The Dartmouth Aires will appear on the third season of NBC's "The Sing-Off," a televised singing competition that features a cappella groups from across the country, Paul Telegdy, executive vice president of alternative programming for NBC and Universal Media Studios announced on Tuesday. The season will premiere on Sept. 19 on NBC, according to an NBC press release.
Two-hour episodes will air each Monday in the fall, and the Aires will compete for a $200,000 cash prize and a Sony Music recording contract, according to the release.
The Aires were invited to try out for the show during Spring term, and they drove to Emerson College's Paramount Center in Boston for the auditions. Representatives from NBC later contacted the group and asked them to appear on the show, Clark Moore '13, a member of the Aires and director of social media and marketing of the group, said.
Moore is a member of The Dartmouth Staff.
The Aires maintain a rigorous rehearsal schedule in preparation for their television debut, Moore said.
"We rehearse generally 10 to 12 hours a day," Moore said. "We wake up generally around 9 or 10 [a.m.] and go until midnight or 1 [a.m.], depending on the day."
The group also meets with vocal coaches, Moore said.
"We work with them about once or twice a day, and they basically give us direction on how to sing the song," he said.
Rehearsing for a performance on a soundstage is different from preparing for an appearance on campus, Moore said. The group has to adjust because each member has an individual microphone a feature missing from campus venues, Moore said.
The Aires plan to incorporate more choreography into their routine on the show, Moore said.
"We do a lot of [choreography] we're moving around the stage, dancing around a lot," Moore said. "We don't stay in the general a cappella formation in the two arcs."
When deciding whether or not to accept their invitation to compete on "The Sing-Off," the Aires wanted to ensure that NBC would maintain the group's "unique sound" and "unique style" on the show, Moore said.
"We were nervous that they were going to try to change that, but everyone wants us to capitalize on our individual personalities as much as possible," Moore said. "They keep that craziness in mind, so we always wear something that we feel comfortable in."
In NBC's preview of "The Sing-Off," the Aires are seen wearing orange and green ensembles complete with some of the group members' token accessories. Danny Freeman '13 is shown sporting his signature backwards baseball cap, while Alex Taylor '11 and Robbie Hoffman '13 are both wearing plaid sports coats.
The members of the Aires are described as "fun loving, high-energy guys with eclectic tastes and no shortage of quirky antics" in the release.
The Aires updated their Twitter feed in response to Tuesday's announcement, writing "We're excited to bring our quirky' energy to the #SingOff this season!"
Moore said that group members are "grateful" for the opportunity to appear on the show, and that they appreciate the support they have received from the a cappella community at the College.
"We're really not doing this as individuals," Moore said. "We're really acting as representatives of the Dartmouth a cappella community."
Recording artists Sara Bareilles, Ben Folds and Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men will judge the season three competitors and Nick Lachey of 98 Degrees will host the show, according to the release.
The 15 members of the Aires will appear alongside 15 other a cappella groups, including Howard University's Afro-Blue, the University of Rochester's YellowJackets and the University of Delaware's Deltones.
Founded in 1946, the Aires is Dartmouth's oldest a cappella group. The group released its latest album, "Fresh Aire," in June.
Moore declined to comment on the group's current location.
