Scott BresslerYou’ve heard them around. They sing in the dorms. They sing in the underpass. They sing all over the campus. Washington University in St. Louis’s A Capella scene is bursting with song, and students can’t help but take notice.
The school’s a cappella tradition started in 1991 with Mosaic Whispers, the oldest group on campus. The campus now has multiple groups. Most groups are co-ed, but some like Pikers and the Stereotypes are all male. Others, like Greenleafs, are all female.
All of the groups have something a little unique about them. Mosaic Whispers, as previously mentioned, claims to be the first group on campus. The Amateurs live by their motto, “Because we love it.” The Aristocats sing only Disney music. More Fools Than Wise are chamber singers. The most unique and the best thing about the University’s a cappella scene, according to Junior Paul Kunnath, member of Amatuers, though, is “the tight knit community that has formed within and between the groups.”
In the fall of the year, the a cappella groups concentrate on two things: Dormstorming and auditions. During dormstorming, the groups go around putting on mini-performances throughout the South 40, showing the underclassmen what their groups are all about. Last year, dormstorming hits included “I wanted to go to an Ivy,” based off the “Avenue Q” song “I wish I could go back to College”.
This year’s auditions for a cappella are coming up this weekend, September 1 and September 2. But don’t worry; everyone wants the auditionee to be comfortable.
According to Kunnath, the best advice is to try and relax, and just pick a song that shows off “the best qualities of your voice”. He stressed that “There is no pressure. Just try and have fun.”
Anyone interested in auditioning for an a cappella group can either find their tables, visible in Mallinckrodt or Wohl Center, or email the specific group that catches their interest. All groups have a website, complete with contact information, a blurb explaining the group, and on a few sites, links to an audition page. Auditionees can also audition for multiple groups this weekend, and see which groups ask them to come for callbacks.