SU’s Mandarins to Host Quarterfinals of International Championship of A Cappella

The Mandarins, the University’s premier all-female a cappella group, will play host at one of the 2014 Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinals for the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA). The competition will be on Saturday, March 1, at 7 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel. Tickets are now available at http://www.ticketalternative.com/Events/26468.aspx.

The Mandarins

Syracuse hasn’t hosted the competition since 2008, and will welcome its very own a cappella student organizations to the championship, including Groovestand, Main Squeeze, Orange Appeal and Otto Tunes. Fans of a cappella will be able to enjoy the talents from other schools who will be competing, such as Ithaca College, Monroe Community College, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Rochester and Cornell University, as well as have the opportunity to cheer on their favorite SU group.

“This year’s ICCAs will be extra special to us. While we have competed in this competition for the past two years and have already competed against some of our fellow SU groups, this time we will all be at home competing for our school,” says Devon Balk, a member of Main Squeeze. “This will be a unique opportunity for all the groups involved because we will be coming together to show what a cappella, and specifically Syracuse University a cappella, is all about.”

“For some of us, ICCAs is a return to the competitive scene of a cappella. For the rest of us, it’s a unique experience that we’ve yet to be a part of,” says CJ Cervantes, a member of Groovestand. “However, if there’s one thing to be said by members new and old, it’s that we’re excited and ready to take the stage once more.”

The Mandarins is an all-female a cappella group, known for its full sound and musicality, whose members share a universal passion for making music, performing and spending time together.

Groovestand is a co-ed group that features the freshest of the University’s musical talent with students from a variety of majors.

Otto Tunes is an all-male a cappella group whose members are ready to sing their hearts out.

Main Squeeze is an all-female a cappella group, best known for its cute choreography and girl-power anthems.

Orange Appeal is an all-male a cappella group composed of a diverse conglomerate that provides an opportunity for male students to pursue a passion in music, regardless of their academic major.

For more information, contact Courtney Jones at cejone02@syr.edu.