Contemporary A Cappella Society at the University of Central Florida

The mission of Contemporary A Cappella is to promote the growth, development, and awareness of a cappella music and techniques in the UCF and Orlando community through performances, outreach, and entertainment.

If you are interested in joining us, recommending a song, or just want to comment, please feel free to write us as well! Even if you don't sing, you can still join our organization and participate in workshops, socials, and other events.

2024-25 Executive Board:

• Faculty Advisor - Bill Zanetti
• President - Jason Calzon
• Vice President - Leah Sommerio
• Treasurer - Taylor Ward
• Secretary -  Tyler Frame
• Marketing Director - Christine Luong

Current Groups and Directors:

Crescendudes (all-male, founded 2005): Peter Devita

KeyHarmony (all-female, founded 2009): Tsaryi Grant

Gemini Blvd (co-ed, founded 2009): Nellie Rettig

Voicebox (co-ed, founded 2014): Jason Calzon

Mixed Mode (co-ed, founded 2015): Kirsten McConnell

 

Festivals and Conferences:

2013:

• CAC: Host, acappellaEd Educational Seminar, University of Central Florida, October 19, 2013, Orlando, FL

2015:

• CAC: Host, International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella Quarterfinal #1, University High School, January 24, 2015, Orlando, FL

2018:

• NACC: KeyHarmony - Best Female Soloist (Keani Knight)

2023:

• NACC: Voicebox - NACC 2023 Showcase Performance

 

International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA)

2008:

• Quarterfinals: Crescendudes - 3rd Place, Outstanding Choreography for "Words"

2009:

• Quarterfinals: Crescendudes - Outstanding Choreography for the Entire Set

2013:

• Quarterfinals: Gemini Blvd. - 2nd Place (advanced to Semifinals), Outstanding Soloist (Stephanie Trull for "Shark In the Water"), Outstanding Vocal Percussion (Jeff Ting for "Shark In the Water")

2014:

• Quarterfinals: Gemini Blvd. - 3rd Place

2015:

• Quarterfinals: 
• Voicebox - 1st Place, Outstanding Arrangement (Harrison Acosta for "Stutter"), Outstanding Choreography (Sami Sorce and Thomas Vassiliades for the Entire Set), Outstanding Vocal Percussion (Ronauldus Woods for the Entire Set)
• Gemini Blvd. - 3rd Place
• Semifinals: 
• Voicebox - Outstanding Arrangement (Harrison Acosta for the Entire Set), Outstanding Vocal Percussion (Ronauldus Woods for the Entire Set)

2016:

• Quarterfinals: 
• Gemini Blvd. - 1st Place, Outstanding Choreography (Jeff Ting for the Entire Set), Outstanding Vocal Percussion (Jeff Ting for the Entire Set)
• Voicebox - 2nd Place, Outstanding Arrangement (Harrison Acosta for "Lightning") 
• Semifinals: 
• Voicebox - 1st Place, Outstanding Arrangement (Harrison Acosta for the Entire Set), Outstanding Choreography (Sami Sorce and Morganne Evans for the Entire Set) 
• Gemini Blvd. - 2nd Place (Wild Card qualifiers), Outstanding Vocal Percussion (Jeff Ting for the Entire Set)
• Finals: 
• Voicebox - 4th Place, Outstanding Arrangement (Harrison Acosta for the Entire Set)

2017:

• Quarterfinals: 
• Gemini Blvd. - 1st Place Overall, Outstanding Arrangement (Lily Valentine for "Father"), Outstanding Soloist (Lily Valentine for "Father"), 
• Mixed Mode - 3rd Place, Outstanding Choreography
• Semifinals: Gemini Blvd. - Outstanding Arrangement (Lily Valentine for “Father”)

2018:

• Quarterfinals: 
• Mixed Mode - 1st Place, Outstanding Arrangement (Michael Hanusiak for "iRobot”)
• Gemini Blvd. - 2nd Place, Outstanding Arrangement (Lily Valentine for the Entire Set), Outstanding Choreography (Jon Batista for "Closure”)
• KeyHarmony - Outstanding Soloist (Keani Knight for "Have Mercy”)
• Semifinals: 
• Gemini Blvd. - Outstanding Arrangement (Lily Valentine for the Entire Set)

2019:

• Quarterfinals: 
• Gemini Blvd. - 1st Place, Outstanding Choreography (Dahlia El-Shafie, Brandan Caradonna, and Alyssa DeNardis), Outstanding Arrangement (Lily Valentine for the Entire Set), Outstanding Soloist (Lily Valentine for “No Tears Left to Cry”)
• Semifinals: 
• Gemini Blvd. - 3rd Place (Wild Card qualifiers)

2020:

• Quarterfinals: 
• Mixed Mode - 2nd Place (advanced to Semifinals)
• KeyHarmony - Best Choreography

2022:

• Quarterfinals: 
• Gemini Blvd. - 1st Place (advanced to Semifinals)
• Mixed Mode - Outstanding Vocal Percussionist (Joshua Oberes)

2023:

• Quarterfinals: 
• Mixed Mode - 2nd Place (advanced to Semifinals, Awards: Best Choreography & Best Vocal Percussionist)
• KeyHarmony - Competitor

2024:

• Quarterfinals: 
• Crescendudes - Competitor
• Gemini Blvd. - Competitor
• Mixed Mode - 3rd Place (Awards: Outstanding Choreography)
• KeyHarmony - Competitor
• Voicebox - Deliberations Performance

 

BOSS (Boston Sings) A Cappella Festival

2018:

• Voicebox - 1st Place ("You DID That" & "The Queen" Awards)

2019:

• Mixed Mode - Scholastic Competitor ("Locked & Lush with Overtones" Award)

2023:

• Mixed Mode - 2nd Place (Outstanding Solo: Star Quality)
• Voicebox - Scholastic Competitor (All Across The Board: Effective Prop Usage)

2024:

• Voicebox - 1st Place ("Outstanding Arrangement: Innovation" and "Evocative Storytelling and Making Us Cry" Awards)
• Mixed Mode - Scholastic Competitor ("Outstanding Choreography: Vroom, Vroom Pitches!" Award)

 

SoJam A Cappella Festival

2014:

• Voicebox - Collegiate Competition Competitors

2015:

• Voicebox - Scholastic Competition Competitor, 3rd Place, KeyHarmony - Scholastic Competition Competitor, Best Execution of Theme (Round 1)

2016:

• Voicebox - 1st Place, Gemini Blvd. - 3rd Place

2017:

• KeyHarmony - 1st Place, Best Visual Performance, Best Vocal Percussion by Sarah Bookout

2018:

• Voicebox - 1st Place, Gemini Blvd. - 2nd Place, Outstanding Visual Performance, Best Sopranos, Mixed Mode - 3rd Place

2019:

• Mixed Mode - 1st Place, Best Execution of Theme, Outstanding Arrangement (Mikayla Thompson), Outstanding Soloist (Ryan Danca), Gemini Blvd - Scholastic Competition Competitor

2022:

• Mixed Mode - 3rd Place (Outstanding Visual Performance Award)

 

LAAF (Los Angeles A Cappella Festival)

2019:

Voicebox - 2nd Place ("Best Soloist" and "Best Visuals" Awards)

 

The Betsy's A Cappella Festival

2014: Voicebox - Evening Showcase, Gemini Blvd. - Welcome Dinner

2015: Voicebox, KeyHarmony & Gemini Blvd. - Evening Showcase

2017: Voicebox, Mixed Mode, & Gemini Blvd. - Evening Showcase

 

Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARA)

2015:

• Nominated: KeyHarmony - Best Female Collegiate Arrangement (TC Skowronek for "Cry Me A River" from "Uncaged")

2019:

• Won: Voicebox - Best Scholastic Debut Album ("This Side Up"), Best Mixed Collegiate Album ("This Side Up"), Best Mixed Collegiate Arrangement (Harrison Acosta for "Lost Boy”)
• Nominated: Voicebox - Best Electronic/Experimental Song ("Tears"), Best Pop Song ("Tears"), Best Mixed Collegiate Solo (Xioana Hernandez for "Tears”)

2022:

• Nominated: Gemini Blvd. - Best Mixed Voices Collegiate Album (“Aftermath”), Best Mixed Voices Collegiate Solo (Lily Valentine)

 

Compilation Albums

• KeyHarmony - Voices Only 2015: Volume 1, ("Move" from "Uncaged"), National A Cappella Convention Compilation Album, Vol. 1 ("Have Mercy”)
• Mixed Mode - Best of Collegiate A Cappella 2019 ("Technicolour Beat (Live from SoJam XV)"), National A Cappella Convention Compilation Album, Vol. 1 ("Kissing Strangers”)

 

Notable Recognition

2015 - Voicebox opens for The Sing-Off Live Tour in Coral Springs, FL; KeyHarmony wins $10,000 in a national a cappella competition for Schick; Crescendudes and Voicebox are featured Mashable.com's "Best A Cappella Covers" playlist for the month of May for "Get On Your Feet"  and "Black Widow," respectively.