The Potsdam Pitches posed for a photo after winning the ICCA Central Semifinal in Buffalo, N.Y.
The Potsdam Pitches have become the first SUNY Potsdam competitive a cappella group to win a spot in the national championship.
The coed student-led singing group won the 2018 International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) Central Semifinals held March 24 at the University at Buffalo. The Pitches took first place with a score of 408 points, beating In Full Colour from the University of Waterloo (Ontario), which had 350 points, and Eight Beat Measure from the Rochester Institute of Technology, with 313 points.
In addition, Holden Maiorana ’18 was presented with a special award for Outstanding Arrangement, for his version of the Whitney Houston hit, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” The Walworth, N.Y., native is a music education major at The Crane School of Music.
Now, the Pitches are headed to the 2018 ICCA Finals in New York City, to be held on Saturday, April 21 at 7 p.m., at the Beacon Theatre. They will compete against groups from the Berklee College of Music, Missouri State University, the University of Chicago, King’s College London, Florida State University, Temple University, the University of Texas at Arlington and the University of Southern California.
Founded in 2007, the Potsdam Pitches have previously taken first place at the 2017 and 2018 ICCA Central Quarterfinals, and won third place in last year’s Semifinals. The Potsdam Pitches are currently raising funds to record their group’s third EP, including this year’s award-winning set, along with other songs.
Run by Varsity Vocals, ICCA and its companion high school competition, are the only global tournaments that showcase the art of a cappella. Since its founding in 1996, the competition has grown to include 450 groups competing in nine regions in the U.S. and Europe. For more information about this year’s ICCA Finals, visit www.varsityvocals.com/event/2018_icca_finals.
In addition to the Potsdam Pitches, SUNY Potsdam also has three other student-led a cappella groups, including the Potsdam Pointercounts, the A Sharp Arrangement and Stay Tuned.
Sociological Images recently published a blog post diving into the data behind collegiate a cappella, and found that SUNY Potsdam is one of the top universities for competitive a cappella in the country, based on how often that its groups have placed in ICCA competitions over the past 12 years.
For more information about the Potsdam Pitches, visit www.potsdampitches.com.
Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges—and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 3,600 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.
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