25
Years performing
TIGER!AR
EST. 1997
12
Total members
6
Albums released
54
# of Brooks Center Shows
Current Group 2021 MEMBERS
DESCRIPTION
of TIGEROAR
TIGEROAR is Clemson University's only all-male a-cappella ensemble. Founded in 1997 by Dr. Dan Rash and Dr. David Conley, the group has a long and proud tradition of musical excellence in Clemson, SC. TIGEROAR rehearses and performs in The Brooks Center for the Performing Arts as one of Clemson’s six flagship choirs (www.clemsonchoirs.com). Our mission is to bring talented and passionate vocal performers together in the pursuit of musicianship and excellence in a-cappella performance. Our group is rich in the Clemson spirit and pursuant of respect and humility in our community and beyond. This is the creed of the orange coat.
Every spring and fall semester, we bring popular songs to life with new and interesting covers using only our voices. We hold auditions for new members at the start of each semester, usually within the first week of classes in August and January. Membership in TIGEROAR is highly selective, as we maintain a group of 12-16 members who demonstrate a high level of commitment to the principles of musical excellence, brothership, humility, gentlemanliness, and Clemson Spirit. By singing in TIGEROAR, our members earn one hour of course credit for MUSC 3410 (Men’s Breakout Ensemble) per semester. Our members also enrich their choral experience through mandatory enrollment in at least one additional credit-earning ensemble in the Clemson Choirs program.
TIGEROAR takes the Brooks Center stage twice per year for pop a-cappella shows with TakeNote, Clemson’s all-female a-cappella group (www.clemsontakenote.com) . We also perform annually in the “Sounds of the Season” concert, where all of the Clemson Choirs combine to bring holiday spirit to the Brooks Center every December. Throughout the academic year, we perform gigs for the Clemson community and beyond, singing for weddings, engagements, high school visits, community events, and more.
TIGEROAR has been donning our orange blazers for over 20 years and we are always looking to meet new fans and expand our presence in the Clemson community. If you’re interested in learning more about TIGEROAR, use the links below to find information about auditions, booking, and upcoming performances. Whether you’re a prospective member, a potential client, or a fan of the group, we can’t wait to bring you the unforgettable experience of a TIGEROAR performance.
AUDITION
for TIGEROAR
TIGEROAR holds auditions at the beginning of every semester, usually within the first week of classes. Auditions consist of two rounds: preliminary auditions and callbacks. During the first round of auditions, we will test your vocal range, conduct pitch matching exercises, and then give you the opportunity to sing a verse and a chorus of a song of your choice. If selected for callbacks, you will learn one of our songs and sing with current members of the group. You will also have another opportunity to showcase your solo voice by singing a verse and chorus from another song of your choice. In addition, you will be given an interview of 3-5 questions designed to gauge your character and potential to grow as a member of TIGEROAR.
Here’s what you’ll need to be prepared for in each round of auditions:
Round 1 - Preliminary Auditions
-
Open to any male vocalist at Clemson University
-
Questionnaire: Fill out a short form to tell us more about yourself
-
Range Test: Sing vocal exercises to test the upper and lower limits of your vocal range
-
Pitch Matching: Listen to a series of pitches played on piano, then match the pitches with your voice
-
Solo Performance: Prepare up to 1 minute of a song of your choice to showcase your singing talent. If applicable, you may also showcase up to 1 minute of vocal percussion/beatbox skill.
Round 2 - Callbacks
-
Attendance by invitation only
-
Vocal Blending & Sightreading: Learn an excerpt from our four-part arrangement of “The Star-Spangled Banner”, attend a sectional with current TIGEROAR members on your part, and perform your part of the excerpt in harmony with three other TIGEROAR members
-
Solo Performance: Prepare up to 1 minute of a song of your choice to showcase a different side of your vocal talent from the first audition. If applicable, you may also showcase up to 1 minute of vocal percussion/beatbox skill.
-
Interview: Answer 3-5 questions from members of the group, designed to gauge your character and potential to grow as a member of TIGEROAR.
All members of TIGEROAR are required to be male students enrolled at Clemson University with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. They must also be members of one of the larger choral ensembles, Clemson University SINGERS (MUSC 3700), Men's Chorus (MUSC 3720) or Cantorei (MUSC 3450).
FREQUENTLYasked QUESTIONS
WHAT WILL I HAVE TO DO AT AUDITIONS?
Auditions consist of two rounds: the preliminary auditions and the callbacks. During the first round of auditions, we will test your vocal range, conduct pitch matching exercises, and then give you the opportunity to sing a verse and a chorus of a song of your choice. If selected for callbacks, you will learn one of our songs and sing with current members of the group. You will also have another opportunity to showcase your solo voice to the group by singing a verse and chorus from a song of your choice. In addition, you will be given an interview of 3-5 questions designed to gauge your character and potential to grow as a member of TIGEROAR.
WHAT SONG SHOULD I SING FOR MY AUDITION?
Choose a song that shows us your strengths and that you feel comfortable singing. We want to see what makes you unique as a performer, whether it’s your vocal flexibility, your range, or your energy and stage presence. You may also want to look through TIGEROAR’s music on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube to get an idea of the style of music that our group has sung in the past. There is no wrong answer! However, keep in mind that only a 60-second verse and chorus of a song will be necessary for your audition.
CAN I AUDITION FOR TIGEROAR AS A BEATBOXER/VOCAL PERCUSSIONIST?
If you have a talent in beatboxing or vocal percussion, we would love to hear it! Feel free to prepare up to 1 minute of freestyle beatboxing for the solo performance portion of your audition. Vocal percussion skills can add to the strength of any audition, but it is important to keep in mind that your ability to beatbox will not have as much bearing on your audition as your ability to sing, perform, and blend with a vocal ensemble. To put it another way, there are no dedicated “beatboxers” in TIGEROAR—everyone who performs as a vocal percussionist must also be able to sing as part of a group when necessary.
WHAT IS THE TIME COMMITMENT OF TIGEROAR LIKE?
TIGEROAR rehearses twice per week, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30pm to 7:45pm. In a typical semester, we perform for 1-2 gigs every two weeks. These gigs are typically required for all members, and any absences must be excused by the faculty music director in advance. In addition, we have 1-2 major concerts in the Brooks Center towards the end of every semester, which are mandatory for all members. Any additional dress rehearsals leading up to these concerts will also be mandatory. All required performance and rehearsal dates for members are distributed in the course syllabus for MUSC 3140 at the beginning of the semester. At first glance, the time commitment for TIGEROAR may seem like a lot to handle, but our members are dedicated to providing support and encouragement for anyone who needs help balancing their day-to-day schedules with the ensemble.
DO I RECEIVE ANY KIND OF ACADEMIC CREDIT FOR BEING IN TIGEROAR?
Yes! TIGEROAR (MUSC 3410) is a one credit-hour course.
DO I HAVE TO BE IN ANY OTHER ENSEMBLES IN ORDER TO BE IN TIGEROAR?
Yes. All members of TIGEROAR are also required to enroll in at least one of the larger choral ensembles at Clemson University. These include Clemson University Singers (MUSC 3700), Cantorei (MUSC 3450), and Men’s Choir (MUSC 3720). If you are not already in one of these ensembles, you can still audition for TIGEROAR, as long as you are able to join one of the ensembles before the last day to add classes. CU Singers and Cantorei are both auditioned mixed-voice ensembles, and the Men's Chorus is a non-auditioned, all-male ensemble. To learn more about the Clemson University SINGERS or the Men's Chorus, visit the Clemson Choirs website.
HOW MANY SPOTS DOES TIGEROAR HAVE AVAILABLE?
TIGEROAR consists of at least 12 members and no more than 16 members each semester. All current members of good standing are able to stay in the group without re-auditioning.
CAN I AUDITION AGAIN IF I DON'T MAKE IT?
Yes! As a matter of fact, you should! Many current members, including those in leadership positions, auditioned multiple times before making it into the group.