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 SEMIFINAL

University of Hartford
Sunday, March 15th, 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 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

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! 

Falconize is one of three contemporary vocal ensembles from Danvers High School in Danvers, Mass. They have placed and received awards at numerous ICHSA Quarterfinals and Semifinals over the years. Falconize's recordings have been featured on many BOHSA compilations and nominated for Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs). When they aren’t competing, Falconize enjoys singing for school and community events.   

For Good Measure is the a cappella group from Mohonasen High School in Schenectady, N.Y.  They have been performing at local school and community events since 2012. The group’s 16 members are highly involved in their high school music department, which includes many instrumental ensembles, choirs, and the theatre program. This is For Good Measure’s 10th year competing in the ICHSA and they look forward to another great experience this season! 

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.

Founded in 2009, NOTEorious is North Reading High School’s all-voice student-run a cappella group. They love to perform locally and throughout the U.S. Last year, NOTEorious performed in Memphis, placed in the top 3 at N.E. Voices, and won 1st place in ICHSA Northeast Semifinals, sending them to Finals in New York City, where they were honored to win Outstanding Arrangement. They challenge themselves to arrange their own music each year and recently visited a recording studio for the first time. They work hard, play hard, and flashmob everywhere they go. 

The Skyline Voices, from Success Academy HSLA-Manhattan, is a high school a cappella group from New York City, known for their bold take on R&B, soul, and hip-hop. They bring fresh, unexpected styles to the a cappella world with creative arrangements and high-energy performances. In their ICHSA debut last year, they won Outstanding Choreography, Outstanding Arrangement, and 3rd place overall in their ICHSA Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinal. They're back this year and ready to shake things up again! 

Founded in 2014, The Thursdays evolved from a pre-existing jazz choir. They quickly and enthusiastically embraced contemporary a cappella, developing their skills in local festivals and collaborative events, including the NE Voices festival, earning many special awards over the years. In 2017 and 2018, they appeared on the PBS show, “Sing That Thing,” earning a 1st place ranking in 2018. This is the group’s 12th year competing in the ICHSA. During this stretch, The Thursdays have represented the Northeast region at Finals four times and won multiple special awards for their choreography, vocal percussion, and soloists. In 2025, they placed 2nd at ICHSA Northeast Semifinals. 

Vibe, the newest a cappella group at Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School, is the only teacher-led group within a program of eight other student-run groups. Vibe took 1st place at their ICHSA Northeast Quarterfinal for the past two consecutive years and also won Outstanding Soloist in 2025. Vibe is thrilled to take the stage again and share some good vibes. @vibe_pobacappella 

South Glens Falls High School’s Vocal Point is a curricular group based in upstate New York. In recent years, they have had the incredible opportunity to perform as the opening act for The Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, for Foreigner at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and at many other venues. Although Vocal Point is now under the direction of a recent alum, the group wishes to dedicate this set to their former director, Betsy, who started it all. They wouldn’t be the group they are today without her vision and dedication. You can find their two most recent EPs, One-fifteen and Elevator Pitch, on various streaming platforms. Be sure to follow them on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @sgfvocalpoint. 

Voices of Steel is the premier a cappella group at Wakefield Memorial High School and have been sharing their passion for music and performing since 2009. They love singing in stairwells and performing in their red Converse. They have participated in ICHSA since 2009, advancing to Semifinals several times and winning awards for Outstanding Soloist and Outstanding Choreography. They love sharing their music around the country and have performed in Memphis, Tenn., Orlando, Fla., and all over northeast Massachusetts. Voices of Steel wishes all of tonight’s groups the best of luck in their performances! 

GUEST PERFORMER

Zac Burns is a singer/songwriter from Jericho, Vt. Surrounded by music from a young age, he quickly fell in love with sitting at a piano and writing songs. Finding the stage at 9, Zac continued to develop his craft as a musician, performing on stages at Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall. By age 17, he started professionally writing and producing music and went on to release music on streaming platforms. Zac currently has over 50 songs released under his own name, and has collaborated with numerous artists on their releases. In college, Zac fell in love with a cappella and competed in the ICCA for four years. Today, he loves arranging, coaching, and being the biggest a cappella fan possible. When he’s not writing music, he’s most likely golfing, hanging out with his cat, Manchego, or trying to figure out how to drive through every town in Connecticut in one trip with his friends, Marc and Dan. You can find Zac’s music content on social media platforms @zacburnsmusic! 

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Virginia DeMoss brings 15 years of professional involvement with Varsity Vocals as an ICCA and ICHSA event producer, BOCA/BOHSA album production coordinator, and ICCA judge, following an even longer history as an ICCA competitor with Florida State University groups, All Night Yahtzee and Acabelles. She has a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Social Work from Florida State University and has never gone more than a month or two without participating in some musical venture. Most recently, Virginia sang with the Asheville Vocal Ensemble (AVE, formerly Pastyme) from 2016-2024. After moving back to New England in fall 2024, she was welcomed to the Hartford Chorale as one of their newest members. She is thrilled to continue working with Varsity Vocals, an organization which has enriched her life for so many years and brings the joy of music, education, and community to folks all over the world.

Originally from Torrington, Conn., Kyle Hogan currently lives in Washington, D.C. and works in antitrust law. As an undergraduate at the University of Rochester, Kyle dedicated most of his time outside of his core studies to making music as he trained in classical voice and sang bass with The YellowJackets, joining shortly after their feature on NBC's “The Sing-Off.” Recently, Kyle has lent his voice to a number of collaborations, including work with Street Corner Symphony and June. Kyle currently sings bass in the six-person vocal band, Nomadic.

David Ko holds a bachelor's and a master's degree in music therapy from Florida State University. In his undergraduate years, he was an active member of FSU's Reverb, serving as the group's music director from 2011 to 2013. During his two years as music director, Reverb went on to win multiple Outstanding Arrangement awards, two ICCA South Quarterfinals, and one South Semifinal, plus 4th place overall at ICCA Finals. David currently works in eastern Connecticut, where he is the assistant director of Progressions Music Therapy services. He works on commissions for choral and a cappella arrangements for high school, collegiate, and professional groups in his spare time. You can hear one of his recent arrangements on BOHSA 2025!

Kevin Trapasso has spent over 15 years involved in Varsity Vocals programs. While majoring in choral music education at Arizona State University, he helped found the school’s first all-male a cappella group, created an annual statewide a cappella festival, and eventually led this group to a Quarterfinal win in his senior year. Since then, he earned a master’s degree in choral conducting and has taught secondary, collegiate, and professional vocal ensembles around Florida and New York. He is so pleased to judge the very competition that helped him grow tremendously as a musician and educator and looks forward to a great night of music!

Jake Wild graduated from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami with a degree in modern artistry development and entrepreneurship. Jake was a member of BisCaydence, the oldest a cappella group at the University of Miami, for all four years of his college experience. In Jake's senior year, he served as co-music director and helped lead BisCaydence to the ICCA Finals. He also served as music director of his high school a cappella group, Byram Beat. Jake currently lives in New York City and is pursuing a career as a singer-songwriter.

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank The University of Hartford, Liam, Tony P, Rachel Landy, Lincoln Theater staff, Kelly Anne Young, and Zac Burns; 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 ICHSA 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!

#ICHSA