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 WEST SEMIFINAL

Fox Theatre
Friday, March 20th, 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

Amplify is the mixed-voice a cappella ensemble of Rise Up Children's Choir, representing singers from ages 13 to 18. Amplify has a global audience with millions of streams of their music and videos across multiple social media and streaming platforms. With over 300K subscribers to their YouTube channel, they are the recipients of the coveted Silver Play Button Award. Amplify is featured on numerous BOHSA albums and placed 1st in their 2024 ICHSA West Quarterfinal, sweeping the Outstanding Soloist awards at both the Quarterfinal and Semifinal rounds. The group has been recognized for their achievements and excellence by the Contemporary A Cappella Society of America (CASA), Utah Music Video Awards, and KPOP Chart. Their music directors are David Allen and Abi Urton. 

Encore, the electrifying a cappella powerhouse from American Leadership Academy, isn't just a high school group, but an entertainment phenomenon. Composed of 13 elite vocalists, they take the energy of a live concert and transform it into intricate harmony, setting them dramatically apart from typical school choirs. While other groups might sing in the background, they command the spotlight, delivering 40-50 high-octane performances annually that serve the school and wider community. They specialize in transforming hits, from current pop chart-toppers to retro rock anthems, into complex, "Pitch Perfect"-style a cappella arrangements. Their signature sound blends explosive vocal percussion and intricate harmonization with a dynamic stage presence, guaranteeing unforgettable shows. Encore’s dedication to excellence extends beyond the stage. Each year, they produce and film several high-quality music videos that reach audiences across the globe. With Encore, music fans experience the future of vocal music today. 

The Sherwood High School Mixolydians is a group of fun-loving musicians from Sherwood, Ore. They love spending time together just as much as they love creating beautiful music. The Mixolydians have participated in the past 12 ICHSA seasons, notably placing 1st at Quarterfinals in 2020 and 3rd at Quarterfinals in 2022. The Mixolydians have also enjoyed performing at Rose City Sing-Off for many years and working with icons like Deke Sharon! They are proud to have earned multiple ICHSA awards over the years for Outstanding Vocal Percussion, Outstanding Soloist, Outstanding Arrangement, and Outstanding Choreography. Thrilled to be back for their 13th ICHSA season, The Mixolydians are grateful for this experience and excited to see all the groups perform tonight! 

MST Music Academy's MYST A Cappella is a determined group, fired up for their fourth ICHSA season. They were honored to reach 3rd place at ICHSA West Semifinals for the last two consecutive years and performed as the deliberation group for ICCA West Quarterfinals at the Fox Theater. More than anything, MYST loves to tell a beautiful story through music. 

Neo Chromatics is a select group of singers from John Burroughs High School directed by Hannah Abrahim. They rehearse after school once a week and proudly represent their school at many performances throughout Southern California. The choral program at John Burroughs High School, under the direction of Brendan Jennings, is nationally recognized for its excellence. The students of Neo Chromatics are all members of Powerhouse, the school’s top choir. Follow them on Instragram @neochromatics. 

When students love music and one another, groups like OC Voices are born. Singing everything from pop to classic rock, this group of singers has represented their school in the community and abroad since 2011. OC Voices has competed in multiple ICHSA seasons, advancing to Semifinals in their competitive debut. In 2021, OC Voices was featured as one of three Finalists in the Los Angeles A Cappella Festival (LAAF). OC Voices is part of the Oaks Christian School Institute of Arts and Innovation and features many vocal performance track students as soloists in this group.   

Performing their first ICHSA set, Pack Attack is San Ramon Valley High School's extracurricular vocal group. These singers meet at lunchtime and evening rehearsals and have built a repertoire of jazz and pop selections. 

Sound Check is Oregon City High School’s premier vocal ensemble, composed of 17 friends who love making music together. In its 10 years of existence, Sound Check has been developing its sound and presence in the community. Sound Check now has three albums available on iTunes and many other music streaming platforms. Last year, the group was excited to make its debut in the 2025 ICHSA West Quarterfinals and thrilled to advance to the West Semifinals in California. They treasure their memories from that trip and value the experience singing onstage alongside some incredible a cappella groups. They are excited to be back performing at this year’s ICHSA! 

Soundscape is an a cappella group from West Salem High School that focuses on contemporary music. They have gained recognition by earning top placements at ICHSA Quarterfinals during their first three years of competing. They have also won the Rose City Sing-Off in 2023 and 2024. Soundscape performs a range of songs that showcase their vocal harmonies. The group’s commitment to music and teamwork creates a strong sense of community among its members. As they continue to grow, Soundscape looks forward to pushing their creative boundaries and inspiring audiences. 

Titanium is a co-ed contemporary a cappella ensemble from the Grammy-winning choral program at Tesoro High School in Las Flores, Calif. They frequently perform at sporting events, pep rallies, and other school and community events. Titanium has competed numerous times in ICHSA, most notably winning the title of 2023 ICHSA West Champion and going on to place 4th at Finals in New York City. In 2025, they were featured showcase performers at the NACC in Orlando, Fla. The group has released several music videos, an EP, and performed at the Grammy museum for director Quentin Tarantino. Titanium enjoys post-rehearsal boba and group pizookie nights. You can check out their music video releases on YouTube and find their music on all streaming platforms.

TONIGHT'S JUDGES

Willa Albrecht has a lifelong love for music and singing. A graduate of Pomona College with a Bachelor of Arts in music, she has a strong background in choral performance, leadership, music education, music history, and ethnomusicology. During her time at Pomona, Willa performed with the Pomona College Choir and Glee Club and is an alumna of the a cappella group, Claremont Shades. She has performed as both an ensemble member and featured soloist with various groups in California, singing in a wide range of vocal styles, including musical theatre, pop, jazz, classical, and baroque. Willa currently works with the San Francisco Early Music Society, where she directs The Polyphonics, the Berkeley Youth Choir program's high school a cappella ensemble. Under her direction, The Polyphonics placed 4th at their 2026 ICCA West Quarterfinal. Through the Berkeley Youth Choir program, Willa is developing new choral programs for younger students in grades K-8.

Dr. Daniel Fister (he/him) is thrilled to have been a judge for Varsity Vocals for over a decade! He is a proud original member of Wilsonville High School’s Soul’d Out and alumnus of Chapman University SoundCheck. In both groups, he sang bass, arranged, music-directed, and competed in Varsity Vocals events. Daniel remains involved in a cappella as a judge for Varsity Vocals and the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARAs), a reviewer for the Recorded A Cappella Review Board (RARB), and a masterclass leader. His time singing and judging a cappella inspired him to pursue a doctoral degree in musicology at Washington University in St. Louis and his dissertation examined how race impacts ideologies, policies, and sounds in contemporary scholastic a cappella. Daniel is currently an adjunct professor at various Bay Area colleges. He also sings with and is the Associate Director of the Silicon Valley Gay Men’s Chorus, and directs and arranges for the ensemble’s small group, Desperate Measures. Best wishes to all the competing groups!

Bill Hare is a Grammy-winning recording engineer/producer and is recognized as a pioneer in bringing pop/rock production techniques to recorded contemporary a cappella. Over the past 35 years, Bill has recorded and/or mixed acclaimed albums for some of the best-known contemporary a cappella groups around the globe, from The Swingle Singers to The King’s Singers in the U.K., Basix to Vocal Line in Denmark, Italy's Cluster, The Ghost Files, Alti & Bassi and Maybe6ix, German supergroups Wise Guys, Amarcord, and Maybebop, to name just a few, as well as artists from dozens of other countries, from Australia to Zambia. He also covers the U.S. from his home base in California, working with top American acts including The House Jacks, m-pact, Pentatonix, Peter Hollens, Street Corner Symphony, NoTa, +4dB, Duwende, The Backbeats, Brian Wilson/The Beach Boys, as well as NBC’s hit show, “The Sing-Off.” Collegiate a cappella clients include The Tufts Beelzebubs, University of Oregon’s On The Rocks and Divisi, The Stanford Harmonics, and scores of others. Bill’s story was also told in the original book version of “Pitch Perfect,” from which the popular movies were adapted. Bill’s accolades include more than 70 appearances on BOCA, over 100 CARA nominations, nearly 40 albums on RARB’s "Picks of the Year" lists, and 11 "DeeBee" awards since 1987 in the vocal jazz category from Downbeat Magazine. Bill has also had numerous appearances on Billboard, iTunes, and other major charts, Gold and Platinum record certifications around the world, and multiple music awards and nominations.

Dr. Chris Rishel is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and the Director of the Neuroanesthesiology Fellowship at Stanford, and also serves as Chief Technology Officer at WikiAnesthesia, a nonprofit startup for sharing knowledge in anesthesia. He was first introduced to a cappella music when he sang in a barbershop quartet in the eighth grade, and entered the realm of contemporary a cappella as a graduate student in the M.D./Ph.D. program at The University of Chicago. There, he directed Voices in Your Head to multiple appearances at ICCA Finals among other competitive successes. His arrangements and compositions have been individually recognized with three Outstanding Arrangement awards at the ICCA, two CARAs for Best Mixed Collegiate Arrangement, as well as CARAs for Best Professional Arrangement for a Scholastic Group and Best Scholastic Original Song. His works have also been frequently featured on the compilation albums BOCA, Sing, Voices Only, and Ben Folds’ a cappella album. As a studio producer, he has helped other groups achieve over 15 CARA nominations and more than 20 compilation album appearances.

Hahns Shin is a bass singer based out of Berkeley and East Bay. In undergrad, he performed with the prestigious Purdue Varsity Glee Club and the Purdue Symphony Orchestra. He currently performs in four different a cappella groups (including Side Note, winner of the 2022 Bay Area Harmony Sweepstakes competition) and is active in community a cappella meetups throughout the Bay Area. He has served on the board of the East Bay Harmony community chorus since 2018.

SPECIAL THANKS

Varsity Vocals would like to recognize and thank the team at Fox Theatre; sound engineer, Joey Cassata; photographer, Jake Young (jakeyoungphotography.com); emcee, Courtney Jensen; production assistant, Seth Fetro; our judges, hosts, competitors, volunteers, partners, and producers; and you, the audience, for supporting Varsity Vocals programming.

We’d appreciate you taking a moment to complete this short survey! It helps us continue improving our shows. Thank you so much for your support!

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