Jam your schedule with singing groups

Biblical figures, Czech folk singers, the Jackson Five. Each have gathered to express their thoughts and emotions through music. With their creative genius, Yalies have kept this tradition alive through one of the most popular extracurricular activities on campus: a capella singing groups.

JULIA TIERNAN/YH Shades is one of over 13 a capella singing groups at Yale.

This beautiful art form was pioneered in 1909 by the Whiffenpoofs, America's oldest all-male a capella group. From the time they first met around the tables of Mory's to the present day, the Whiffenpoofs have been the crème de la crème of a capella music. With such a rich musical history, it is no wonder that over 13 a capella singing groups thrive at Yale today.

Within the first few days of school, dozens of upperclassmen will enthusiastically ask you "Do you sing?", and it may or may not drive you crazy. Then they'll bombard you with multiple pleas to consider auditioning for their group. Don't worry if they lose you with their jargon—by the fourth or fifth time, you'll understand the lingo and know how to respond.

For those who want advanced preparation, Yalies refer to the process of auditioning for a capella groups as "rush." Rush can also be a verb, as in, "I will rush such and such a group." Those bold enough to rush are affectionately called "rushees."

Rush begins the first weekend of the school year. Each group performs a few songs to give freshmen a taste of the group's style in a jam held at Woolsey Hall. The following Friday, they give another concert, after which interested freshmen can sign up for personal audition times.

Auditions have both the musical and social component. For the musical portion, rushees perform a solo, do vocal warm-ups, and try blending exercises with other singers in the group. After the musical audition, each rushee is assigned a few "rush meals." Unfortunately, this does not entail singing group members wining and dining rushees in New Haven's finest restaurants. Instead, a few members of the group meet with a single rushee in Commons or one of the residential dining halls to answer any questions the rushee has and to get to know the rushee better. Since each singing group has a distinct character and repertoire, the personal interactions between rushees and the groups are essential.

In fact, the all-male groups have distinct paramusical personalities. The Society of Orpheus and Bacchus, known better as the SOBs, has a deserved reputation for fraternity and revelry, while the Spizzwinks (?) emerged in 1917 as a satirical response to the Whiffenpoofs. The Baker's Dozen is known more for being athletic and frat-like than for having a distinct singing style. On the other hand, the Alley Cats are focused specifically on jazz arrangements. The Duke's Men, founded in 1956, are the youngest group on the a capella scene. In the spring of 1997, "da doox" placed first among men's groups at the National Championship of College A Capella. at Lincoln Center in New York.

New Blue, founded in 1969, is Yale's oldest women's group and maintains a fairly modern repertoire. Proof of the Pudding, another women's group, prefers to sing jazz standards and older music, while Something Extra (SE) sings a mix of all styles, emphasizing humor in its jams. This past winter, SE performed for Bill Clinton and joined the list of the many Yale singing groups who have been invited to the White House to sing.

JULIA TIERNAN/YH Redhot & Blue, a coed a capella group, strikes a deadly pose.

For those looking for more diversity, Yale also has six coed singing groups. Mixed Company focuses on popular arrangements, while Redhot and Blue aims for sophistication in its repertoire. Shades explores various ethnic musical styles and emphasizes movement and choreography in its jams. For singers interested in religious music, Magevet performs traditional Israeli music, and Living Water focuses on Christian songs.

The busy three weeks of the rush process are a time of chaos and excitement as the fervor of rush consumes the singing groups and the rushees. Rush culminates in one of Yale's craziest evenings of the year: Tap Night. After a short performance at High Street Gate by the Whiffenpoofs and Whim'n' Rhythm, the all-senior male and female a capella groups, the race begins.

Singing group members who have been waiting anxiously outside the gate start running to the rooms of the people they wish to tap. For the next two hours, the singing group members scramble from room to room on Old Campus, and in Silliman and Timothy Dwight colleges, "tapping" the rushees to join them and become members of the group. The whole night is a chaotic event. After all the new singers have been tapped, most groups host parties to prolong the evening's fun and festivities.

Once in the group, the time commitment is substantial. In addition to practices with a vocal section, and concerts and tours over the breaks, there are two or three two-hour rehearsals per week. Sharing all this time forms deep bonds within a singing group, and members are often very close to one another after spending so much time together. For socializing amongst singing groups, there is a dinner at the Yale Club in New York City at which members of different singing groups perform for each other.

Singing groups are a wonderful resource for friendships, especially during freshman year. The combination of musical stimulation and personal interaction makes singing in a group a truly unique and unforgettable experience. Over 200 Yale undergraduates are involved in a capella singing, forming a singing group community.

This tightly-knit community takes on an existence of its own throughout the course of the school year. Each group knows where the other groups tour over vacations and when concerts take place. Yale even has a Singing Group Council to oversee rush and settle any conflicts which might arise between groups. Recently, the council forbade more than one group from performing on the same evening. As a result of this ruling, singing groups no longer have to worry about sharing their audiences with other groups, and their fans need not choose one group over another.

When someone gets matched perfectly to an a capella group, he or she feels a sense of camaraderie with the group that carries on long after graduation. Joining a singing group can be one of the most time-consuming commitments to pursue; however, it can also be one of the most rewarding Yale experiences.

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