Help bring the Overtones to Semifinals in Oregon!

Hello everyone, we’re the California Golden Overtones, UC Berkeley’s premier all-female a cappella group.

After months of intense preparation, we competed in one of the ICCA West Quarterfinals, placing second, only three points behind first place. We were delighted to learn that we would be one of the two Northern California groups that would be advancing to the West Semifinals in Oregon to compete against groups from USC, UCLA, and the University of Oregon, to name a few.

However, a trip to Oregon requires funds we simply don’t have in our budget, as we’re given limited funds each semester that don’t account for progression in a competition like ICCAs. We are humbly asking our friends, family, members of the Berkeley community, fellow musicians, and music lovers to help us raise money for our trip to Oregon in March.

For some background on our group, The Overtones are UC Berkeley’s premier and only all-female a cappella group. Founded in 1962, we frequently perform at University functions like commencement, Cal spirit events, charity gatherings, and other private functions across the Bay Area. We pride ourselves on having a diverse repertoire with an emphasis on female songwriting. Named one of “The 10 Female Groups Running the A Cappella World” by College Magazine, we host the annual West Coast A Cappella showcase every Fall and sing every Friday at 1 pm under Sather Gate.

While The Overtones placed second in the ICCA Finals in 2001, The Overtones have not competed in ICCAs since 2009. For many of us, this will be one of our last chances to perform with the group before we graduate.

As an all-female group, advancing in ICCAS is especially an honor. As of right now, we are one of only two all-female groups competing at our semifinal and were one of two all-female groups at our quarterfinal. All-female groups have been historically discounted at the competition level, especially at ICCAs. Additionally, we as the Overtones receive less funding from UC Berkeley than both historically all-male groups, putting us at an even bigger disadvantage. Ask anyone who’s seen Pitch Perfect — the odds are certainly stacked against us.

Here is a breakdown of what we would use the funding for if our goals were reached:

Our collected funds would be used to pay for potential flights to and from Oregon (as it is a 9-hour drive from Berkeley without stops), lodging in Oregon for two to three nights, food expenses for the weekend, and other necessary trip expenses.