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Tag: 2026

Sweet Adelines Regional Season

Sweet Adelines Regional Season Is Here, and the Stakes Have Never Been Higher

The competition season is officially underway, and Sweet Adelines International is bringing the world together one region at a time. From the Midwest to New Zealand, singers across six countries are competing this spring for a spot on the biggest stage in women’s barbershop harmony: the 78th Annual International Convention and Competition, taking place October 26-31 in Columbus, Ohio.

This week, five regions compete simultaneously on April 23-26. Region 13 (North by Northwest) holds its contest in Spokane, Washington, with a free webcast available to viewers worldwide. Region 15 (Greater New York and New Jersey) competes in Albany, New York. Region 5 (Spirit of the Midwest) heads to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, also offering a free webcast. Region 6 (Northern Lights) holds its regional in Rochester, Minnesota, streaming via Vimeo. Region 8 (Rocky Mountain) takes the stage in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The competition continues April 30 – May 3 with four more regions. Region 2 (Border Lakes) competes in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Region 3 (Midwest Harmony) holds its contest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Region 16 (Lake Ontario) gathers in Pickering, Ontario. Region 26 (Canadian Maple Leaf) competes in Edmonton, Alberta.

May 7-10, Region 1 (North Atlantic) holds its regional in Springfield, Massachusetts, with a webcast available by donation. That same weekend, Region 31 (Quartet of Nations) and Region 32 (Nordic Light) come together for a joint international convention in Manchester, United Kingdom, drawing competitors from across Europe and Scandinavia.

The final wave of regional contests runs May 14-17 across four continents. Region 12 (Pacific Shores) competes in Sparks, Nevada. Region 17 (Great Lakes Harmony) holds its contest in Erie, Pennsylvania, with a webcast available. Region 9 (Coastal Harmony) competes in Kissimmee, Florida. Region 34 (Southern Cross) takes the stage in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, streaming for 20 Australian dollars. Region 35 (New Zealand) competes in Palmerston North.

Every regional contest this spring is a qualifying event. The road to Columbus runs through all of them. Full details, orders of appearance, and webcast information for each region are available at sweetadelines.com.

2026 ICCA and ICHSA Finals Have Been Announced!

The voices have spoken, and here is every first-place winner earning their spot on the Finals stage.

The 2026 competitive a cappella season has produced some of the most compelling performances in recent memory. From high school auditoriums to college concert halls, and even across the Atlantic, vocal groups from around the world have competed for a chance to advance. All of that work has been building toward one night: the 2026 ICCA and ICHSA Finals, set for April 24 and 25, 2026, at The Town Hall (123 W 43rd St, New York, NY) from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Ten of the best collegiate a cappella groups in the world will take that historic Manhattan stage and compete for the title. Below is a full breakdown of every first-place winner from the Semifinal and Wild Card rounds of both the ICCA (International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella) and ICHSA (International Championship of High School A Cappella).


ICCA SEMIFINAL WINNERS

Northeast: The Nor’easters (Northeastern University): The Nor’easters turned in a commanding performance with 418 points to claim the Northeast region, continuing a strong season that included an impressive quarterfinal run just weeks prior.

South: Carolina Sound (University of Mount Olive): Carolina Sound earned the South Semifinal title with 381 points, edging out Belmont’s Prismatics 381 to 373 in one of the tightest semifinal results of the season. A strong showing from a program that continues to grow on the national stage.

Great Lakes: Amazin’ Blue (University of Michigan): Amazin’ Blue secured their Finals berth with 368 points, adding another chapter to Michigan’s well-established legacy in collegiate a cappella competition.

West: Eh? Cappella (University of British Columbia): Representing Canada in the West region, UBC’s Eh? Cappella led the field with 394 points and also took home Outstanding Arrangement honors, delivering one of the more complete performances of the semifinal round.

Mid-Atlantic: Off Track (Towson University): Off Track carried strong momentum into the Mid-Atlantic Semifinal and came away with 388 points and the top spot, capping off a consistent run through both the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds.

Central: Off the Record (Lehigh University): Lehigh’s Off the Record earned 416 points at the Central Semifinal along with Outstanding Arrangement and Choreography recognition, making a clear statement as one of the stronger groups heading into Finals.

Midwest: A Cub Bella (Missouri State University): Missouri State’s A Cub Bella secured the Midwest title with 381 points, holding off a competitive field that included two strong entries from Ohio State University.

Southwest: VirtuOSO (Baylor University): In the narrowest result of the semifinal season, VirtuOSO from Baylor University edged UC Irvine’s Morse Coda by a single point, 414 to 413, to claim the Southwest title.

United Kingdom: Northern Lights (Durham University): Northern Lights posted the highest semifinal score of any group in either competition this season, earning 428 points at the United Kingdom Semifinal and establishing themselves as a serious contender heading into the ICCA Finals.


ICCA WILD CARD

Wild Card: Prismatics (Belmont University): After finishing second at the South Semifinal, the Prismatics earned their Finals spot through the Wild Card round with 419 points, securing a second path to New York City for the Nashville-based group.


ICHSA SEMIFINAL WINNERS

Northeast: NOTEorious (North Reading High School): NOTEorious turned in a 371-point performance to claim the Northeast title, capping off a dominant run through the high school competition that began at the quarterfinal level.

South: Sonic Edge (CCCEPA at Pebblebrook High School): Sonic Edge from Pebblebrook High School in Georgia earned 400 points and the South Semifinal title, delivering one of the standout performances of the high school competition this season.

Great Lakes: Off The Record (Lockport Township High School): In an exceptionally close contest, Lockport Township’s Off The Record claimed the Great Lakes title with 403 points, finishing just four points ahead of Port Washington’s Limited Edition in second place.

West: Titanium (Tesoro High School): Tesoro High School’s Titanium earned 371 points and the West Semifinal title, with the group also taking home Outstanding Vocal Percussion recognition for their performance.

Southwest: Infiniti (Rockwall-Heath High School): Infiniti delivered a dominant 418-point performance at the Southwest Semifinal, earning the top spot along with Outstanding Vocal Percussion and Choreography honors.

Mid-Atlantic: Stay Tuned (Cherry Hill High School East): Stay Tuned from Cherry Hill, New Jersey earned 412 points and the Mid-Atlantic title, also receiving recognition for Outstanding Choreography during the competition.

Midwest: 16th Street Soul (Warren Central High School): 16th Street Soul claimed the Midwest Semifinal title on their home stage at Warren Central High School, a meaningful result for a program that has worked to build its presence within the regional competition.


ICHSA WILD CARD

Wild Card: The Ram Jams (Ramsey High School): Ramsey High School’s Ram Jams earned the ICHSA Wild Card with 397 points, securing a Finals berth after finishing second at the Mid-Atlantic Semifinal earlier in the season.


What Is Next?

The semifinal winners and wild card champions now turn their attention to the Finals. The 2026 ICCA and ICHSA Finals take place on April 24 and 25, 2026, at The Town Hall in New York City, where ten collegiate groups will compete for the championship title. With programs representing campuses from Nashville to Vancouver and New Jersey to Durham, England, the Finals stage promises to be one of the most competitive nights in the tournament’s history.

Visit varsityvocals.com for full results, special awards, and Finals updates.

Pentatonix Brings World Tour to Europe This Spring

The Grammy-winning a cappella giants are heading across the Atlantic for a massive run of dates

Pentatonix fans in Europe have plenty to look forward to this spring, as the beloved vocal group has announced an extensive European tour running from early April through early May 2026.

The tour kicks off on April 7 in Hungary before sweeping through some of Europe’s most iconic venues. Highlights include back-to-back nights in Germany — spanning Hamburg, Berlin, Düsseldorf, and Frankfurt — along with stops in Paris, Amsterdam, and a sold-out date in Cardiff. The run wraps up May 3 in Sweden, with a London O2 Arena show on April 26 rounding out the UK leg.

Adding to the excitement, Kirstin Maldonado said of the upcoming shows: “This show will be unlike anything we have done before and may even include some new music! It’s going to be a special experience that we are so excited to share together.”

For those who can’t make the European dates, Pentatonix also have Japan dates planned for August in Tokyo and Osaka, suggesting the world tour is far from over.

Tickets for all dates are available at ptxofficial.com. If Cardiff’s sold-out show is any indication, fans are advised not to wait.