With hopes of making close friendships with people who share a similar love for singing, many students audition for the high school’s treble and tenor-bass a cappella groups, Chordination and Soudertones.
Soudertones leader Cayden Johnson said he originally wanted to join because he knew a lot of people who were also interested in it.
“At first I wanted to join Soudertones because all my friends were a part of it, but I soon began to fall in love with a cappella music, as well as the group,” Johnson said.
Chordination leader Lauren Fisher auditioned her sophomore year for similar reasons.
“I always knew I wanted to [be a part of it] but I didn’t think I was going to get in at all my sophomore year,” Fisher said. “Once I got in I really wanted to do it cause it’s just a good group of girls who all like to sing.”
According to choir director and a cappella advisor Jon Timmons, both groups’ audition processes are mostly similar, consisting of two parts.
“Anyone who wants to audition has to sing a [verse and chorus] of a pop piece a cappella,” Timmons said.
After this round of auditions some cuts are usually made depending on the amount of students auditioning.
“Then [the a cappella groups] pick an arrangement for people auditioning to learn the different vocal parts,” Timmons said, “to see how they blend, how quickly do they pick up music, do they even read music, that kind of thing.”
After this second “callback” round, the groups will make final decisions on who will be the new members for the upcoming school year.
While Fisher felt that the audition experience was a bit “scary” she feels that it was well worth it.
“It might seem nerve racking but I highly recommend trying it out,” Johnson said.
Senior Chordnation member Ava Mills has always loved singing and is grateful she decided to audition even though she was already in choir.
“I feel like in a smaller group like [Chordination] you can get closer to everyone and make better bonds and friendships,” Mills said.
According to senior Soudertones member Connor Feick, the Soudertones’ and Chordination’s group dynamics are very alike.
“Going into Soudertones, it’s such a small and tight knit group,” Feick said.
Fisher enjoys being a part of both choir and the a cappella groups because of their distinct repertoire.
“It’s a different kind of singing outlet from chorus because we don’t really sing choral songs, it’s more pop arrangements,” Fisher said.
Other notable differences between regular choir classes and the a cappella groups is the leadership.
“[The groups] were designed and built in a way for students to really have ownership of those ensembles,” Timmons said. “The idea is that they pick their leaders, they pick their music, they run their own rehearsals [so that] it’s really student-led.”