2026 Participating Groups
 | | Lolas
Founded in 2011, the Lolas (Ladies of Los Angeles) have made their mark as LA's premier all-women vocal pop group, celebrated for powerful harmonies, inventive arrangements, and dedication to female empowerment. The Lolas have filled some of LA's most iconic venues including The Mint, The Roxy, Bar Lubitsch, and The Witzend. Their repertoire spans decades and genres, delivering a curated blend of fresh hits and timeless classics at every show. A dynamic collective of women thriving in diverse careers, the Lolas share a bond that makes their music - and friendship - truly unforgettable.
Members: Jennifer Cox, Larissa Minder, Hallie Winant, Lizzie Dean, Doris Cosic, Bailey Anderson, Kelly Williams, Rachel Schmitt, Kristi Beckett
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Red Harmony
Based in Los Angeles, California, Red Harmony tailors its selection of songs to the voices and personalities of its singers in order to present a fresh and original performance. Each member brings a very unique style, specialty, and energy to the table, creating a synergistic culture where ideas are shared and creativity is celebrated. From accompanying each other with rhythmic vocals to reveling in crunchy jazz chords, Red Harmony creates a personal experience with every note.
Members: Michaela Slezak, Samantha Felipe, Daniela Trejo, Ryan Espinosa, Nate George, Christopher Thaxter
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 | | Rhymes With Orange
What Rhymes with Orange? Singing without instruments!
We are five friends who love to make music together. We pull from many styles, including jazz, pop, classical, spirituals, or whatever else floats our boat.
Members: Sue Scheirer, Heather Abushanab, Jennifer Brainerd, Loring Fiske-Phillips, Dan Abushanab
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Squad Harmonix
Squad Harmonix is a year-round a cappella training team for advanced singers aged 8-18, designed to give young singers a team and a second family to belong to and grow with. They train every Saturday, perform over 35 shows per year, release an annual album, and just LOVE meeting new people, learning from watching increidble performers.
Members: Ella T, Easton Aero, Erin Tardibuono, Kaira K, Asten O, Ava G, Ami L, Eleanor K, Natalie W, Izzy G
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 | | The Seventh Variety
The Seventh Variety is an award winning barbershop quartet based in Los Angeles and Orange County, California. We specialize in fun and engaging acapella music that blends the classic barbershop style with an energetic and modern approach. We enjoy connecting with audiences through storytelling and try to make every performance personable, funny, and entertaining.
Members: Jacob Gonzalez, Michael Keleshian, Emilio Pichardo, Ross Valantine
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Top Shelf Vocal
Top Shelf Vocal is an award-winning, semi-professional a cappella choir in Los Angeles, California. Top Shelf members are from all different career fields brought together by a love for vocal music and performance. As a group, Top Shelf performs regularly around the Greater LA Area and continues to develop a diverse repertoire of off-the-beaten-path pop a cappella.
Members: Alexis Planer-Villanueva, Jo Im, Paulina Nguyen, Kat Shiota, Katarina Mayers, Aaron Revilla, Philip Villanueva, Anthony ACE Galang, Dustin Domingo, Chance Robles, Nivram Jacob Castro, Wyatt Moscoso
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 | | Valkyries
Valkyries are a female barbershop and acapella quartet residing in Southern California.
They formed as a quartet at a barbershop workshop in 2016 while they were in High School. Ever since, they ve had the opportunity to perform all over the United States and internationally in Manchester, England. In 2022, Valkyries won the Rising Star Contest of Sweet Adelines International and recently won the Novice Quartet award at their first International. The Valkyries all share a great passion for music and love every opportunity they have to share it with the world! The Valkyries are made up of Gracie Lueck, Emma Castillo, Sarah Morehead, and Kayla Quilantang.
Show them some love on their Facebook page www.facebook.com/valkyriesquartet, or check out their page, www.valkyriesquartet.wixsite.com/valkyries
Members: Gracie Lueck, Sarah Saavedra, Emma Castillo, Kayla Quilantang
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2026 Judges
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Marisa Esposito
Marisa (she/her) is a seasoned vocalist living in Los Angeles who has over 20 years of experience in choirs, musical theatre and a cappella. She studied Psychology and Musical Theater at USC, and also sang with and was president of the award winning a cappella group, Reverse Osmosis. Marisa also worked at acclaimed performing arts camp Arts Unlimited for 5 consecutive summers, working as a counselor, coordinator, teacher, choreographer and musical director. After graduating from USC, Marisa helped found award-winning a cappella sextet Simply Put, who shared the stage with Sing Off champions Nota and Committed. Marisa also co-founded, built, and ran Endeavor Studios, a west side recording studio, for 4 years. Marisa has over 12 years of caroling experience singing in theme parks, hotels, private clubs and parties, and also competed with her caroling quartet, The Yuletones, for Christmas Caroler Challenge on the CW in 2020. Marisa has also been a teacher and co-director at A cappella Academy, a prestigious Summer program for high school aged singers from around the world, since its inaugural year. Marisa currently sings for L.A. Choral Lab, where she was chorus manager for the first 5 years and now serves on the Administrative Committee. She additionally lends her voice to recording projects for artists and film/TV and has recorded projects available to stream under: Simply Put, Avriel & the Sequoias, the Wise Owls, and Marisa Leigh. Recently, Marisa earned her masters in Clinical Psychology and is now a registered Associate MFT & PCC. Marisa has explored many facets of the music industry and looks forward to further integrating her passions for music and healing into her life and career paths and hopefully into the paths of anyone she meets.
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Ben McLain
Ben grew up singing barbershop in the award winning quartet Total Chaos, competing in the Harmony Sweepstakes in 2001. While in college, his classical men's ensemble Men in Blaque won the silver medal at the World Choir Games in China. Ben next toured and performed three highly acclaimed albums and appeared on NBC's The Sing Off with his vocal group ARORA (formally SONOS). He then hit the road for five years with his a cappella-comedy duo Dakaboom. In his late 30's, Ben attended UCLA School of Law and now assists aggrieved employees navigate the sprawling Labor Code. He currently sits on the board of Men in Blaque and continues to pursue his passion for music, singing in the Los Angeles Choral Lab and producing electronica with his friends. |
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Dr. Dan Wessler
Dan Wessler holds a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Choral Conducting and Literature from University of Colorado Boulder (’23) and a Master’s Degree in Choral Conducting from Western Illinois University (’12). He serves on the adjunct faculties of Concordia University Irvine and North Orange County Community College. In addition, Dan is currently the director of the Los Angeles-based Westminster Chorus (www.westminsterchorus.org), the five-time International Barbershop Chorus Champion and 2009 Choir of the World winner. Dan also sings with After Hours (www.afterhoursqt.com), the 2018 International Barbershop Quartet Champion, with whom he travels and sings frequently, inside and outside of the United States. He has served as clinician for several barbershop chorus festivals, taught courses at international barbershop educational events, and is an active barbershop arranger (www.dwarrangements.com). Dan has written over 200 arrangements for various groups around the world, a number of which have been published by Hal Leonard. He also serves as a certified Musicality judge for the Barbershop Harmony Society’s Contest and Judging system. Dan has had research published in the ACDA Choral Journal and has presented at the annual conferences of Colorado Music Educators Association and California Music Educators Association. |
Argenta Walther
Argenta Walther, is a dedicated singer of music from the sacred medieval to the modern experimental, currently living and working in Los Angeles. She performs on a regular basis at some of the city's best-loved venues, including the blue whale, REDCAT, Automata, Saint John's Cathedral and the Museum of Jurassic Technology. Argenta is a frequent guest artist with both new, jazz, traditional classical and early music groups including Bach Collegium San Diego, People Inside Electronics, The Alexander Noice Sextet and Southland Ensemble. She is a founder of the contemporary vocal group Accordant Commons, and is one of the directing members of Ensemble Vocatrix, a group dedicated to the music of Hildegard von Bingen. |
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Complete list of 2026 participants
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 :
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Shawn Nielson (Los Angeles)
Shawn is a lighting designer by trade, but a logistical mind in his off time. He serves as the VP of Operations for our sponsor, the Westminster Chorus, where he is a part of the tenor section.
The Westminster Chorus was founded in 2002 and quickly climbed the ranks of the Barbershop Harmony Society; they became international champions in 2007, 2010, 2015, 2019, and 2024. In 2009 they were crowned Choir of the World at the International Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales. The Westminster Chorus holds a mission to preserve and advance the Barbershop art form, while providing and encouraging an inclusive community in Southern California and around the world to engage in lifelong singing, music, and artistic expression."
operations at westminsterchorus.org
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