Three fresh faces will be joining Baker University’s student-run octet.

The group, called “Eight on Eighth,” held auditions Sunday and Monday to find three new members.

“We had quite a few people audition,” junior Courtney West said. “A lot of those people had a lot of talent, which made it very difficult to decide.”

About an hour after auditions ended Monday the group decided freshmen Katherine Dick and Paul Eltschinger and senior Bob Linebarger would complete the group.

Seniors Eli Jones and Saunder James, juniors Ali Watson and West, and sophomore Margo Rodewald make up the five remaining members of the group.

“I was really excited about it actually,” Linebarger said. “It’s my last year so this is the last chance I’ll get to be in this group, so I was definitely really happy about it.”

Linebarger said he decided to try out for the group after seeing it perform at chapel last year.

“I’ve been in choir and I thought they sounded really good, and I was determined to be in one of those spots this year,” he said.

The low-stress of the auditions was also appealing, Linebarger said.

“We set up times where they could come in and work with the group to get help on the audition pieces before they even had to audition,” West said. “So, we tried to make it as low-stress as possible, and it worked out really well. They just had to sing to show us what their range was and sing with the group to see how their voice fit.”

After choosing its newest members the group wasted no time getting started. It held its first rehearsal Tuesday.

“Eight on Eighth’s” first performance will be at Baker’s Got Talent at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 11 in Rice Auditorium.

Jones said the group has other performances planned for the year as well.

“We’re planning on doing a fall concert sometime in October and we’ll hopefully be doing a Christmas concert sometime before break starts,” he said.

Last spring, the group also sang at different church services almost every Sunday, which members of the group hope to continue doing this year.

Wherever the group ends up performing, Jones said the three new members will bring a lot to the octet.

“I think they’re great people first of all, but also all three of them are really talented,” he said. “I’m looking forward to working with them and I think it’s going to be a great blend into the five veterans.”

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