So you want to be a C.O.W. Belle. Whether it's the music, the fellowship, or the fact that you would just looove to wear one of those fashionable cow bell(e)s around your neck, you've come here because you want more information. Well, here are the facts, ma'am.

Desired Requirements of Members:
1. Able to read music
2. Sight singing
3. Prior choral or ensemble experience

Other Facts & Figures:
We practice twice a week, for one and a half to two hours at a time.
We hold one major concert a semester and perform at least two times a semester for small venues such as Commons Grounds (a coffeehouse on campus), or Parents Weekend.
We are always looking for opportunities to sing at area middle or high schools and to expand our listening audience.

What to Bring to an Audition:
1. Prepare one song that you believes best represents your vocal abilities and best qualities.
2. Have a brief bio of past musical experience, what you've sung in the past, whether you were forced to play piano at a young age, if you have have any music you're dying to sing with us, etc.

A Little About the Audition:
A small panel of our current members will be in attendence to critque you.
We're going to do a range check to get a better sense of your voice part and to warm your voice up a little, and then you will sing us your solo (which can just be a song or a part of a song that you know - we'll probably stop you after a verse or so anyway).
Then we will have you sing a approximate voice part (Alto I, Alto II, Soprano I, Soprano II) and ask you, if by chance, you can do any vocal percussion (which is not a requirement!).
Finally, you will sing your voice part of a fairly easy piece with a couple of our current members.

The audition should only last 10 minutes.
We will announce tryout dates at least one week before they are held. Auditions are normally held at the beginning of the fall semester, and in the spring if we have room for more girls.

We will notify you by email or phone in a day or so after the audition.

Rules & Regulations for Current Members

Ways of Operation:
All subject to change due to growing and changing nature of group and group members. We believe that our optimum performance level consists of approximately 16 members. We are student-run, but we have a healthy relationship with our faculty advisor, preferably a member of the music department. We maintain good contact by inviting our advisor to approximately one practice per month, or three per semester (at the convenience of the advisor), for constructive critiques and advice.
We communicate regularly through the listserv and our advisor is invited to join the listserv as well.

Missed Rehearsals:
If a member is sick, it is expected that she be at practice if she can be there without infecting the group.
A member is allowed to have 4 missed rehearsals, without question, per semester.
Anymore will result in a group decision on the actions to take place.
No matter what, a member is expected to send a notice on the listserv about missed practice prior to the absence.
A member is expected to work outside of practice on music missed at rehearsal.

Responsibilities of Those in Office:
President- Acts as a contact person to receive information and pass it on to the group, make copies of music, is able to get money.
Vice President- Musical leader and/or dumping ground for what president doesn't get done.
Secretary- Keep notes on events, practices, attendance, keep binder of COW Belle history organized and updated.
Treasurer- Deals with the money, applying for money each semester, has the SGA account, pays for items the group needs.
Publicity Coordinator- Makes posters and signs for tryouts & concerts.
Webmaster - Creates and regularly maintains C.O.W. Belle website