There are at least three ways in which Connecticut College’s a cappella groups differ from most other campus organizations: they are steeped in history, some as old as the College itself; they meet more often than other student groups – on average, three times a week for two hours at a time; and they are about as hard to get into as an Ivy League school. Yes, you read that right. Adam Lonner ’16, president of the ConnArtists, estimates that this year his group auditioned 60 students and accepted four. That comes out to an acceptance rate of 6%, about the same as Harvard’s.
Fortunately, for both those who love to sing and those who love to listen, there is more than one a cappella option on campus. Indeed, given our relatively small student body of about 2,000 students, there is a disproportionately large number of a cappella groups: seven in total, with 12-15 students in each. Tulane University, by contrast, has approximately 8,000 students but only two a cappella groups. So it’s fair to say that the a cappella presence reverberates far more strongly at Conn than it does at some other schools. Surprisingly, however, the presence of so many a cappella groups does not reduce the level of competition; if anything, it enhances it, by allowing so many talented singers to participate.
Singers auditioned for the a cappella groups over a period of seven days during the second week of school, with approximately 60-80 students trying out for each group. Each group has its own audition requirements, but in general, the process consists of performing a song – a verse and a chorus – solo, participating in tonal exercises and singing with other members of the a cappella group so those conducting the audition can get a sense of how the voices blend. After the auditions, group leaders confer and decide whom to callback. After callbacks, all seven groups gather to discuss the applicants and the appropriate protocol for ensuring that a candidate is not accepted into more than one group. Traditionally, this is accomplished by employing one person from a “neutral” a cappella group – a group that has not auditioned the applicant – and having that “neutral” group member ask the applicant via the phone which group they would choose if they got into more than one group. While the question is posed in a hypothetical fashion, the applicants, whether or not they realize it at the time, are essentially in that moment choosing the group they will be singing with throughout their time at Connecticut College. Connecticut College is known for its strong, student-driven campus life. Conn should take particular pride in its thriving performing arts scene, which often provides entertainment for the greater campus. This is a responsibility that, in schools with Greek life, often falls on the fraternities and sororities. Ben Webber ’16, co-president of Vox Cameli, said that the a cappella group was actually described to him as “the closest thing Conn has to Greek life” when he first toured campus. Caroline Noonan ’16, co-president of the Shwiffs, said, “first and foremost, we [the Shwiffs] are sisters.”
The idea of a selective community, steeped in tradition, which sees itself as a sisterhood or brotherhood, that maintains strong alumni connections (alumni of Conn a cappella groups will often reach out to current members to perform at various venues), are additional attributes of the a cappella experience that evoke the atmosphere of Greek life. Noonan says, “My friends have described a sorority as a group of people that you can count on even if times are tough, and a group of people you want to tell everything to first.” This, Noonan says, is a description perfectly embodied by the Shwiffs. Similarly, Alex Medzorian ’19, one of the newest members of the Co Co Beaux, was told that “throughout college, friends come and go, girls come and go, but the ‘Beaux’ is there for life.”
At the same time, however, there is a stigma attached to Greek life, which explains why many a cappella members reject any comparisons between their groups and the fraternity and sorority system. That stigma arises from the unfortunate practices associated with hazing. At Conn, rumors have long circulated that several a cappella groups have engaged in certain “welcoming” hazing rituals. According to Lonner, “In the past, [hazing] was a huge problem for all of the a cappella groups. When I was a firsty-year, I remember our president talking about it, but only in the sense that it was something that the culture of a cappella was trying to stop.”
Indeed, according to Webber, whatever questionable conduct may have occurred in the past has long since ceased, and the a cappella groups are working diligently to eradicate the rhetoric of “hazing,” or even “initiation” from the a cappella lexicon altogether. Webber posited that rumors surrounding the welcoming process for the new members of a cappella stem from a place of simple mystification.
On the night the groups revealed who they were accepting, I remember the palpable anxiety felt by so many students. A good friend of mine could not even sit still between 6 and 8P.M. (which was when she was told she would receive a call), and refused to part with her phone for one instant – or even go to the restroom! When she found out she got in, the a cappella group that had accepted her showed up at her door, singing the most beautiful harmony, and then whisked her away into the steamy Connecticut night. I did not hear from or see her until the next day, when she described the previous 12 hours she’d spent with her new a cappella group as “the best night I’ve had at Conn.” I did not ask for details, and she did not provide any.
So the aura of mystery surrounding how new members are welcomed into their a cappella groups certainly continues to fuel speculation, and perhaps is slightly at odds with the goal of putting an end to the rumors that speculation inevitably feeds. But if the groups prefer to keep the details of their traditions private, who are we to quibble, especially when the members themselves speak so warmly and lovingly of evenings spent in one another’s dorms.
In describing the welcoming process, Ben Ballard ’16, president of the Co Co Beaux, further underscored the stark disparity between the dehumanizing acts associated with hazing and the practices of Conn’s a cappella groups. Said Ballard, “The point [behind the welcoming process] is not to drink excessively or do ridiculous escapades. We simply want to have a communal bonding experience.” Medzorian concurred: “I never was put in a position where I felt forced or obligated to do something I didn’t want to do. All I was left with was a better sense of my new community and more excitement for future musical endeavors.”
There remains, according to Lonner, a “concerted effort” to disassociate a cappella’s welcoming process from immoral acts. Indeed, this is an effort worth making, because a cappella groups deserve a reputation that reflects and honors all that they bring to our community. The a cappella community provides this campus with extraordinary, life-affirming music, drawing such large crowds that there will actually be two concerts held during Fall Weekend to avoid overcrowding in the chapel. Said Noonan, “Even my friends’ parents come to our events. People, from what I’ve found, love a cappella, even if they don’t have a child performing.”
Many groups have made or are in the process of making their own albums. The Co Co Beaux, for example, are on iTunes, with impressively high sales rates, and they produce albums every three years. The most recent album features artists such as Mumford and Sons, Bastille and Adele, and the group is planning a concert at the Florence Griswold Museum. Two years ago, the Shwiffs beat out dozens of other applicants to sing the National Anthem at Fenway Park. Many groups travel to different universities, such as Johns Hopkins and American University, to perform. As Lonner put it, “I don’t think you can spend a year here without at least hearing about a concert or seeing a group perform.”
Indeed, there are many exciting initiatives on the agenda for Conn’s a cappella groups. The ConnArtists have just begun fundraising for their new album; the Shwiffs have an album coming out next week. Groups are also in the process of planning the “a cappella challenge,” with the help of SGA and SAC. The challenge consists of “voting on an album or song from one artist, and then being given two weeks to arrange and fully learn a new song,” said Moore. Last year’s event featured Lorde, the year before featured Justin Timberlake and this year’s artist has yet to be revealed. The event will be held during Halloween weekend.
There are also restructuring efforts being implemented to improve the general cohesion of all seven a cappella groups. Such efforts include the establishment of an executive board, to which each group will send one member, presumably its pitch (music director) or president (business director). The board will meet once a month to ensure unified decision making. Right now the board is working to fix the song claiming process. The process, as it currently stands, allows one group to hold onto a song for ten years, never do anything with it, but still have the ability to prevent other groups from performing it.
The idea behind claiming is to ensure that multiple groups do not perform the same song at a concert. But, as Webber said, it is also a “horrible” process that allows one group unfairly to monopolize a song for an extended period of time. One of the rules being implemented, according to Webber, would allow a group to “claim a song, then [if the group didn’t use] it within either a semester or a year, [it would] lose those rights.”
Webber also noted, correctly, that in the absence of Greek life, alternative entertainment options on campus must be available and widely supported. “A thriving music community,” opined Webber, “ would be my top choice.” Given the immense popularity of a cappella on campus, it’s fair to say that Webber is not alone.•
