2025 Participating Groups
 | | Minor Adjustment
Seattle based co-ed a cappella group Minor Adjustment started in February 2018 from a humble google form and has grown into a staple of the Seattle a cappella community. Members come from a variety of vocal backgrounds and share a common love of singing. Catch them at various concerts in the area, or reach out for a private event!
Members: Marissa Kranz, Mykhanh Pham, Kelly Ryan, Emily Aoki Yamashita, Shreya Manjunath, Isabelle Gomez, Ashley Watt, Cass Cunningham, Don Zheng, Neil Little, Duncan Boehle, Kevin Zhao
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Puget Sound Company
Puget Sound Company is a 9-member vocal ensemble founded in Seattle in October 2018. We specialize in unaccompanied musical performance, using only our voices to cover popular artists from The Beatles to Fleetwood Mac to Dua Lipa and more.
Members: Taylor VanDuser, Lindsay Dawson, Michael Tappel, Sean Callahan, Connor Hartling, Shana Emile, Katie Gary, Danny Lacker, Drew O'Connell
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 | | Quayside Voices
Quayside Voices is a Canadian vocal band that performs with a true passion for a cappella. Stephanie, Troy, Danjel, Elyse and Aerhyn are the quintet.
In their 10th season, their shows are elevated with movement to captivate audiences.
They are musicians in residence at Braid Street Studios and are the 2024 recipients for the Best Original Arrangement and Best Original Song at the Pacific North-West Harmony Sweepstakes.
With a true belief that A Cappella is for everyone, Quayside honours this principle with continued connection and collaboration, whether it be through community events, local schools, or partnering with other groups.
Members: Stephanie Lam, Elyse Kantonen, Troy Martell, Aerhyn Lau, Danjel Young
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Sorella
Sorella is the contemporary vocal ensemble of Seattle Girls Choir. Directed by Lauren Kastanas, this high-school ensemble performs in pop, folk, and contemporary styles, with a focus on independent ensemble singing.
Seattle Girls Choir, under the leadership of Artistic Director Sarra S. Doyle, is a community that provides young singers with a high-quality music education and a place to belong. Founded in 1982, Seattle Girls Choir provides a comprehensive and progressive choral education with an emphasis on vocal technique, musical literacy, and ensemble performance. The organization provides six sequential levels of instruction for choristers in kindergarten through high school, and training choir for beginners, and the contemporary vocal ensemble Sorella.
Members: Adele Shuman, Aethere Ayer, Bryn Fleck, Cecilia Fontana, Emily Jade Louscher, Eva Nelson, Makena Shephard, Megan Haberkorn, Sophia Cao, Sophia McCarthy, Sophie Bartscher
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 | | Stage Appropriate
If Broadway and a cappella had a baby with a big, bright smile and jazz hands, it would be Stage Appropriate. Founded in 2022, this group of friends has performed at such prestigious locations as the Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition, Expedia conference rooms, and their friend Betsy s flower garden. From belting Broadway ballads to harmonizing Disney tunes, they bring the magic of the stage to every note they sing. Whether you're a fan of the classics like 'The Sound of Music' or you can't get enough of 'Into the Woods,' they've got a song (and a smile) for you.
Members: Cele Wolman, Rachel Sacramento Coloma, Helen Jones, Pam Policastri, Dave Johnson, Ignacio Coloma, Maneesh Augustine
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The Pillage People
Like a tidal wave crashing against an unsuspecting shore, The Pillage People be here t' raid once more in the bountiful waters of The Harmony Sweepstakes! We takes no prisoners, because then we'd have to feed them. Cap'n Ramsay and his pirate crew are ready to split yer sides once more (with laughter, not swords!). The booty we be lustin' for tonight is the elusive Audience Favorite award. If we can't actually steal yer gold, we hopes instead t' win yer vote! This be truly one of our favorite shows t' raid, because ye makes us feel so welcome. Yar!
Members: Roy Rasera, Ramsay 'RC' Cowlishaw, Mike Haines, Mike Mendyke, Shawn Dudley
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 | | Verdant
Verdant is an award-winning professional a cappella group located in Eugene, Oregon. Established in 2016, our name is inspired by the lush greens of our home state. From our 2nd place win at Harmony Sweepstakes 2022, to creating our recent EP Daybreak, we imbue everything we do with our unique style and flair. Together we shape dynamic, compelling arrangements of songs from a variety of genres, including Top-40, indie pop, classic rock, and more.
Members: Cameron Graham-Mask, Cassidy Finch, Chad Lowe, Connor Eyler, David Fowler, Lexy Menjivar-Grueskin, Rami Holmes
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2025 Judges
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Angi Swan
Angi grew up in a musical home and started singing and playing piano at an early age. She graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelors in Music Education, earned her Kodaly certification at the University of St. Thomas, and completed her Masters in Music Education at Kent State University. She has taught elementary music, private piano and voice lessons, and has held organist, bell choir, adult and children’s choir director positions in various churches and community choirs. Angi is a K-5 general music teacher in the North Thurston School District, the accompanist for Masterworks Choral Ensemble, a children’s choir director for the Olympia Youth Chorus, and a worship team musician at First United Methodist Church of Olympia. |
Deborah Vinsel
Deborah Vinsel has worked in nonprofit community media for more than 30 years. She has been the CEO at Thurston Community Media since 1990. She currently serves on the boards of directors for Washington Center for the Performing Arts and the Alliance for Community Media NW Region.
Vinsel’s decision to make media her career was an extension of her love for theater, dance and music. Her parents supported her passion for the performing arts with training in music and dance throughout her school years. By the time she reached her early 20s she was a proficient musician playing flute, oboe and piano but her plans for a professional dance career were sidelined by a knee injury when she was in college.
Vinsel found a performing home in community theater until the siren song of television pulled her into a career both in front and behind the camera. She still enjoys singing and dancing for an audience and has never met a microphone she didn’t love or stage that didn’t beckon. Vinsel often says “the arts shaped my life.”
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Jill Barnes
Jill Barnes is the Executive Director of the Washington Center, a lover of all things Broadway, and a car/shower/office singer extraordinaire. She has a music degree from the University of Utah and a Master's in Arts Administration from Boston University. She shares her home and life with her husband Nathan, 3 curly haired kids, a wonderful Korean exchange student, and 2 gentle giants (AKA Great Danes). She’s in love with the new wallpaper in the recently renovated Center and is over the moon to again have the opportunity to regularly attend live performances and to play a part in facilitating those opportunities with the community. |
 
Complete list of 2025 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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Victoria Montrose (Pacific Northwest)
The Pacific Northwest Regional Festival is sponsored and produced by Masterworks Choral Ensemble (MCE). Victoria is the Business Manager of MCE, as well as a board member and proud tenor. MCE is a Southwestern Washington community chorus dedicated to performance, community service, music education and leadership in the arts. Their mission is to perform sacred and secular choral, orchestral and newly commissioned works; to participate in community service activities and to provide a leadership role in developing, sponsoring and broadening the vocal arts.
PO Box 1091, Olympia, WA 98501-1090
360-491-3305 x5
masterworkschoral (at) gmail.com
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