Jam your daily schedule with singing groups

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

COURTESY THE ALLEY CATS The Alley Cats performed in Martha Stewart's Christmas Special.

This beautiful art form was pioneered in 1909 by the Whiffenpoofs, America's oldest male a cappella group. From the time they first met around the tables of Mory's to the present day, the Whiffenpoofs have always been the crème de la crème of a cappella music. With such a rich musical history, it is no wonder that 16 a cappella singing groups thrive at Yale today.

Within the first few days of school, dozens of upperclassmen will enthusiastically ask whether 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 cappella 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 singing 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 a musical and social component. During 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 group's veteran members are essential.

In fact, the male groups have distinct paramusical personalities. The Society of Orpheus and Bacchus, better known as the "SOBs," has a well-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, recently hitting prime time with their performance on Martha Stewart's Christmas Special. The Duke's Men, founded in 1956, are the youngest group on the a cappella scene. In the spring of 1997, "da doox" placed first among men's groups at the National Championship of College A Cappella at Lincoln Center in New York City.

The 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 sings a mix of all styles, emphasizing humor in its jams.

For those looking for more diversity, Yale also has six co-ed singing groups. Mixed Company focuses on popular pieces, while Redhot and Blue aims for sophistication in its repertoire. Out of the Blue performs a mix of modern hits and classics, and 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.

COURTESY SHADES Desiree Gordon, PC '02, belts out a tune for Shades.

The three weeks of the rush process are a time of chaos and excitement as the fervor consumes 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 cappella groups, the race begins.

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

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

Singing groups are a wonderful source of friendships, especially during freshman year. The combination of musical performance and personal interaction makes singing in a group a truly unique experience. Over 200 Yale undergraduates are involved in a cappella singing, forming a true singing group community.

Groups are aware of each other's activities, including where other groups tour over vacations and when concerts take place. Yale even has a Singing Group Council to oversee the rush process and to settle any conflicts that arise between groups. Recently, the council instituted a rule forbidding 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 fans need not choose one group over another.

When someone gets matched perfectly with an a cappella group, he or she will feel a sense of camaraderie that carries on long after graduation. While joining a singing group can be extremely time consuming, it can also turn out to be one of the most rewarding experiences of your Yale years.

Back to Just Do It...