32nd Annual

New York Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival acapella singing competition

National Finals | Current Schedule | Our National Champions | Historical Events | Judges | Directors | Search

Recordings | Groups | Goals | Rules | How to enter | Contact Us | About Us | Publicity Photos

Boston | Chicago | Los Angeles | New York | Pacific North West | San Francisco | Mid Atlantic (DC)


The Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival is the premier American showcase for vocal harmony music. The annual national competition draws from hundreds of vocal groups from around the country with regional competitions in eight cities. The winning group from each festival is flown to perform in front of celebrity judges and a sold out house of enthusiastic a cappella fans at the National Finals.

2016 New York Champions

Stiletta

Stiletta is a NYC-based, all-female sextet combining pop leads, dance beats and hip-hop choreography. In 2016, the ladies of Stiletta were crowned National Champions at the 32nd Annual National Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival, winning in every possible award category: First Place, Audience Favorite, Best Arrangement, and Best Original Song. This enormous accomplishment came on the tail end of having won First Place and Audience Favorite at the 2015 Mid-Atlantic and 2016 New York Harmony Sweepstakes competitions, as well as Best Vocal Percussion and Best Arrangement. These ladies have the moves, the grooves and even the shoes. So get pumped!

2016 Results

1st
Stiletta
2nd
Quintet
3rd
Feedback
Audience Favorite
Stiletta
Best Original Arrangement
“Softly As A Morning Sunrise" Arr. Kevin Urso - Quintet
Best Original Song
"Sing! Dance! Sing!" - Atlies Sisters
Best Vocal Percussionist
Meghan “MC Beats” Costa - Stiletta
Best Soloist
Jamie Serkin for "House of the Rising Sun" - The Lost Keys


2016 Participating Groups

The Atiles Sisters
ClassicalMembers: Elena Atiles, Miranda Atiles, Sofia Atiles, Kayla Atiles

Backtrack
Founded in 2013, Backtrack is quickly defining itself as a powerhouse a cappella group throughout it's hometown, New York City, and beyond. This five member group performs a variety of music, with an emphasis on covers of today's top pop music.

Backtrack was originally formed to produce YouTube videos, and since its founding, the group has gained over 6.4 million views and 70,000 subscribers. Expanding from it's YouTube origins, Backtrack now performs live at music halls, corporate events, weddings and more!Members: Mallory Moser, Melissa Jordano, Austin James, Andrew John Kim, Spencer Polanco

Famous Janes
Baltimore/AlexandriaMembers: Susan Taylor, Jen Kuethe, Harriette Walters, Amanda Clements

Feedback
New York City's Jazz R&B group, Feedback is a group of professional musicians who have been seen and heard by millions around the world -both live and via broadcast. Turning artists like Usher and Jazmine Sullivan on their head, the group pushes the boundaries of both jazz and R&B. Feedback boasts a spellbinding variety of talents: Doug and Garrett make jingles and songs for major corporations; TEDx Beatboxer, Ben Mirin brings the beats, and can also perfectly imitate 50 bird calls; Mike takes helm at a recording studio; Alec arranges choral works, with some seeing performances at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall; Sam is a studio singer and professional whistler (which he insists is "actually a thing"). This will be Feedback's 2nd appearance at Harmony Sweeps, and they're pumped about it! Members: Sam Nulton, Michael Gullo, Doug Larsen, Garrett Philbin, Mark Martin, Alec Galambos

The Lost Keys
The Lost Keys specialize in contemporary (pop) a cappella, but with a twist. With arrangements by Christopher Diaz and Tom Anderson, as well as numerous in-house works and a group of diverse voices, The Lost Keys are solidifying their pop-rock roots and expanding off the beaten path to include jazz, folk, and other musical styles.Members: Jamie Serkin, Rachel Weinstein, Jenny Baik, Deanna Giulietti, Sarah Peck, Joe Martinez, Andrew Gutterson, Peter Lam

Quintet
Quintet delivers a mix of classic vocal jazz a cappella and contemporary harmony. Comprised of an eclectic and seasoned cadre of music professionals, the 5-voice group features first-class, modern arrangements of the Great American Songbook’s finest composers.Members: Jacqueline Duryea, Stephen Gleason, Marc Silverberg, Christine Tamer, Yuki Yamaguchi

Stiletta
Stiletta is a NYC-based, all-female sextet combining pop leads, dance beats and hip-hop choreography. In 2016, the ladies of Stiletta were crowned National Champions at the 32nd Annual National Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival, winning in every possible award category: First Place, Audience Favorite, Best Arrangement, and Best Original Song. This enormous accomplishment came on the tail end of having won First Place and Audience Favorite at the 2015 Mid-Atlantic and 2016 New York Harmony Sweepstakes competitions, as well as Best Vocal Percussion and Best Arrangement. These ladies have the moves, the grooves and even the shoes. So get pumped!Members: Judy Minkoff, Haley Clair, Meg Lanzarone, Jaymee Frankel, Olivia Harding, Meghan Costa

VXN
VXN members Anna, Holli, Jessie, Lauren and Meron first crossed paths when all five were living in New York City in 2012. Hailing from impressive collegiate backgrounds, it didn't take long to find their way to Empire A Cappella, New York City's premiere all female CAL [Contremporary A Cappella League] group. Although life has since moved Meron to Los Angeles and Holli to DC, the girls were unwilling to let a few miles keep them apart. It was on one of many bicoastal visits - this time in Los Angeles for LAAF 2014 - that VXN was born. The all-female vocal group solidified their fresh, fierce and fearless sound in person for the first time in June 2014.Members: Meron Mogos, Jessie Louise Mark, Lauren France, Holli Kitching, Anna Concepcion

Your Emcee for the Evening

Diana Preisler

Diana Preisler’s career in a cappella began as the female lead singer, and band manager of Broadway Records recording artist, Blue Jupiter. She is a featured soloists on Blue Jupiter's newest album, Twisted Broadway Vol. 1. Blue Jupiter has performed at performing arts centers, colleges, festivals, and corporate events around the world. Blue Jupiter won the Oreo “Milk’s Favorite Jingle” contest, hosted by famed American Idol Judge Randy Jackson, and has performed with iconic performers like The Roots, Livingston Taylor, and The Persuasions. Companies like: Disney, ABC Family, the Food Network, Honda, NOKIA, Nickelodeon, and Hermes have featured Blue Jupiter at their corporate events. You may have seen Blue Jupiter on Oprah, the Huff Post, headlining at theatres around the globe, cruise ships and casinos, including over 200 shows at the Sands Casino in Macau, China.

Diana’s work as an a cappella performance coach and mentor caught the attention of Lifetime TV in 2014. Soon after, Diana helped create and star in the Lifetime original a cappella series, "Pitch Slapped.” This competition docu-series featured Diana working with high school students through 10 weeks of competition. “Pitch Slapped" continues to air on Lifetime in countries across the world.

Before Diana began her career as an a cappella singer, she graced the theatrical stage on multiple national Broadway tours such as “Fiddler on the Roof” and “A Christams Carol.” Regional roles across the US include Eva Peron in "Evita", Ado Annie in "Oklahoma", Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz”, Linda in “Blood Brothers” and Shelley in "Bat Boy, The Musical.” As a Nationally televised voice-over artist, you’ve heard Diana as the voice of MTV, Nickelodeon, Behr Paint, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Herbal Essences, Priceline, Planter’s (with Robert Downy Jr), Fisher Price, HGTV, VH1, or Bank of America (to name just a few.)

2016 Judges

Gerard Brown III   

Gerard Brown III is a screenwriter and former writer in residence with the New York Shakespeare Festival. He has written a number of screenplays and teleplays for the likes of Paramount Pictures and HBO among others. However, his most gratifying artistic accomplishment was PBS's Spike & Co: Do it A Cappella which he conceived, wrote, and co-executive produced and shot at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Sara Yood   

Sara Yood has been a producer for Varsity Vocals since 2003 and has been singing a cappella since her high school years. Sara has previously served as ICCA Midwest Producer and ICCA Northeast/New England Producer, and beginning in 2016, is also the ICHSA Northeast Producer. Sara served as both Concert Coordinator and Group Coordinator for The Amateurs at Washington University in St. Louis, leading the group to their first appearance in the ICCA Midwest semifinals. After moving to New York City in 2004, Sara sang with Treble, a New York City semi-professional all-female a cappella group. Sara then attended Fordham Law School, where of course she directed the law school’s co-ed a cappella group The Tortfeasors. She is now an intellectual property lawyer in Manhattan, where she is he alto section leader of the New York City Master Chorale

Greg Cooper   

Greg Cooper is a 29-year veteran of radio, television and theatre production, development and management. He has comprehensive experience in multimedia presentations and live event production and has also produced national television commercials and developed syndicated radio programming. In 2015, Greg produced the award-winning off-Broadway musical 'Acappella' at the New York Musical Theatre Festival. The production is slated to be published by Stage Rights in early 2016.

Mark Paul   

Mark Paul is an accomplished a cappella performer, music director, vocal coach, and lifelong musician. A 45-year member of the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS), he's currently the bass of the a cappella barbershop group The Square Route, specializing in digging out old, forgotten barbershop songs and re-introducing those harmonies to both young and old alike. The Square Route holds a quartet championship in the BHS US & Canada Northeastern District. Formerly the bass singer of a top-20 international-level a cappella barbershop quartet, Reveille; they regularly entertained audiences across the United States and internationally. Reveille holds a quartet championship in the BHS six-state Mid- Atlantic District. Mark served for seventeen years in top musical leadership positions for gold and silver medal internationally competitive BHS choruses, and was the front-line musical director of a BHS District level chorus. He performed in a cool a cappella documentary film about barbershop singing and is on two music albums. An a cappella vocal coach for 39 years, Mark works with individuals and groups of all sizes and has served as faculty on several exciting a cappella music education programs, both domestically and abroad. Whatever level the individual/group is at, he elevates them, instilling higher levels of awareness, alignment, confidence, commitment and fun. Mark is an Executive Leadership Development Coach and a Reiki Master. Mark's favorite downtime activities are surffishing, photography and camping.


Complete list of 2016 participants





Tweet the Sweeps! #harmonysweeps


Interested in Performing?

We are always seeking groups who would like to participate in our events.

Groups of any style are welcome, but you must have between 3 and 12 members. We have a rule book which explains many of the details of the event, which you can see by clicking here. All groups must audition in order to compete. Generally this is done by sending a current tape and photo, although live auditions are sometimes arranged. The purpose of the audition is to make sure the group is appropriate for the Festival and to help the Director determine the performance order. If a group has competed previously, the audition process may be waived.

How to enter

Please send music and photos to the regional director :

Colette Thompson (New York) Colette Thompson has directed or performed in over eleven vocal ensembles, with her group, Stay Tuned, placing 3rd in the 1998 New York Regional of the Harmony Sweepstakes; Colette has performed/recorded with Lukas Foss, Leonard Bernstein, Jesse Norman, Peter, Paul & Mary, and James Levine A billboard-ranked singer/songwriter, she has also managed several events, including, Christmas at NYU, Complex at the Duplex, and An Evening with The Real Group at NYC's Symphony Space. With performances televised via major news programs including Good Morning America, The Today Show, CNN, and NY1, she is a promoter, producer, adjudicator and an ambassador of vocal music worldwide.

128 Fort Greene Place, Suite 1B, Brooklyn, NY 11217
917-442-2011
colette.thompson (at) mac.com


Our Hall of Fame - The Harmony Sweepstakes National Champions

Regional Champions: Boston | Chicago | Denver | Los Angeles | Mid-Atlantic | New York | Pacific NW | SF Bay Area

The Harmony Sweepstakes National Audience Favorites

Regional Audience Favorites: Boston | Chicago | Denver | Los Angeles | Mid-Atlantic | New York | Pacific NW | SF Bay Area

Best Original Arrangement Winners | National Winners | San Francisco | New York | Boston | Chicago | Los Angeles | Pacific North West | Mid-Atlantic

Other Year's Results - 2024 - 2023 - 2022 - 2020 - 2019 - 2018 - 2017 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010
2009 - 2008 - 2007 - 2006 - 2005 - 2004 - 2003 - 2002 - 2001 - 2000 - 1999 - 1998 - 1997 - 1995 - 1993


Miller Theater, Columbia University

Miller Theatre at Columbia University is a performing arts producer dedicated to developing and presenting new work from world-class artists. Acclaimed for its innovative programming, Miller Theatre provides an intimate exploration of the creative process and a look into the personalities and emerging trends in contemporary classical music, opera, dance, and film. Its adventuresome performances and elevation of advanced ideas have established Miller Theatre as a nationally recognized cultural center for artistic discovery. Established in 1988 with funding from the Kathryn Bache Miller Fund, Brooke Astor, and John Goelet, Miller Theatre is located on the Columbia University campus in New York City.Directions -Yelp reviews -


Home | Boston | Chicago | Rocky Mountain | Los Angeles | New York | Pacific North West | San Francisco | Mid Atlantic (DC)

Saturday, March 19th, 2016 - 7pm

MILLER THEATER, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

2960 Broadway at 116th, New York, NY 10027

Box Office: 212-854-7799


Hear about Local A Cappella Events and Auditions

Enter your email address and zip code to be informed about local a cappella performances.

Email Address: ZIP code (5 digit):



Find a Harmony Sweepstakes Group



Find a Harmony Sweepstakes Singer



Submit Your Group | Submit a Singer's Info

Primarily A Cappella - Your Source For Vocal Harmony Music

Browse

Browse By


Music Category
Arrangement
Gender
Instructional
Format
Christmas

Thanks to our Sponsor