The 14 a cappella groups on Grounds each have their own unique sound and style, from the Hullabahoos signature robes to Hoos in Treble’s bright pink heels — but one thing they have in common is that they manage the behind-the-scenes logistics themselves. With a variety of concert performances, album releases and busy audition cycles, the a cappella groups on Grounds not only have to sing but also manage their group’s image and schedule.
The plethora of different groups on Grounds for singers to join and ample performance opportunities for students to enjoy makes the a capella culture at the University a strong one. Luke Watson, president of Hoos in the Stairwell and fourth-year College student, said that it was this culture that made the University stand out to him.
“A cappella was actually one of the reasons I came to U.Va.,” Watson said. “I live in a college town, but where I'm from, there's nothing like this.”
At the beginning of the academic year, the question of how to advertise auditions for one’s group comes to the forefront of many members’ minds. After all, it can be hard to stand out with 14 other a cappella groups on Grounds. One answer is Rotunda Sing — an annual University Programs Council event at the start of the fall semester that showcases the variety of a cappella groups.
According to Watson, this performance is crucial for a cappella on Grounds, allowing a cappella groups to show off their distinctive sounds and promote their group to potential auditioners.
“That tends to be scheduled during the week of auditions,” Watson said. “It’s very important for us to put on a good show every time so people hear us and think, ‘Wow, I might want to be a part of that group.’”
The audition process itself is a multi-step process that takes into account not only how an auditionee’s vocals will fit into the group but also how they will fit into the group as an individual. For many groups, the first round consists of an open audition, oftentimes held in lawn rooms the week of Rotunda Sing. Callbacks are held that same weekend, in which auditionees attend both a vocally-based and social callback to interact more closely with current members.
If admitted to a group, new members will find that the culture of a cappella is ultimately one of collaboration among the different groups. This collaboration is formalized through the a cappella Presidents Council, where the presidents of each group meet once or twice a semester to represent their members and coordinate the details of their concerts. Together, they decide which songs each group will do and what dates each group can schedule their concert so as to not overlap with other groups or divide potential fans.
This collaborative effort is also utilized within the group during the song selection process for concerts. Each group must submit the songs they want to claim, or sing in the future, on a spreadsheet shared amongst all a cappella groups. If a song has already been claimed, another group is unable to perform that song for four semesters, causing many groups to immediately claim songs as soon as they are released.
After songs are claimed, each group can pick from their claimed songs in order to curate the sound they want for a specific gig. Cavan Meade, former president of the Virginia Gentlemen and fourth-year Engineering student, said that the selection for songs is a joint effort among the group.
“The songs that we sing in concert are selected by the whole group,” Meade said. “From there, we will kind of go through together, usually on a Zoom meeting or hanging out together, and be like, ‘Okay, what kind of setlist do you want to create?’”
Setlists, which are the specific order of songs performed at a concert, are typically focused on a specific theme for a given concert. While some follow the theme a little more broadly, picking one theme helps to set the tone for the setlist. According to Watson, once a theme is chosen, the group then suggests ideas for songs that they think will fit. After a setlist is chosen, the music director then works to arrange each of these songs for the different voice parts in the group.
Meade said that finding a concert time that works for every member also presents a logistical challenge with many members of a cappella groups also having involvements in other University activities.
“People are very busy, and for a group that does as much as we do, it's really important that we have an open line of communication to kind of make sure that we know where everyone is,” Meade said. “That might determine whether or not you can do [the concert].”
Once the details of a concert are in place, the next challenge becomes making sure the event reaches an audience. While one is likely to encounter eager a cappella groups promoting their shows as they pass through South Lawn, social media has become another useful tool for a cappella groups to promote not only concerts, but auditions and album releases as well.
Kate Mueller, publicity chair for the Virginia Sil’hooettes and second-year College student, said that social media allows for groups to showcase the members themselves in addition to their music.
“When I’m making content for the group, I try to walk a fine line of posting both stuff about our music and about what we do as professionals, and then I also like to post about us as a girl group,” Mueller said. “It’s trying to find that happy medium of posting our social aspects and posting our professional media.”
Social media can also allow for a cappella videos to go viral at a moment's notice. The Virginia Gentlemen saw their cover of “Everybody Talks” by Neon Trees reach over 85,000 views on Instagram reels.
Despite the logistical aspects that come with being an a cappella group, the community it gives to its members is immense. Meade explained that despite sometimes feeling like it is a “small business,” his experience in a cappella has been rewarding beyond what he expected, a sentiment shared by Mueller and Watson as well.
“I don’t know who I would be or what my college experience would have been without this group,” Meade states. “The community is so, so strong and that is true both in the group and across all groups.”
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