About IGCAC
The IGCAC is the organization 10 a cappella groups at Brown, each group with their distinct style. Brown is proud to have the most a cappella groups per capita in the US and home to numerous award winning a cappella groups. Many groups enjoy touring, performing with a cappella groups from colleges around New England, and recording albums.
Information about the groups and other a cappella happenings on campus can be found on this site. Please use this website as your homepage for all things a cappella!
Please use our navigation menu to the left and if you have any questions, please contact acappella@brown.edu.
Brown A Cappella
A cappella is a very large part of Brown life and has been for decades. Brown students enjoy watching groups perform songs ranging from top 50s to jazz standards. With 10 groups under the IGCAC umbrella, the council keeps auditions, callbacks, and arch sings in order and helps create connections between groups.
The Role of the IGCAC
The 'Czars' of a cappella oversee all the groups under the organization and plan orientation events, arch sings, auditions, callbacks, a cappella meetings, large concerts, commencement events, and alumni events. We act as the bridge between student a cappella groups and advisors in the Student Activities Office and Undergraduate Finance Board. The current 'czars' are Elsa Block (Ursa Minors, '24) and Linus Lawrence (Bear Necessities, '23).
Auditions
Each group at Brown holds auditions during the fall and spring semesters. Audition customs are different for each group, but generally involve singing scales, pitch-matching, and a short personal solo (verse and chorus). Auditionees are encouraged to try out for more than one group to maximize their chances of receiving callbacks. Each group will post a Callback List on the midnight of the last day of auditions. Those called-back are then invited to attend the group's callbacks during the following weekend at which you and the groups will get to know each other better.
Callbacks
Just as audition customs are different, callbacks are also different for each group. We try to keep callback conflicts at a minimum so that each student can attend as many callbacks as they are invited to. Callbacks are typically around 3-4 hours, depending on the group's customs and how many people are called back. They are generally more complicated than the auditions. Groups tend to have people learn and sing their arrangements and perform solos.
