2025 ICHSA Northeast Quarterfinal @ Bellport Middle 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 NORTHEAST QUARTERFINAL

Bellport Middle School
Saturday, February 28th, 2026

WE'RE SOCIAL

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

varsityvocals

@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 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

Back to the Bassics is a student-run a cappella club in Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, founded in January 2025. Run by co-presidents Bruno Isenberg and Jace Ulloa, music director Jameson Knable, vice-president Hugo Axelsson, and secretary Charlotte Mervin, Back to the Bassics continually strives to up their game. Unrestricted to any specific genre, the group chooses songs that resonate with them, freeing them to tailor their repertoire to their voices. Back to the Bassics premiered as a quartet and has grown to include many tenors and basses, and now sopranos and altos. They credit their success to one of their voice teachers, Mr. Piali, the club’s advisor, as well as music director Jameson Knable.

Dobbs 16 has been participating in the ICHSA for 20 years! In that time, they have achieved Semifinalist and Finalist status and group members have earned special awards for vocal percussion, arrangements, choreography, and solos. Many Dobbs 16 members continue singing after they finish high school and some of them have even started their own a cappella groups!

Elevate is the premier contemporary a cappella group from Bellport High School in Bellport, N.Y. Founded as the high school counterpart to the award-winning South Country Singers of Bellport Middle School, Elevate brings together passionate vocalists dedicated to pushing the boundaries of modern vocal music. With an energetic blend of pop and rock influences, the group prides itself on delivering performances that are as musically intricate as they are emotionally powerful. Though a newer ensemble, Elevate has quickly made its mark, following in the footsteps of the middle school group, which earned Superior ratings at the Long Island Music Festival and performed at major venues including UBS Arena for the New York Islanders and Long Island MacArthur Airport. Elevate represents the next chapter in Bellport’s growing a cappella legacy, driven by teamwork, creativity, and a shared love of music. This season marks Elevate’s ICHSA debut, where they aim to bring a fresh sound and undeniable passion to the stage. True to their name, this group hopes to Elevate the competition at this year’s ICHSA.

The Fox Lane Foxtones is an auditioned, co-ed a cappella group in Bedford, N.Y. They rehearse weekly after school to prepare for concerts, festivals, and community events. They have performed at Universal Studios in Orlando, and the Chordsmen A cappella Festival in Mamaroneck. This is The Foxtones’ second year competing in the ICHSA and they’re excited to return to the stage.

Centereach High School’s Perfect Fourths is directed by Mr. Hough and student-directed by Annie Paulino. They are excited to be performing in their first ICHSA since spring 2022! Perfect Fourths loves to sing pop a cappella music, performing at their school’s annual invitational and concerts each semester. Outside of school, they perform for local events, including for their town fire department on 9/11 and at the St. Charles Hospital for Christmas! The group’s four section leaders (Liyana Fazal, Alicia Robles, Sofia Silva, and Annie Paulino), help teach the music to each of their own sections. Student director Annie Paulino runs the choir, Gloria Caraccapa choreographs, and teachers Mr. Hough and Ms. Sposato have supported them along the way. Perfect Fourths is grateful to everyone who helped them get here and they hope you enjoy their set!

Rhythm on Rye is a powerhouse a cappella group with 18 talented members who bring energy, harmony, and heart wherever they perform. Hailing from Rye High School in New York, this group is passionate about sharing a cappella with their school and community. Every Rhythm on Rye song is carefully arranged, with student music directors and choreographers shaping each note and pose to create show-stopping performances. Known for their tight harmonies, clever arrangements, and infectious enthusiasm, Rhythm on Rye has been making audiences smile, tap their feet, and cheer along for nearly 18 years at the ICHSA. Whether they’re singing onstage or in the hallways of Rye High, these students prove that great music and great fun go hand in hand.

The Centereach High School Testostertones are ecstatic to perform at the ICHSA this year! They are known throughout the Middle Country Central School District for holding invitationals, where a variety of a cappella groups come to Centereach and perform their sets. More than just a choir, The Testostertones is a true family. Each member’s drive and dedication to their craft have helped the group evolve, and they recently started exploring barbershop music as well! After one solid year in the ICHSA, The Testostertones are ready to bring intense emotions and intruiguing stories to the stage this season!

GUEST PERFORMER

The Hofbeats is an award-winning, mixed-voice collegiate a cappella group from Hofstra University. They pride themselves on being a tight-knit family who share a love for making music. The group loves performing at on-campus events, invitationals hosted by other groups, and, of course, their own semesterly concerts! The members of The Hofbeats come from a variety of majors, ranging from music and education to public relations and economics. While music brings them all together, The Hofbeats support their fellow group members' other campus activities, such as recitals, choir concerts, Greek life, and sporting events! In 2023, they placed 1st at their ICCA Quarterfinal and earned special awards for Outstanding Soloist, Outstanding Choreography, and Outstanding Vocal Percussion. In 2024, they placed 2nd at Quarterfinals and earned another Outstanding Soloist award. Most recently, their song, "Will Call," was featured on BOCA 2025. Follow them on all social media platforms @TheHofbeats and stream their EP, Wake, coming out TONIGHT on all streaming platforms! They are so excited to perform tonight and grateful to Varsity Vocals for having them!

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Alex Green is a recording engineer, producer, and arranger from New York City. He is a graduate of Tufts University with a dual degree in music and archeology. There, he was a member of The Tufts Amalgamates, with whom he sang, directed, and recorded 2011′s Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA)-winning Hands Off The Mannequin. He is a co-owner and producer at Plaid Productions, a full-service a cappella production company with dual home bases in Brooklyn, N.Y. and Somerville, Mass. Alex shares two RIAA-certified Platinum and Billboard-charting albums with Ed Boyer and Ben Bram for his work with Pentatonix, while other clients of Plaid Productions have had songs featured on SING, BOCA, and Voices Only, garnering over 100 CARA nominations. Since graduating in 2010, he has regularly served as a masterclass leader and instructor at a cappella festivals nationwide, sung with Overboard (Boston), and written for the Recorded A Cappella Review Board (RARB).

Bonnie La Gatta is a high school chorus teacher at Riverhead High School. She conducts a mixed chorus and a competitive chamber choir that recently placed silver at the WorldStrides competition in Washington, D.C. She is also a vocal and piano instructor at the prestigious School of Rock in Port Jefferson, N.Y., abiding by a performance-based curriculum. Before teaching, she ran the a cappella group Fa Sol Ladies at Suffolk County Community College. She then matriculated to study music education at The Crane School of Music, where she joined A Sharp Arrangement, SUNY Potsdam's all-treble a cappella group. She served as music director, arranger, and competed in ICCA three times. She is very excited to join this panel as an adjudicator.

Jayne Matzelle is a music teacher on Long Island, and has been singing a cappella since high school. She has a degree from the Crane School of Music, where she sang with Stay Tuned A Cappella for two years, serving as music director for part of her tenure and competing in ICCA. She is now in her third year of teaching and recently joined Roslyn School District as a general music and chorus teacher. She is excited to continue her journey with a cappella as a judge this year!

Daniel Yankow is a music educator based in Nassau County and has been teaching music for over five years. He has taught band at every level, from fourth through 12th grade, and has also taught chorus at the middle school level. A trained vocalist himself, Daniel has directed several musicals and performed onstage at many points throughout his life.

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank Kyle Sherlock, Bellport Middle School and High School, The South Country Singers, Tri-M Music Honor Society, Bellport Parent Volunteers, The Hofbeats, and Dave Rabizadeh of RDX Productions; 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 Northeast 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

#ICHSA