Every fall semester, students have the opportunity to join three different choirs at Baker University.

The concert and chamber choirs both require an audition, and the community choir is open to all Baker students as well as the Baldwin City community.

The community choir was scheduled to have its first practice Thursday, while the concert and chamber choirs will start their year off by attending a weekend retreat Sept. 14-16 at Camp Chippewa in Ottawa.

“So much of choir is teamwork and I think this retreat will be a great bonding time,” said Director of Choral Activities Matthew Potterton. “We have a lot of new freshmen this year and I want everyone to get to know each other so that we can trust each other as we share our hearts in making music.”

The choirs will be preparing for their first upcoming concert, which will be Oct. 26.

This concert, which is normally held at the Baldwin First United Methodist Church, will be in Rice Auditorium as an opportunity for the choirs to experiment with unique sounds and styles of music, Potterton said.

All three choirs, along with the entire music department, will also be preparing for the annual Vespers Candlelight Concert, which will be in its 83rd year.