2025 ICHSA Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinal @ Bayonne High School

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

ICHSA MID-ATLANTIC QUARTERFINAL

Bayonne High School
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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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 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.

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.

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

Acapocalypse is the premier SATB a cappella group at Tenafly High School. This is their second ICHSA, following their debut last season with their sister group, Treble Threat. They are inspired by a wide variety of artists, ranging from Billie Eilish to Lizzy McAlpine to Laufey. They hope you enjoy their set!

The Bee's Knees, from Bayonne High School, was founded in 2018 under the direction of Samantha Herskowitz. The members of The Bee’s Knees are involved in multiple music programs at the high school, including the award-winning Bayonne High School Marching Band and Drama Society. The Bee’s Knees competed in four previous ICHSA seasons, winning three Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinal Champion titles and advancing to Semifinals every showing. The Bee's Knees perform at various events in Bayonne and throughout the state of New Jersey. They love nothing more than singing together and making memories as a team.

From Edison, N.J., Harmonix is the premier contemporary a cappella group from John P. Stevens High School. In only their second year as a group, Harmonix aims to bring something new to the a cappella circuit with their tight harmonies and stellar vocals. Harmonix strives to tell stories and bring communities together, not only through their music, but in all their creative choices, from programming to choreography. They hope this set encourages audiences to reflect on their place in this world and ask themselves, "What can I do now?"

Highlands Voices hails from Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale, N.J. The Voices have been ICHSA Champions, seven time Mid-Atlantic Champions, and National A Cappella Convention (NACC) Champions. They were featured on the Lifetime series, “Pitch Slapped,” and can be seen (and heard) in the movie “Marry Me,” starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson, and in Season 3 of “American Horror Stories.” They have performed workshops for NAfME, NJMEA, AEA, ACDA, and Bergen Teen Arts, and host the annual Highlands A Cappella Festival, which attracts some of the biggest a cappella coaches in the world as instructors. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube @highlandsvoices!

The Nocktaves are entering their eighth season at Pequannock Township High School. Well known for their artistic talents and incredible singing skills, they are seasoned Quarterfinalists in the ICHSA and won 3rd place in the 2024 Sing Strong New York competition. The Nocktaves make their community proud with numerous local performances and have sung the national anthem at Yankee Stadium twice. They are excited to be back at the ICHSA!

The Ridgewood Rhapsodies is one of three a cappella groups at Ridgewood High School, originally founded in 2020 as an all-female ensemble. The group has grown a lot in a short time, and this year, The Rhapsodies proudly became the school's only mixed-voice a cappella group, welcoming singers of all genders and backgrounds. Whether you're a seasoned vocalist or just discovering your voice, The Rhapsodies offer a space where anyone who wants to sing can belong and thrive. Known for their bold, high-energy performances, the group initially made a name for itself covering powerful pop diva anthems. They have since added a variety of musical styles to their repertoire, from indie and rock to R&B. With student leadership and collaboration, The Rhapsodies are breaking the mold of traditional high school a cappella.

Tonal Point is a 13-member contemporary a cappella group from Egg Harbor Township High School in Egg Harbor Township, N.J. Throughout the school year, Tonal Point performs at concerts, school events, and community gatherings, earning consistent Gold and Superior ratings for their performances. The group is known for its energy, creativity, and commitment to bringing great music to the stage. This season, Tonal Point is excited to compete in ICHSA and can’t wait to hit the stage with a show they think “anyone” will enjoy!

Treble Threat is the premier SSA group at Tenafly High School. This is their second year competing in the ICHSA after an incredible experience last year. This year, they have an interesting group makeup, with no 12th graders but five new ninth graders accepted. They are all excited to be back on the ICHSA stage and can't wait to show off their new set!

Carteret High School's Varsity Vocals is proud to represent their school at ICHSA again this year. Since their start in 2015, they have been active in New Jersey, performing at festivals, competitions, community events, and more. CHS Varsity Vocals is thankful to have advanced to ICHSA Semifinals for the past two years and won Outstanding Soloist in their 2025 Quarterfinal.

Wavelength is Cherry Hill West's first mixed competitive a cappella group. ICHSA audiences may remember them from previous seasons as Fermata and Men of Note. This year, they are joining forces to compete as one group. Previous accolades for Fermata and Men of Note include advancing to ICHSA Semifinals and winning awards for Outstanding Vocal Percussion, Outstanding Choreography, and Outstanding Arrangement.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Harrison Acosta is composer, sound designer, multi-instrumentalist, and music educator based in Boston. Harrison originally studied film score and vocal pedagogy at the UCF School of Performing Arts. Two years later, he founded and directed UCF’s Voicebox. Under his direction, they attended the 2016 ICCA Finals and were crowned the 2016 SoJam and 2018 Boston Sings (BOSS) Champions. Harrison has earned 10 Outstanding Arrangement awards (including ICCA Finals, BOSS, and SoJam) and four Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs). After completing his capstone thesis, "Capturing Moments in Music feat. the Human Voice," he studied at the Contemporary Writing and Production program at Berklee College of Music. Since graduating, he has been working as music director and orchestrator for “Once Upon A Carnival” at the New Works Festival in Boston. He also can be spotted on AcaVille TV’s aca-competition talk show, “The Winning Edge!”

Grayson Kilgo is a director, choreographer, and performer whose work centers on authenticity, emotional impact, and purposeful storytelling in contemporary a cappella. A music major at the College of William & Mary, he founded the campus's first competitive a cappella ensemble, No Ceiling in 2015. Under his leadership as musical director and choreographer, the group became a standout in Virginia's competitive circuit, earning two ICCA Semifinalist placements and multiple awards, including two for Outstanding Choreography. Grayson’s performance background includes Vineyard Sound (2014) and the semi-professional ensemble, Hyannis Sound (2015–2017), where he served as baritone and marketing manager, contributed to CARA-nominated work, and was a featured soloist on two studio albums. His coaching style draws on his dance and performance training, helping ensembles develop clear artistic purpose, cohesive storytelling, and compelling stagecraft. Based in New York City, Grayson remains active through the Gaia Music Collective and contributes writing to Oberon’s Glade, a longstanding arts and music publication. He has also supported emerging artists through Sofar Sounds as an emcee and artist liaison. Known for building new creative spaces from the ground up, Grayson brings a visionary approach to elevating vocal performance and empowering groups to perform with intention and resonance.

Lora Riehl served as the vocal percussionist for Northeastern University's treble a cappella group Pitch, Please! for five years, and acting music director for four. She has performed in a cappella groups since high school where she first began learning vocal percussion and went on to win awards for solos and vocal percussion, including Outstanding Vocal Percussion at the 2019 ICCA Finals. Lora is honored to be here as a judge and is excited to see the talent displayed tonight.

Mikayla Thompson is an award winning arranger and composer raised in Orlando, Fla. From competing in ICHSA with Take 7 to music directing her former group Mixed Mode at University of Central Florida, her involvement in competitive a cappella spans the better portion of a decade. Mikayla currently works as a freelance transcriber and arranger, while also music directing for local theatre.

Benjamin Thornton graduated from Brown University, where he spent four years as the president, music director, and assistant music director of The Jabberwocks, Brown's oldest a cappella group. During his time in The Jabberwocks, Ben traveled with the group to lead a cappella workshops in South Korea, San Fransisco, and Los Angeles. Classically trained, Ben graduated from the Boston University Tanglewood Institute's Young Artist Vocal Program, where he studied opera, choral singing, and music theory. Ben has given private vocal lessons for all ages and has studied for 12 years.

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 finishing groups at this event will advance to the 2026 ICHSA Mid-Atlantic 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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