The Williams College Octet is an all-male a cappella group, founded in 1940. We’re the college’s oldest a cappella group, and one of the oldest collegiate a cappella groups in the country. Originally an actual octet, the group has since expanded in order to perform contemporary music, which often requires a few spare guys for percussion, beat drops, and crowd-surfing. In a normal year, the group performs two mid-semester and two final concerts, plus some other events throughout the Northeast and road trips to other schools.
In becoming part of the Octet, you aren’t just joining a singing group — you’re joining a family of guys that you’ll have for the rest of your life. You’ll work hard — we meet to rehearse three times a week and arrange all of our own songs across a broad range of genres and musical styles. But you’ll also play hard — the Octet has a long history of complex social and party traditions, and a tendency to find itself in sticky situations on group road trips that make for unforgettable stories in the morning. Over the years, we’ve had some pretty great gigs: from becoming Taylor Swift-approved, to our annual trip to sing the National Anthem at Yankee Stadium, if you join the Octet, you’ll have some once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and make some once-in-a-lifetime friends.
When it comes down to it, these guys are more than just some people you’ll sing with in college. They’ll be the guys who stick around in your life afterward, the guys who will offer you a drink and a place to stay when you’re in the area, the guys who will sing to you at your wedding and beyond.
Sound good? Check out our short guide to auditions for info on how to join our family.