This coming Friday, April 24 at 7 p.m. in Cordiner Hall, ASWC will host one of the most highly attended, most-acclaimed musical events of the year –– the Whitman Choral Contest.

“The Choral Contest is one of the events that fills Cordiner every time, at least since I’ve been here,” said Senior Rachel Stein, ASWC programming chair.
The choral contest will feature a singing ensemble from every fraternity and sorority, each of the three A capella groups, and a group of independent women. The judges for the groups include faculty members Nohemy Solorzano-Thompson, Chuck Cleveland, and Keith   Farrington. As well as receiving an award for winning the contest, the winning ensemble receives a check of $500 from ASWC to give to a charity of choice.

The competition is separated into two competing circles –– one between the various A capella groups, and another between the greek and independent groups. While the greek and independents are required to sing one song made before 1920 and one modern song, the A capella groups mostly perform medleys.

When asked about what the progress of the Testostrotones in the competition, senior and leader of the group Kaston Griffon said, “Preparation is coming along slowly, mostly due to the intricate series of animal stunts involved. Acquiring a license for the ‘shit’ that’s gonna go down is the hardest part.”

When competitor and member of Schwa, Blake Saunders, was asked about Schwa’s upcoming performance, he lowered his eyebrows and said, “It will be classically Schwa –– it’ll be a show.”

Though the competition between groups is fierce, members within each group emphasize the value they see in the extra practice time.

“It’s funny every year for us, because it’s kind of strangely bonding. As goofy as we think it is, it brings us together,” said junior and Phi-house singer Carl Garp-Duvall.

Competition between groups, bonding within, the choral contest presents its participants with both a release and a burden, but mostly a release.

“The current feeling among the crowd is a great anticipation of what everyone’s going to bring to the table. It’s like a fire within us rising and the more we practice the hotter the flames become,” said Kappa Kappa Gamma singer Anna Forge.

The anticipation is not just felt among participants. Stein, the key organizer of the event, can’t wait.

“The choral contest is a Whitman staple. It’s a Whitman tradition,” said Stein.