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The Society of Orpheus and Bacchus is the longest operating all-undergraduate a cappella group in the nation. We have an enormous repertoire spanning over 80 years and counting that includes Yale traditionals, jazz, blues, rock and roll, and original compositions. We also pride ourselves on injecting a healthy dose of comedy into our performances to make each concert engaging and unique. We have brought our blend of showmanship all around the nation and the globe, from the shores of Costa Rica to the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, as well as to numerous schools, country clubs, and churches. Our blend of musical excellence, spontaneity, and laughter has kept audiences around the world entertained for nearly a century and promises to continue to do so for decades to come.

The Society of Orpheus and Bacchus is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization—we rely on the proceeds from our concerts, workshops, and events to fund our transportation, housing, etc. on our seasonal tours.

For 2023-2024 bookings or further information, please contact our Business Manager, Caleb Lee.

CONCERTS

Our concerts usually run between 30 and 60 minutes, according to the preferences of our host. Typically, we intersperse our musical selections with short comedy segments, resulting in virtuosic, light-hearted performances that captivate a wide variety of audiences. Each concert is specially tailored to the crowd and setting, allowing us to sing comfortably in a variety of venues. Whether we are roving around a lobby in suits and ties or serenading a dinner party in full tuxedos, our hosts can choose the type of performance that best suits their event.

WORKSHOPS

With its goal of furthering musical education, The Society of Orpheus and Bacchus conducts workshops for many schools at which we perform. These are led by our musical director and involve the Society interacting with students through discussion and demonstration. Engaging students in a series of warm-ups and vocal exercises, we pass on our knowledge of the key components of vocal technique and successful a cappella singing. Encouraging students to sing for us, we also give feedback and offer suggestions of how to improve and implement what they have learned. In addition, we are happy to field questions about singing, life at Yale, and what it is like to travel extensively around the world whilst singing with the SOBs. These intimate sessions offer a great way to interact with us on a whole new level.

REPERTOIRE

The Society of Orpheus and Bacchus boasts the largest songbook of any Yale a cappella ensemble. Our repertoire spans a wide range of musical genres: jazz standards, folk tunes, barbershop quartets, gospel music, religious traditionals, spirituals, blues, pop, rock and roll, and traditional Yale songs. Every song we perform is arranged by a current or past group member. We are continually adding to our repertoire, but many of our favorite songs have been sung by the group for over half a century. Every few years we produce an album, our latest being Odd Jobs. For more information about the SOB Songbook and discography, please visit our Music page.