Yale A Cappella

<p>My name is Eric, and I'm a freshman at Yale. I (not so fondly) remember the wait for admissions, and decided to make another visit to CC...</p>

<p>First off, good luck tomorrow, everyone! Remember that most people don't end up at his or her first choice college, but almost everyone is absolutely happy and fulfilled in college.</p>

<p>That being said, if you do end up at Yale next year, you're in for an unbelievable amount of fun and excitement. Seriously, I'm convinced that the best decision I've ever made was to come to Yale. When/if you get here in the fall, things are absolutely crazy: meeting kazillions of great people, getting moved in, choosing classes, going to parties, playing sports on Old Campus in the gorgeous weather, and trying to find your niche here. Part of that process is being asked a few too many times whether you sing. As I'm sure you all know, a cappella is huge at Yale; it's part of Yale's being a hugely artsy campus. I'm seeing two plays this weekend, which means that I miss three or four concerts and plays that I could have seen instead. That's one of the coolest things about Yale: there are waaaaay too many things that you want to do, and you have to choose.</p>

<p>In any case, I just wanted to offer myself as a resource regarding a cappella and the rush process. Ever since I researched colleges in sophomore year, I knew that if I ended up here that I'd sing in some fashion. However, I didn't really understand the rush process until I got here - when you think about it, it's absolutely absurd: thirteen (plus Magevet, which isn't in the same rush process) underclassmen a cappella groups conducting a bizarre imitation of Greek rush. However, I firmly believe that, just as the college admissions process is confusing but for the best, rush is confusing but for the best. The best decision I ever made was to come to Yale, and just following that decision was to join the Alley Cats. Joining the Cats was, unquestionably, the best thing that I've done at Yale. Without the insanity and length of the rush process, I wouldn't have known exactly what I was doing.</p>

<p>So, after much rambling, my point: if any of you is considering a cappella, I'd be happy to answer any questions and try to make the process a bit less opaque. Of course, I'd be thrilled to answer any other questions, too - however, my involvement in the Alley Cats is the defining thing that I do here.</p>

<p>One more note: there's no reason for someone flying into New Haven to stay at a hotel for the night before/after Bulldog Days. I'm from California, and totally sympathize. If any of you is signed up for Bulldog Days but is flying in on Sunday or leaving Wednesday, email me at ericdotbankatyaledotedu (dots and ats are so that spam doesn't find me)... I can do my best to find a home for you for the nights before and/or after Monday the 18th.</p>

<p>Again, best of luck to everyone tomorrow. And above all, come to Yale. I know that I and most of the student body here honestly couldn't be happier anywhere else.</p>

<p>Eric</p>

<p>just got in, getting over my initial shock and starting the decision process...anyways, what exactly is involved in the a capella rush??</p>

<p>Congratulations on getting in! Now the real fun starts! I really hope you choose Yale - it's pretty darn close to ideal, at least for me.</p>

<p>Anyway, rush. Because there are so many groups on campus, and because so many people are interested in joining an a cappella group, there's a monthlong audition and get-to-know-the-group-members process. For the record, the underclassmen groups are: Something Extra (women, aka SE), Proof of the Pudding (women), New Blue (women), Alley Cats (men), Baker's Dozen (men, aka BDs), Spizzwinks (men), Duke's Men (men), Society of Orpheus and Bacchus (men, aka SOBs), Mixed Company (mixed), Out of the Blue (mixed, aka OOTB), Shades (mixed), Redhot and Blue (mixed), and Living Water (mixed). There are also Magevet and Tangled Up in Blue (not technically a cappella, as they have guitars and instruments), but those are not in the Singing Group Council and therefore don't participate in the same rush process.</p>

<p>When the Yale Class of 2009 arrives on Campus on Friday, August 26th, "Camp Yale" begins. It's affectionately called that because life for the first few weeks resembles a mostly rule-less camp more than school. So that Sunday is the Freshman Bazaar, when all the student groups have a booth/table and information for all the freshmen. They collect email addresses, hand out brochures, and generally are just looking for new members for whatever. That night at 10pm is the first a cappella event, called Woolsey Hall Jam. Each a cappella group sings two songs or performs a song and a skit, just to give everyone a taste of how they sound. Because there are so many groups, though, it ends up being really long - finally, the Whiffenpoofs and Whim 'n Rhythm, the all-senior male and female groups, finish it off with three songs each. </p>

<p>After Woolsey Hall Jam, there's nothing a cappella related for a week. The next Friday (I think) is Dwight Hall Jam, which features the same groups, in a different random order, but each group gets three songs and/or skits. After the last group finishes, there's a mad scramble to sign up for auditions at each of the group's tables. A typical rushee (the misnomer that's used to refer to freshmen who audition) rushes somewhere between three and six groups. Auditions are that weekend, on Saturday and Sunday.</p>

<p>After auditions, each group you rush will set you up with at least one rush meal, which is a meal with a current member of the group (or two). The function of rush meals is twofold: the rushee gets to know the group personally, and the group gets to know the rushee personally. Because being a member of one of the a cappella groups is a social and musical thing, it's crucial that a person mesh well with the other members personally, in addition to being a good singer.</p>

<p>The two weeks after auditions contain the first wave of rush meals and the singing desserts, which are spread throughout that period. Each group holds a singing dessert, which is essentially a catered concert. The singing dessert is crucial, because it's a rushee's only opportunity to hear each group in a full-length concert. It's the group's chance to shine. After each group's singing dessert, they have a party of some kind, either in the same place where they had dessert or somewhere else. However, there is no alcohol involved - that's one of the many rules of rush, which are all written into a charter-type document. In fact, there's a Singing Group Council to enforce the rules, which bar gifts, alcohol, and ten kazillion other things.</p>

<p>In any case, two weeks after auditions are callbacks. If you're called back, you go do another audition-type thing, and get more rush meals. Tap night, the culmination of A Cappella Rush, is Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday of that week. For the Class of 2009, that's September 20, 21, or 22. It's always kept a mystery to the freshmen what night Tap Night is, although it usually leaks a day or two in advance.</p>

<p>Tap Night is many people's favorite night of first semester, even if he or she is not rushing a cappella, just because it's so crazy and amped. It starts at the High St. gate to Old Campus at 10pm, when Whim 'n Rhythm and the Whiffenpoofs sing a few songs each. While the senior groups sing, the underclassmen groups are waiting outside the gate to Old Campus, done up in war paint and carrying their tap cups. Each group has a giant silver trophy/goblet thing, carried by the group's designated runner. He or she is the person who leads the group on their mad dash for the freshmen. After the Whiffs finish, the gates open and the groups run for the dorms of the freshmen whom they will "tap" and thereby offer a place in the group. The runner is important because only one group can be in an entryway at any given time. So the groups run around, tapping rushees until they have the people they want.</p>

<p>When a group "taps" you, it means that they sing to you, have you drink juice out of the tap cup (remember, no alcohol allowed!), and then offer you a group t-shirt. You, the lucky "tapee" can say "yes," "no," or "maybe." If you say yes, then you go with them to join in on the fun! If you say maybe, it basically means that you're either undecided or waiting on another group. In reality, nobody says no unless he or she knows that another, preferred, group is on the way.</p>

<p>So, yeah. That's rush. It's long, stressful, fun, crazy, surprising, hard, and worth it. You end up not being "Joe, who plays baseball and sings with the (insert group name here)." Instead, you're "Joe, who is an (insert group name here)." It's at once the most fun, rewarding, exciting, and worthwhile thing that is in my life right now. I know that sounds kind of stupid: "Dude, it's just a singing group." The thing is, though, that it's so much more than that - it's a group of really close friends, who are diverse but are unified by a love for singing and each other. Plus, you go on kickass tours with your group. For example, I went to Los Angeles and Honolulu over spring break with the Alley Cats, and as soon as finals are over we leave for a tour of Southern Europe for five weeks. Did I mention that all the concerts that you sing throughout the year pays for all of your tours?</p>

<p>As far as distinguishing the groups go, each is unique and fun in it's own way. Obviously there's the issue of single- or mixed-sex, and repertoire. They differ in committment and sound quality, too. You'll find that the groups are very different personality-wise. However, I'm not going to say anything about that, because I'm biased. The best piece of advice that I can give anyone who is considering rush is to not have any prejudices against or biases towards any group or groups, especially when it's based on the opinion of someone who has a bias. DO NOT LISTEN TO A CAPPELLA GOSSIP! Judge for yourself - it's like choosing a college. Only you know what's right for you.</p>

<p>So that's my essay on a cappella rush. Sorry it's so long. Again, congratulations on getting into Yale. Now, no matter what you choose, you'll be in a great position to be happy and fulfilled. That being said, come to Yale!</p>

<p>wow thanks there arent by any chance any concerts/performances by some of the groups during april are there? how would i find the dates etc?</p>

<p>Eric, that was so thoughtful of you! I only wish I had seen this yesterday, while I was waiting, so it could have kept me busy... but it's so helpful now! Seriously, that you were willing to share this speaks volumes about the students at Yale - at least, if you're a representative! Thanks, again! I'm sure I'll have any number of questions, as soon as I get my wits together.</p>

<p>I have a question I suppose about the commitment level issue. I am part of a high quality a cappella group at my school and I think I would like to continue on with singing and performing in college. Is it possible that a recruited lacrosse player could be on her team as well as join one of these groups. I love both things too much to give either one up for good. Oh and can you tell me at all about the song style of each group, which sing more contemporary pop hits versus a more classic style (I guess I am only asking about the groups that include women since they are the only ones I can join). Thank you so much.</p>

<p>It's definitely possible to do a varsity sport and any of the a cappella groups. One of the other Alley Cat freshmen is on the varsity lightweight crew, and I know that there are varsity athletes in at least three of the women's and mixed groups. It's very hard to generalize repertoires, as they all tend to be fairly diverse. However, that's not to say that all the repertoires are the same, which would very much be an untrue statement. I really would suggest going to the various websites to get a sense of the repertoires. You can find websites for all of the groups by going to the Yale Admission website, and clicking on the virtual tour. There's a list of all the student organizations' websites on the Yale website. From yale.edu, click on "Living at Yale," then "Student Organizations." Refer to the list of all the groups that I gave in my mammoth posting.</p>

<p>As far as hearing groups is concerned, each group has one major concert on campus during the year, called its Jam. For example, the Alley Cats had Champagne Jamboree on February 12th, and Redhot and Blue had their jam earlier tonight. The vast majority of them have already occurred, but New Blue's Jam is on April 2nd, and the Duke's Men have theirs on the 8th. If you happen to be in town on a certain weekend, try checking the Yale Bulletin and Calendar before you get here: <a href="http://events.yale.edu/opa/ChooseDate.jsp%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://events.yale.edu/opa/ChooseDate.jsp&lt;/a> It might not be complete, but it certainly lists a whole bunch of things that are happening on campus.</p>

<p>Do you think you could explain the actual audition process a bit more?
Do the choirs have mostly the same format for auditioning rushees? Is there anything that each choir specifically looks for? Any specific style of song we should select to sing? Do we have to learn any music in advance?</p>

<p><em>whew</em> that's a lot of questions.
Thanks for you help!</p>

<p>Hello Everyone,</p>

<p>This is Eric's friend Peter, another freshmen in Berkeley College at Yale. I, too am involved in a cappella, with the Yale Spizzwinks (also all-male). Eric and I went through the rush process together, going to all the events together and such, and we ended up in different groups and both very very happy with where we are and how rush worked out. First, I'll echo what he said about how choosing to come to Yale will be the best decision you make. Everyone, i mean everyone, who comes here is so happy and absolutely loves it. I could say a lot more, but this is about a cappella.</p>

<p>As to the audition process, its something to not get stressed out about. The groups will try to make it as comfortable as possible for you, and the important thing is to relax. you can really sing anything you want, we just want to hear your voice and how it works, so pick something that you feel shows off your voice well. For example, a friend of mine inthe spizzwinks sang something from the little mermaid, and I sang an excerpt from the Mozart Requiem, so don't worry about it. No, don't bother learning anything in advance. </p>

<p>You could say that different groups look for different things, but if you tailor yourself to each group, then thats not good. Part of why rush works is that you get up there and be yourself and the groups be themselves and thats how everyone sort of ends up sorting out into the group that works for them. </p>

<p>I was discussing this with another 'Wink last night, and we were talking aobut how we truly believe that freshmen end up in the group thats right for them. We don't know exactly why, but the rush process just works. </p>

<p>As to actually hearing the groups, you'll have plenty of time to hear them all when you get on campus.</p>

<p>And you should follow Eric's suggestion about visiting the groups' websites, they can be really helpful.</p>

<p>Haha, nice, Peter. Yeah. That basically sums it up. A few more things about auditions... All the groups start with warmups, which serve a couple of functions: warm up your voice, test your range, and give you a chance to calm down. Then groups differ in what they do. Each group's audition is run by the group's "pitch," called so because he or she is the one with the pitchpipe. A group's pitch is its musical director; he or she is complemented by the "biz," short for business manager. The pitch is in charge of everything musical, and the biz in charge of everything financial and organizational (there are other offices, as well, but that's the most basic reduction of things). Anyway, the audition ususally requires the performance of a simple song in four parts; each rushee gets a copy of the music ahead of time. The song varies between groups, but all five of the all-male groups use Aura Lee. You can download and hear the music at <a href="http://new.yalealleycats.com/rush.asp%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://new.yalealleycats.com/rush.asp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Each group will also ask you to perform a solo of your choice. That's what Peter was referring to when he mentioned the Little Mermaid and Mozart's Requiem. Choose something that you enjoy singing, and that complements your voice. It's not at all about what you sing, it's about how you sing it. Other people I know have sung Britney Spears, Jewish and Hawaiian folk songs, and everything in between.</p>

<p>Some groups also have various musical exercises, such as singing back a series of notes, or picking out the middle pitch of three notes in a sonority. In any case, though, auditions are supposed to be very friendly. Remember, throughout rush, each group wants you to like them!</p>

<p>One more thing: you can absolutely rush a group that does not include members of your sex. It's a great way to get audition practice. For example, I rushed New Blue (all female), and scheduled an audition early on Saturday morning. Plus, every rushee gets a rush meal, so you get a chance to pick someone's brain about the rush process and get help choosing classes.</p>

<p>I realize this is kind of an old thread, but I was just wondering if any of you could give me a general idea about how many hrs/wk most a cappella groups rehearse. Also, do all of the groups go on tours, or just the better ones? I mean, I'm sure they're all very good, but are some groups less of a time commitment? (I'm still only a prospective student. Just curious about a cappella at Yale!) Thanks!</p>

<p>sure.</p>

<p>rehearsal times are set by the groups and different groups do it differently. Mine does more or less 4-5 hours a week. There are times in the year, like around your big mid-year on campus concert when you will rehearse a lto more than that. Again, how intense that is depends on the group. How many concerts you sing depends on how active and business-savvy the group is. </p>

<p>Where you go on tour, and how much depends widely from group to group. Some will do a small winter tour and small spring tour someplace in the northeast or elsewhere in the states. Others will go on a winter tour, two week spring tour and about a month of touring in the summer to multiple continents and many countries. That depends on how good the group is (and yes, some groups are much better than others) as well as how business savvy they are, as well as whether their members want to tour that much.</p>

<p>shoot me an email if you have more questions: <a href="mailto:peter.kjeldgaard@yale.edu">peter.kjeldgaard@yale.edu</a></p>

<p>What would you consider as the best or better groups on campus?</p>

<p>As a regular Yale student, I would say my favorite group, by far, is Shades, which is a co-ed group that mainly focuses on African-American music (I might even like them better than the Whiffenpoofs). Of the more traditional groups, I like the Duke's Men and the Alley Cats. The all-female groups don't have enough depth and the co-ed groups aside from Shades aren't all that great.</p>

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<p>As a former ICCA judge and member of the Recorded A Cappella Review Board, I'd say the same.</p>

<p>I have a lot of friends who do a cappella, and I can confidently say that if I could sing, I would definitely do a cappella. It really might be the best thing at Yale. It's not something to miss out on.</p>

<p>I think that the all-male groups (Duke's Men, Society of Orpheus and Bacchus (SOBs), Alley Cats, Baker's Dozen, and Spizzwinks) have the best sound and the most prestige--but maybe that's just because I like the way male voices blend. It's hard to say who's the best; I personally think that four of them are really great, and it's hard to pick a "best" one. These four have very different personalities--for example, I get the sense that the Alley Cats work the hardest, while the SOBs have the most fun (plus, they sing at Mory's every week, which is awesome). But in the end, they're all about equally good.</p>

<p>So, the bottom line: if you have half a voice, rush a cappella. I'll forever envy you.</p>