenny moved to Chandler, Ariz., where she works in marketing and lives with her husband and two children.

Dr. Sammy Brauer is a conductor, private voice teacher, professional soprano, and director of choirs at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Ariz. Sammy is the music director for Chaparral’s large musical theatre shows and teaches classes of choirs, piano, and musical theatre. Sammy served on the board of the Arizona Choral Directors Association. There, she published many choral reviews in the ACDA journal and promoted ACDA’s summer conference workshops at Mesa Community College. She is a member of the American Music Educator’s Association and an on-call adjudicator for festivals and workshops. Her current work at Chaparral includes being the sponsor and director of Chaparral High School’s vocal group, Gold Dust Avenue. This touring group was featured by SUSD’s governing board for two consecutive years for their achievements in competitions. GDA singers learn advanced vocal harmony and choreography and compete across the country, from Texas to New York. Sammy is the Chaparral Honors choir director and enjoys working with the auditioned talented singers. Prior to her work in public school education, she was an associate professor at the community college level. She was director of the Scottsdale Master Chorale, a touring group that performed large works in France, Austria, and Italy.

Zachary Gray is an a cappella producer and audio engineer based out of Phoenix. His appreciation for the genre spans back to the 90s and has only grown through the years. He founded Elevation at Northern Arizona University in 2008 and competed several times at ICCA as a student. After college, he joined Side Note, a post-collegiate group, to tour and continue performing. He is a full-time audio producer and loves to help spread his love of the genre while shaping its sound into the future.

Nason Werth has been known to travel the country for a good a cappella show, and currently resides in Phoenix. Originally from the great state of Michigan, Nason studied vocal performance at Michigan State University, where he served as music director and bass with MSU’s first co-ed a cappella group and ICCA fixture, Capital Green. He gained broad ensemble experience as a student with the university chorale, chamber choir, jazz octet, and section leader in the Okemos Presbyterian Church. Nason relocated to the Mid-Atlantic region after college and has performed with the Handel Choir of Baltimore and the Bach in Baltimore ensembles. He currently serves as a nominator and judge for the A Cappella Video Awards (AVAs) and Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs) and is looking forward to a great show!

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 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 Southwest 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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