If you visited Robert Purcell Community Center any time last week, you probably saw or heard Cornell’s a cappella groups tabling to advertise their audition processes. Toward the beginning of each semester, most of Cornell’s a cappella groups hold several rounds of auditions for new members. To get an inside look at the audition process, I decided to interview some a cappella members, table for one of the groups and go undercover and audition for one to get a true sense of the process.
For one of the audition days, I helped The Men of Last Call table in RPCC. For a few hours, I sat at the table, asking anyone who walked by if they liked to sing or had friends who liked to sing. Most would walk away without a second thought. Very few auditionees come from the tabling process, most take an interest in auditioning from social media advertisements. One member of Last Call mentioned to me that there were significantly more people walking through RPCC during the beginning of the fall semester, leading to more auditionees. Despite this, the a capella members at each table were very welcoming, eager to bring in new potential members. Every group I talked to welcomed people based on passion, regardless of prior experience with vocal training or singing in a group.
The first round of auditions (open call auditions) is short and runs similarly for the different groups. Auditionees walk in and are given a few exercises with scales and pitch matching, followed by the short solo they prepared, consisting of a verse and chorus from a song of their choice. The most nerve-wracking part of the initial audition, for me, was the fact that it takes place in front of the entire a cappella group. However, they were all friendly and helped make me feel comfortable. It was over within five minutes, and after that it was time to wait for an email determining whether or not I had been called back for a second round.
For The Callbaxx (the group I auditioned for), there were only two rounds of auditions, whereas several other groups had three rounds. The second round of auditions for The Callbaxx ran similarly to the final round for other groups. The callback process was much longer than the initial audition, lasting around an hour and a half. In addition to a second solo, it also involved joining the group for a mini-rehearsal with warmups and learning a section of one of their songs. It definitely felt more personal than the first round, as I got to know the group members better and was assigned to a member to help teach me the song section. Although I was ultimately dropped by the group, it was a great experience getting to see the audition process and meet the members.
Speaking to Emeka Okereke ’28, the Music Director for Last Call, I learned that the spring audition cycle for Cornell’s a cappella groups is generally more selective than the fall cycle, since most of the groups’ empty spots are filled at the beginning of the school year. Although there are fewer students auditioning, there are also significantly fewer spots (with some groups only having one or two, as opposed to five to 10 in the fall semester) so the process remains competitive.
Meriem Farah ’29, who joined Hearsay last semester, shared her experience being on both sides of the audition process: “[This semester’s process was] less stressful but equally as fun! I remember auditioning for a cappella was one of the best experiences of college. … Hearsay just has such a wonderful vibe and [is] so welcoming; it makes the audition process so much easier and so much fun!” She reflected that Hearsay has become “a second family” for her. Aside from a cappella rehearsals, the group hangs out together often, getting meals and going on social outings.
I’d highly recommend checking out the a capella audition cycle next fall if you have any interest in singing. The groups are extremely friendly, and the initial audition takes mere minutes. Cornell’s a cappella groups are filled with talented, welcoming students, and should you find yourself joining one, you might just find a new Cornell family.
Katherine Winton is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at kwinton@cornellsun.com.
