Auditions
Every fall, ACAC coordinates the auditions for all of the a cappella groups at Washington University. We focus on the logistics for 13 groups on campus, so they can focus on finding new members.
If you have any questions after reading this, contact the ACAC President at .
The auditions process works in two stages:
- Preliminary auditions
- Callbacks
Once you’ve signed up for your initial auditions, we will email you to guide you through the entire process. Here’s how it will work.
Preliminary Auditions
Sign up
You can sign up for a preliminary audition in any of several ways. The first and most fun way is to come to the A Cappella Info Session on Tuesday, September 5 at 7:30 PM! After hearing performances from each group, you’ll have the opportunity to meet the members and sign up for auditions in person. Prior to this, you’ll be able to learn more about each group at the Activities Fair on Friday, September 1, and hear sneak peek performances from groups around the South 40 during Songs at Sunset on September 2 and 3.
Fall 2023 auditions will be held between Wednesday, September 6 and Friday, September 8, with an early audition day on Monday, September 4 (Labor Day).
Of course, you can always sign up online. Each group will post flyers on the South 40 with QR codes or links, and you can find each group’s website on our Groups page.
Note: Be sure to allow plenty of time in between your auditions in case one runs late or you have to travel far between them.
Show up
Once you’ve signed up, all that’s left to do is to be in the right place at the right time. At your first audition, you will also register with ACAC—we get your contact information and schedule conflicts for callbacks.
Note: Many groups require auditionees to fill out a separate information form before their audition; plan on getting to your auditions at least 5 minutes early.
Callbacks
After preliminary auditions finished, each group submits a callback list to ACAC. We post these lists at the Music Classroom Building and in Bear’s Den on the morning of Saturday, September 9. We also send confirmation emails to the address you registered with.
If you are called back, each group that is calling you back will reach out to you, usually via email, with a callback time. These are scheduled based on the schedule conflicts you registered with. If you cannot make a callback time, contact that group or the ACAC president as soon as possible.
You are free to come to as many or as few callbacks as you want. If you choose not to come to a callback, please inform the group ahead of time.
Fall 2023 callbacks will be held on Saturday, September 9 and Sunday, September 10.
Preference Cards
At some point during callbacks, ACAC will send out a preference card to your email. In this card, you rank by preference each group you had a callback with.
Rank as few or as many groups as you like, but these preferences are binding. If a group you have ranked offers you a membership, you must accept. If you are not completely sure you would be satisfied with a group whose callback you attended, do not list them.
You must submit your preferences online by before the deadline, or you will be taken out of the audition pool. You cannot edit your response once you have submitted.
How are my preferences used?
Groups select their new members via a mutual selection process. After all preference cards are submitted, the a cappella groups meet together and select their new members. Each group considers all of the auditionees that selected the group on their preference card submission, starting with the auditionees who selected that group as their first choice. If the group declines to select a specific auditionee, the group the auditionee marked as their second choice can choose to accept them, and so forth.
Once selections are mostly finalized, all the groups meet together and submit their final rosters in what we lovingly refer to as A Cappella Draft, the culmination of the audition process and one of the amazing parts of being in such a big community.
Did I make it?
ACAC will post a list of the new members of each a cappella group in Bear’s Den and at the Music Classroom Building on the morning of Wednesday, September 13.
If you are not selected by a group this semester, don’t get discouraged. Many groups hold spring auditions, and you are always free to audition again. Many groups have members who have auditioned more than once. There are also numerous opportunities available for musicians through the Department of Music and various other student groups.
COVID Precautions
ACAC has worked closely with the school to ensure we are following all COVID recommendations set by both the school and the CDC.
Please reach out to any groups you are interested in individually about their specific policies if you have any concerns.