ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. — On Nov. 15, 2024, St. Mary’s College of Maryland’s Interchorus A Capella Group placed in the quarterfinals of the 2025 International Championship of Collegiate A Capella (ICCAs). For those familiar with the Pitch Perfect movies, this is the same competition featured in those films.
This is the first time in eight years that the group has advanced in the competition, and only the third time since 2009.
Summer LaRocco, a student at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, is the music director of the group and spoke to The BayNet about her feelings on making the competition.
“It just feels kind of surreal,” LaRocco said. “It always felt impossible. We auditioned every year, and I was always told, ‘We won’t get in, we won’t get in.’”
“The fact that we got through means next semester is going to be unusual: we’re going to have to look for community sponsors, organize travel, and change our setlist. The scope of the semester will be different, but I look forward to the challenge.”
Interchorus will perform a selection of contemporary pop music, which has been arranged for A Capella by club members.
The ICCAs are an annual competition hosted by Varsity Vocals, and, along with its high school tournament counterpart, they are the only global tournaments that solely feature A Capella singing. Collegiate institutions from all across the U.S. and the U.K. will take part.
St. Mary’s will compete in the Mid-Atlantic group, which consists of 50 other regional collegiate institutions. They will perform at West Chester University on March 1, 2025. Tickets can be found on the Varsity Vocals website.
Visit the Varsity Vocals Facebook and Instagram for more information.
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