Sam Ostrove, Contributing Photographer

Currently, dozens of Yale students are in the midst of an intensive two-week process of attending showcases, auditioning for various groups and gathering for rush meals, which will culminate in a highly-anticipated and tradition-filled Tap Night. 

Welcome to Yale’s a cappella rush season.

A cappella rush season lasts from Saturday, August 31, to Wednesday, Sept. 18, during which hundreds of first years and other students audition for any of Yale’s 17 a cappella groups. This year, the Singing Group Council, the board that oversees the rush process, has implemented some changes to make the process run more smoothly for rushees and a cappella groups alike.

“Our primary purpose and the reason we were created is to cultivate a safe, welcoming and comfortable environment for first years interested in a cappella,” said Joey Cumpian ’25, one of the members of the SGC.

In addition to facilitating a smooth and welcoming rush experience, the SGC is also responsible for enforcing rules that ensure fair practices among the groups. SGC member Brandon Lee ’26 said the SGC investigates reported rule violations by a cappella groups and involves the Dean’s Office throughout the process. 

A cappella groups that violate these rules face consequences in the following season of rush. For instance, if a group breaks a rule, such as taking rushees to expensive restaurants and covering the cost, they may lose the opportunity to perform at Woolsey Jam the following year.

The process kicks off with Woolsey Jam, the first showcase of the rush season, and is followed by a Marsh Jam that takes place the following Monday and allows each group to perform a longer repertory. 

The minute the last group at Marsh Jam concludes, audition sign-ups open to the rushees and members of each a cappella group table outside the hall to interact with rushees as they sign up.  

The first round of auditions begins on the following Thursday and ends on Sunday. Though this process has stayed consistent throughout the years, this year’s rush process is marked by one notable adjustment — a change to callback gifts, or small presents that are given to rushees along with an invitation to return for a second round of auditions. 

Prior to this year, a cappella groups hand-delivered gifts to rushees promptly after auditions ended on Sunday night. Now, each group will have until Monday night to present these gifts.

If the timing was right, members of the a cappella group would run into their rushees and have the opportunity to express their interest in person — a valuable face-to-face interaction. But larger or SATB — soprano, alto, tenor and bass — groups with more voice parts often had trouble making and delivering gifts due to the high volume of auditions they received. 

According to Lee, the decision to switch the callback gift-giving window to Monday night was to make this process more equitable and give all groups more time. 

In addition to a callback gift, rushees are also given another gift in the form of a musical performance, or what is called a “singing dessert.” 

Quincy Rosenzweig ’26, who sings for Doox of Yale, said that these hour-long performances help rushees understand an a cappella group’s distinct musical color and allow them to better differentiate between them. 

So what makes Doox of Yale a unique musical presence? 

“We have a really large musical ambition,” said Rosenzweig. “Our arrangements are incredibly difficult and complex, and everyone in the group is really excited by that and driven by our love and passion for music.”

Because Doox is a smaller group, he added, each member forms meaningful friendships with their fellow members.

Mixed Company’s social chair Genesis Browne ’26 said that her group stands out due to their diversity — in interests, personalities and, of course, musical genres.

“Our uniqueness comes from how open we are to everything and everyone,” said Browne. 

The group’s repertoire reflects renditions of pop, rock, R&B and even country hits.  

Similarly to Rosenzweig, Browne also emphasized the tight-knit community fostered in the singing group. She pointed to an active group chat where members make plans to study together or spend time with each other outside of rehearsal times. 

The rush process is not just an intensive process for rushees. During the group’s “pretreat,” the rehearsal period before rush, Browne and her fellow singers undertake a comprehensive rehearsal process to refresh everything from the past year and make sure they remember their parts. 

Even amidst the long hours of practice, Browne said that the singers don’t forget their enthusiasm for music. “We really want everybody to know that we enjoy singing with each other and have fun performing,” Browne said of Mixed Company’s distinct energy as a group.

Lee encouraged first-year rushees in particular to be open-minded and not be afraid to try new things. He recounted an instance in his first year when he got sick before a flute audition for the Yale Symphony Orchestra. 

Lee did not get accepted; instead, he decided to spontaneously attend an a cappella jam. Prior, Lee never imagined himself doing a cappella, but he was captivated by the music he heard at the jam.

“You might think a cappella rush or some other audition is the end-all-be-all,” said Lee. “But on our campus, that’s never true.” 

Farah Kheder ’28 is one of many hopeful rushees foraying into Yale’s a cappella world. Kheder sang in middle school and high school, which allowed her to see how strong communities can form and flourish when people join together and make music. 

She recalled how Yale’s a cappella groups embodied this idea during Bulldog Days when they invited admitted students to visit and get to know each group in the intimate setting of the Watson Center classrooms. 

According to Kheder, Woolsey and Marsh Jam gave her and other listeners “genuine joy” and ultimately inspired her to audition for five different groups. Kheder feels a mixture of excitement and nervousness for the rush cycle. 

“[The a cappella groups] try to make it as accepting and accessible as possible,” said Kheder. “That being said, it’s intimidating no matter how you spin it because of how much humdrum the a cappella groups produce.”

The Singing Group Council is made up of six a cappella members who represent groups across genres and musical niches, such as Out of the Blue, Something Extra and Redhot & Blue.