“Pitch Perfect” – a raunchy, dramatized depiction of the a cappella scene on a fictional college campus starring 30-year-olds as college students – introduced many to the world of collegiate a cappella. The exaggerated, glammed-up portrayal in the film, while entertaining, falls short of accurately representing college a cappella. The true essence of this art form and its community must be observed on campuses, like the University of Southern California, rather than on the silver screen.

Located minutes from the heart of Los Angeles, a city known for its music and performing industry, as well as its diversity, the University of Southern California was primed for an eclectic array of a cappella groups. Each of the universities’ 10 groups is distinct with a rich history and niche. From East Asian to Christian Music, The University of Southern California offers a rich, diverse culture of a cappella.

The groups’ varied repertoires and styles appeal to a wide range of audiences–whether it be the the traditional Chinese music of the Trogons, the angelic voices of the Sirens, an all-female group, or the spiritual, uplifting songs of Overflow, the Christian group – ensuring there is something for all listeners.

Despite popular culture’s portrayal, the groups at USC form a number of smaller performance communities within the university that, through collaboration, combine to form one larger community within the university. The Sirens recently hosted a riff-off where they invited all 10 a cappella groups on campus to take part in the event.

In a traditional riff-off, as seen in “Pitch Perfect,” an emcee presents a category, for example, songs about love. Groups must sing an existing song that falls within that category and must enter by cutting off the prior group using the same word in a new song. While a riff-off is typically a competition, The Sirens' event was non-competitive, intended to be a supportive social gathering about having fun with other groups and sharing their love of music.

Angela Wu, a freshman studying international relations and president of UnderSCore, one of USC’s co-ed a cappella groups, considers UnderSCore to be so much more than just a performance group. “Outside of music, I think we’re also just a really close friend group. Most of my closest friends at USC I’ve met through UnderSCore,” Wu said. “So aside from being a music group, we like to call ourselves a friend group that likes to sing…so that kind of is UnderSCore in a nutshell.” Wu described the group as being a great community that not only gets together for rehearsals, but also studies together, goes to amusement parks, grabs meals and goes thrifting together.

UnderSCore on their retreat at Sequoia National Park (Wu pictured at left). Courtesy of UnderSCore.

Similar to Wu’s experience in UnderSCore, Stella Malone, president of the co-ed group Varsity Blues, emphasized the importance the group places on community. “Bonding is a big thing we try to prioritize,” Malone said. “We want people to feel welcomed and connected.” Varsity Blues members will often get together outside of rehearsals for picnics or to grab a bite at Rock & Reilly’s in the USC Village.

Members of the a cappella groups also described rehearsals as a place to unwind after a stressful day or week of classes. Wu shared her favorite memory of the group. Despite her speaking of a number of off-campus outings, her favorite memory was of what others might have considered any ordinary rehearsal. Wu had just come to the end of a particularly rough school day. That night at rehearsal, members were giggly and had a difficult time taking anything seriously. She described the stress relief she experienced from that rehearsal and thought, “I’m so grateful I have these people in my life for this type of moment.” Many members of USC’s a cappella groups similarly described rehearsals as being a great place to unwind and the best part of their week.

Participating in an a cappella group not only provides members with the opportunity to destress, but also the opportunity to express themselves while connecting with others who share a similar passion. A number of the groups also provide the opportunity for members to connect with people who share similar heritages, beliefs and values. A cappella groups also allow students to continue singing and performing despite not studying music. The majority of group leaders shared that they have few to no members pursuing a career in the music industry.

In addition to being a place where students can find community and explore their musical talents, a cappella groups have a positive impact on the USC community. According to Scott Brian, the Executive Director of USC’s Performing Arts Committee, a cappella groups play an invaluable role in enriching our campus culture. “These talented and welcoming ensembles showcase the diverse and vibrant artistry of our student body while fostering unity and community spirit through music,” Brian stated.

Malone and Varsity Blues at All Hailoween. Courtesy of Varsity Blues.

The impact of these a cappella groups is not restricted to the USC campus. The groups perform both on and off campus, entertaining students and community members alike. We can also see their music reach the wider Los Angeles community. For example, some groups perform at local fundraisers and Overflow often helps lead worship at different members’ churches throughout the semester. Others provide workshops for high schools. Two of USC’s groups even travel and compete across the country, including Asli Baat and the five-time International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) winners, the SoCal VoCals.

Asli Baat and the Trogons perform at multiple cultural events put on by USC throughout the semester, serving to enrich the campus with culture. The Troy Tones recently performed at USC’s Colleges Against Cancer’s Relay for Life event, helping raise $5,000 to support cancer patients and cancer research. “By offering a platform for artistic expression and collaboration, USC’s a cappella groups contribute significantly to the dynamic and inclusive atmosphere that defines USC’s commitment to and excellence in the arts,” Brian said.

Jan Moore, President of the San Pedro Peninsula Cancer Guild, says the organization has had the privilege of enjoying the entertainment of The Trojan Men, USC’s all-male a cappella group, at their annual fundraising event for nearly a decade. “We are always amazed at the talent of these young men that kick off our program as their fabulous voices carry through the ballroom,” Moore said. “A common comment is how refreshing it is to see such talent in this group of well-dressed, polite, creative men. It is the highlight of the day each year.”

With the release of the immensely popular film, "Pitch Perfect" in 2012 and its two sequels, many people were introduced to collegiate a cappella for the first time.

While "Pitch Perfect" undoubtedly popularized collegiate a cappella, it focused only on a subset of the many diverse styles seen at campuses like USC. "I'd watched 'Pitch Perfect,' but I didn't know that Desi a cappella was a thing," Megan Rajan, captain of Asli Baat said. After getting accepted into USC, Rajan wanted to learn as much as she could about the university. She came across Asli Baat's YouTube channel and decided, "I have to join this group."

Despite the trilogy’s impact on the awareness of a cappella as an art form, the groups on USC’s campus remain relatively obscure to students and the surrounding community.

When asked what would help the USC and surrounding community become more aware of USC's a cappella groups, Jonathan Liu, Business Manager of The Trojan Men responded, "Create a website where people can visit and see all the a cappella groups on campus."

He shared that UCLA has a website featuring its a cappella groups and believes that USC should as well. "When I was auditioning, it was hard to find all of the groups. I had to dig a little bit on a long, dead Instagram page to find all the ones I wanted to audition for." Liu believes having a centralized place that lists all of USC's a cappella groups would be helpful for prospective auditionees and community members looking to hire a group.

Each semester, USC’s a cappella groups hold “All Hail,” a recruitment concert where all 10 groups introduce themselves and perform a few songs representative of their repertoire. This event provides prospective auditionees with the opportunity to get to know the personalities and styles of the various groups.

Auditions for every group are held the week following All Hail. The groups coordinate and reserve a hallway in one of the campus buildings so that auditionees can easily audition for multiple groups. During downtime between auditionees, group members visit with members of other groups, demonstrating the cohesive nature of the a cappella community on campus.

Following auditions, groups coordinate by holding a caucus to determine which group students who have been accepted into multiple a cappella groups will join. A third-party representative will call the auditionee to inform them of their acceptances and ask which of the groups that accepted them they would like to join.

USC’s 10 a cappella groups not only enhance students’ college experiences – providing them with a tight-knit, supportive community where they can express themselves through music – but also, through performing and public service, help to positively contribute to campus culture and the greater Los Angeles area.