Warwick A Cappella Society is a society for performing, arranging and appreciating unaccompanied vocal music.
It is an umbrella for all a cappella groups within the university to centralise our shared passion for music as well as to develop our knowledge and skills relating to the art. It is a platform for all a cappella lovers at the university to come together and appreciate a cappella music. No one should ever have to suppress their need to sing and make music, and this society aims for members to express their musical abilities freely!
We aim to be a platform for new a cappella groups, provide motivation for them to compete, and be an access point to the outside world. Warwick A Cappella holds events, competitions, contact performance venues, and reach out to other universities – amplifying the voices of these groups. The society simply gives the opportunity for rehearsed groups to perform through a unified, recognised, established and professional society.
We hope to pave a way forward, leaving a legendary mark and a legacy for the University of Warwick.
We hold auditions for all our groups at the beginning of the academic year primarily, but we do re-open auditions at the beginning of term 2 for additional members!
We also hold group specific workshops to develop and improve various a cappella skills such as arranging, dynamics, blending, beatboxing, tuning and many more aspects. We’ve even invited many well-known musicians in to work with us such as select members from the likes of the Sons of Pitches and the King Singers, as well as other people well-known to the a cappella community.
For five years, Warwick University hosted the Open A Cappella Competition (OAC), providing groups from all across the country an opportunity to perform in a competition environment outside of the International Competition for Collegiate A Cappella (ICCAs). It was named society event of the year in Warwick SU’s end of year awards in 2020. Since its founding, we’ve hosted some of the best a cappella groups from around the country such as Northern Lights, Axiom, CODA Vocals, Elision, Aquapella, The Scopes, The Rolling Tones and Techtonics to name just a few.
In 2024-2025, the society included four groups! These are:
- The Leamingtones - the founding pop competition group
- OffScore - a pop competition group
- Athena - all upper-voices group
- Soul – our newest R&B group
'The Leamingtones' is Warwick’s first competition a cappella group, known for their tight blend, bold arrangements, and infectious energy. Since their formation, they’ve enjoyed success at the ICCAs (International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella), including a 2nd place finish in the UK Finals in 2025 and three consecutive quarterfinal wins. Along the way, members have been recognised with awards such as Outstanding Arrangement for the whole set to George Collier. Off stage, they cherish traditions like their annual ‘barn trip’, a much-loved bonding weekend, and typically rehearse together two to three times a week.
'OffScore' is one of WACA's competitive groups that brings the energy of your favourite pop hits to life with dynamic, Pitch Perfect-style flair! Known for their creative arrangements spanning a wide range of genres and artists, OffScore combines top-tier musicality with a laid-back, welcoming atmosphere. As one of WACA’s auditioned groups, OffScore shines with its vibrant stage presence and passion for performance. This year, they hit a major milestone, placing 3rd at the ICCA Quarterfinals in just their second-year competing, with Dheekshitha Sankar taking home the Outstanding Soloist award. Rehearsals are typically twice a week, or three times during the lead up to competitions and shows.
'Athena' is WACA’s women and non-binary, upper-voices (SSAA), non-competition group. They are an intermediate level group, and are perfect if you’re looking for a fun, but committed, inclusive musical community! They have a 2-hour group rehearsal each week (plus some take-home score-learning time) and perform a range of music, from pop to musical theatre; think Taylor Swift, Disney and the Beatles! You’ll find them singing at our termly campus showcases, alongside open mic nights and art festivals, sharing their love of music with each other and the wider community. Whether you’re a passionate fresher, a seasoned postgrad or anything in between - if you love singing, performing and sharing music this is a great group for you!
'Soul' is all about rich harmonies, heartfelt grooves, and the joy of making music together. We celebrate the best of soul, R&B, and gospel-inspired sounds, bringing smooth vocals and dynamic energy to every performance. Whether it’s an intimate ballad or a high-energy jam, our aim is to connect with audiences through authenticity, warmth, and real groove. Our rehearsals are full of laughter, inside jokes, and the kind of musical moments that make us forget we’re “rehearsing” at all.
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The society runs some amazing socials including nights out to the well-loved POP! and circling, Ice Skating, our annual Christmas Carolling, and attending various shows in the arts centre. We also look to continue expanding our presence at Warwick in every way we can by better incorporating with the music centre and engaging in more inter-society events such as those with Opera Warwick, Chamber Choir, Musical Theatre Warwick and Improv musical.
To join this society, you’ll need to pay the Societies Federation fee (£12 for undergraduates and £6 for postgraduates) plus £3 for a standard WACA membership. The Federation fee is a one-off payment each academic year, and once you’ve paid it, you can join as many societies as you like without paying again!
If you want to start a new group, WACA can support you! Our past groups have included:
- Our very own barbershop quartet The Undercuts who sang all the classics. Although our smallest group, they still produced a rich ringing sound synonymous with the barbershop style. They competed in the 2020 OAC and held their own despite being half the size of the next smallest group.
- The Practical Folkers, formed in October 2019 and specialised in performing folk songs. They had a busy first year, recording several arrangements, performing in Warwick blackout, and competing alongside 9 other groups in the OAC just 5 months after forming. Despite most of them having graduated, they still stay in touch and release occasional recordings of new arrangements.
- Schrödinger’s Scat, a jazz group formed in 2022, performed everything from popular jazz standards to barbershop tags. Their shows featured playful choreography, clever props, and heart-warming moments that left audiences in awe.
Here are a couple of testimonials:
‘Over the past few months becoming a member of WACA has become a significant part of my life at Warwick. It is simply great to meet people with the same passion for singing every week and work hard for collective achievements such as new songs, choreography and great performances. Being on stage with an amazing bunch of talented people and seeing everyone having a fantastic time is one of the best feelings you can have as a musician and performer.' -Kathy
' Being a member of WACA has been a core part of my university experience - if you enjoy singing, I can’t recommend it enough. From performing in the ICCAs, to having a ton of fun and banter in rehearsals, so many of my favourite memories from uni have come from being a part of the WACA community. If you’re also looking for a bit of creative freedom, you can become a musical director of one of the groups. Leading a group in this way is so rewarding and gave me the opportunity to create my own a cappella arrangements!' - Sophie Spratt, Schrödingers Scat MD 2022/23