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 SOUTHWEST SEMIFINAL

Marcus High School
Saturday, March 14th, 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

A-Side hails from A&M Consolidated High School in College Station, Texas. Over the years, A-Side has enjoyed numerous successes at ICHSA, Acatex, VoiceJam, and the National A Cappella Convention (NACC). In addition, A-Side’s first-ever single was chosen for BOHSA 2025. More than just a group, A-Side is a musical family built on dedication, laughter, and a shared passion for making music that connects people. Whether belting out upbeat crowd-pleasers or delivering emotional ballads, A-Side strives to emphasize the value of every voice. 

Infiniti is the mixed a cappella ensemble from Rockwall-Heath High School. Since forming in 2018, they’ve been part of the growing Texas a cappella community, performing at festivals and competitions, including ICHSA and Acatex. Infiniti has had the opportunity to perform on the ICHSA Finals stage in New York City, most recently earning 3rd place at Finals in 2025. They have also been featured on prestigious compilation albums, such as BOHSA and Voices Only. Infiniti thrives on positive energy and embraces any opportunity to share their love of a cappella with others. 

Innovation is the official a cappella group of Reedy High School in Frisco, Texas! This is their second year performing and competing. Last year, Innovation had many opportunities to perform within their community, singing for audiences at the Minor League Rough Riders Baseball Game and at the International Dyslexia Gala in Dallas. Innovation made their competitive debut with showings at both Acatex and ICHSA, ultimately placing 4th in ICHSA Southwest Quarterfinals. They are so excited to continue growing this season, making music and memories together. 

Lowkey is the inaugural tenor-bass a cappella group from Rockwall Heath High School, bringing a fresh sound to the North Texas a cappella scene. Committed to showcasing their unique blend of voices, Lowkey is eager to compete in events like Acatex and ICHSA, all while building their local presence with community performances. With a passion for music and a drive to establish their artistic identity, Lowkey is excited to make their mark and connect with audiences. Stay tuned for their journey as they embrace the world of a cappella!

Madison Avenue hails from San Antonio and is ready to be back in the ICHSA game. For four years, they have made massive vocal strides and have come a long way from where they started. For a majority of the year, Madison is a student-led group and they can't wait to show off what they have accomplished. 

Mane Attraction is a talented 18-member mixed contemporary group from Sachse High School. This dynamic group of singers represents some of the finest student leaders on campus. Mane Attraction includes award-winning swimmers, golfers, football players, track stars, tennis players, and student council members, who come together as one to make beautiful music. In its fourth year of competition, these Mustangs know how to love like siblings, fight like siblings, and at the end of the day, celebrate as one fantastic family. In 2025, they placed 1st in their ICHSA Southwest Quarterfinal and 3rd at Semifinals. Get ready for a wild and joyful ride with the amazing Mane Attraction! 

Rockwall High School's Sting was formed in 2018 as an all-treble a cappella ensemble, placing 2nd at Sing! Texas that same year. In their very first ICHSA showing, Sting placed 3rd at the 2021 ICHSA Finals for their performance of “Denim Jacket" by Sammy Rae. The following year, Sting was the top-ranked all-treble ensemble in the 2022 ICHSA season, reaching 2nd place in the Wildcard round. Their Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA)-nominated debut album, Coronation, is available on all major streaming platforms, with tracks featured on Voices Only and BOHSA. They are currently recording their third album and look forward to its release later this year! 

Vocal Legacy is the premier contemporary a cappella group at Bryan High School. The group members are involved in various other school activities, but share a love for singing and performing. They hope you enjoy their 2026 ICHSA set! 

Founded in 2015, Walk the Line attended ICHSA Finals in 2017, 2022, 2024, and 2025, placing 2nd in 2022 and 4th in 2024. They have recorded and released four albums, all of which earned featured tracks placed on Varsity Vocals’ BOHSA albums, as well as three Voices Only compilations. After seven previous nominations, they won a CARA in 2022 for Best High School EP and another in 2024 for Best High School Song. In 2023, Walk the Line was featured as the first-ever contemporary a cappella group to perform at TMEA, hoping to encourage music educators all over Texas to form a cappella groups on their campuses. They love getting to perform live with their friends and meet new groups at festivals and competitions.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Peter Cunningham has been a dedicated member of the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) since 2008. A certified Singing Judge, he also serves on the Singing Category Board of Review and has been a faculty member at Harmony University since 2017. Peter's performance credentials include singing lead in The Academy, the 2014 International Collegiate Quartet Champions, as well as lead and baritone in Southern Stride, the 2018 U.S. representatives to the World Mixed Quartet Contest. Currently, he sings lead with Opus IV, the 2024 Southwestern District Quartet Champions. In addition to performing, Peter is a sought-after clinician and coach, having worked with youth events, choruses, quartets, and individual singers across the globe. He has held numerous leadership roles, including chorus director, music team leader, and section leader. Peter shares his life with his lovely wife, Sarah, and their two daughters, Annalise and Claire, and their dog, Hazel. 

Adrian Fernandez is a Bolivian-American violinist with a sweet spot for singing. After singing in choir and musicals, he joined his high school’s student-run a cappella group, Out of The Blue. He matriculated to Chapman University, where he received a B.M. in violin performance and joined the award-winning a cappella group, The ChapTones, serving as assistant music director and music director during his tenure. Highlights with The ChapTones include leading the group to multiple placements at ICCA Semifinals, performing with and for Billie Eilish, Chance the Rapper, Dan + Shay, John Legend, Finneas, and Reba McEntire, and traveling to perform around the West Coast. Adrian is currently working toward a Master of Music at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and teaches private lessons.

Jordan Kendrick has been involved in the a cappella community since 2015. He has performed with multiple groups groups over the years, headlining vocal festivals and earning several vocal percussion awards along the way. In addition to performing, Jordan has taught vocal percussion workshops at vocal festivals and earned awards for his work in a cappella music production.

Alex Poole is a musician, composer, and educator based in the DFW metroplex. He has a B.M. in music education and vocal performance from University of North Texas, and is currently the Associate Director of Choral Activities at Flower Mound High School in Flower Mound, Texas, where he directs Blue Print. Outside the classroom, Alex is a prolific writer and arranger. You can hear his music performed by various a cappella groups around the area, in theatre shows from the high school to professional levels, and on his YouTube channel (@therealalexpoole), where he explores music and storytelling concepts.

Hailing from the soybean capital of the world, Elliott Robinson is the current bass man and co-founder of Axiom Vocal. El is an a cappella veteran, having toured the globe with professional groups Chapter 6, The House Jacks, Home Free, and more. You also might recognize his rich bass notes as being the sonic foundation of Das Sound Machine in “Pitch Perfect 2.” In his spare time, he enjoys reading, working out, listening to music (with instruments), and being grateful that he no longer lives in Minnesota.

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank our guest performers, Fusion and Dually Noted; 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