<p>Hi there.
I am currently in my high school chorus and I would like to continue singing in college (hopefully yale) as well.</p>
<p>Just a quick general music question:
what is the difference between a glee club, an a capella and a chorus?</p>
<p>And, while we are at it, does anyone have information about which a cappella groups are open to freshmen (male voice)? I know the Wiffs are seniors only. Is there a peckinig order among the groups, as far as musical talent required? Or is it mostly type of music? Thanks for any replies.</p>
<p>And also, so many a cappella groups only sing contemporary music. Are there groups where classical music (Purcell, Monteverdi, Weelkes, etc.) is sung?</p>
<p>I'm about the worst person to answer this but I know that most a capella groups have a rush at the beginning of fall semester. They take in mostly freshmen and some sophomores.</p>
<p>There's just too many singing/music groups to keep up with. I once went to see a performance from a group that basically rescued old sheet music and performed stuff that was written hundreds of years ago. I think they were associated to the School of Music though. Or maybe they were just invited in. </p>
<p>There's also several music performance groups, but can't tell you much about that other than the YSO Halloween Show was amazing.</p>
<p>Sorry I can't be much more help. Hopefully someone else can help.</p>
<p>haha thanks for that mexican. </p>
<p>but my question is not yet answered.. anyone?? (bump!)</p>
<p>Alright, here we go.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>A cappella groups are small (15-25) either single-sex or coed singing groups that perform arrangements of other people's music, often contemporary pop music, with no musical accompaniment; instead, a single soloist is backed by the rest of the group singing accompaniment in parts. Choruses are large groups of varying size that sing more traditional music, usually without soloists and with some sort of accompaniment. The Yale Glee Club is one such chorus; we also have a Slavic women's chorus, a gospel choir, etc. - just to give you an idea.</p></li>
<li><p>Other than the Whiffenpoofs (senior guys) and Whim 'n' Rhythm (senior girls), once you are tapped by a singing group in freshman or (very rarely) sophomore year, you stay with that group for all four years. If you choose to, you can audition for the senior group at the end of your junior year. The non-senior guys' groups are: Alley Cats, Duke's Men, Spizzwinks, Baker's Dozen, and the Society of Orpheus and Bacchus. The coed groups are: Out of the Blue, Mixed Company, Red Hot & Blue, Living Water (Christian), Magevet (Jewish).</p></li>
<li><p>No, a cappella groups very rarely sing classical music. The groups vary somewaht in musical style. The Baker's Dozen, Out of the Blue and Mixed Company sing almost exclusively contemporary pop/rock. The Alley Cats sing many older jazz standards. The best guys' groups are generally perceived to be the Duke's Men and the Alley Cats.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Let me know if you guys have more questions about the ridiculous singing scene here!</p>
<p>Thank you very much. But, RE "a single soloist is backed by the rest of the group singing accompaniment in parts", doesn't anybody do ensemble harmony (I mean, a large group version of barbershop)?</p>
<p>There is a little of that, but not too much. The groups that do the most of it are probably Shades the co-ed African-American heritage singing group (which is probably the best of the underclassman ones and doesn't only take black people) and the two senior singing groups, particularly the Whiffenpoofs.</p>
<br>
<p>Is there a pecking order among the groups</p>
<br>
<p>Every college with multiple groups has a pecking order, but over the course of years, there are often major shifts in the ranks. Due in part to the nature of the rush process at Yale, the pecking order can be affected by social factors as well as musicianship. It's never as simple as the best voices go to group A and the next best to group B.</p>
<p>When you say social factors, do you mean as in preppy and legacy, or as in GL whatever, or as in coolness quotient, or looks or what?</p>
<p>I mean that the rush process is called that for a reason -- there are various parties and "rush dinners" and other events that don't have to do with the singing skills of either the group or the auditionee, and are basically like fraternity/sorority rush. The groups try to present themselves in a way that's attractive to their target freshmen, and the freshmen do likewise to impress the groups. I don't think any group will openly discuss its non-musical selection criteria; they basically just say it's about "fit" between freshman and group. But factors like popularity and coolness absolutely play a role, on both sides.</p>
<p>Now, if you act like a raging jerk at a callback audition for any group at any school, you'll hurt your chances of getting in, so it's not like personality is a non-issue elsewhere. But there is no other school that has a drawn-out, socially intense rush process like Yale.</p>