By Katie Gager, Student Reporter

A group of 30 alumni, music professionals, faculty and staff will choose the winners of this year’s Sing Song. The names of the judges will not be released until the time of the show.

The judges will be broken up into 10 judges per show, three to judge vocals and seven to judge originally, entertainment and appearance.

The names of the judges are not released to protect the judges from being swayed in their vote, said Tom Craig, director of Student Productions. When the scores are received, the highest and lowest scores from each judge are also dropped to ensure fairness. “If there are any unreasonable biases, we are able to get rid of it,” Craig said.

In preparation to choose judges, Sing Song co-chair Sydney North, senior marketing major from Bedford, sent out letters to alumni who had served as Sing Song hosts and hostesses in the reunion years of 1999, 1989 and 1979.

“It is fun to have these past Sing Song participants back on campus and involved,” Craig said. “It becomes like a mini-reunion for them.”

The judges also will include music professionals from the Abilene and surrounding areas, as well as faculty from ACU.

“There is a wealth of performing art expertise right here in Abilene,” Craig said.

Audience voting will be available again for this year’s Sing Song. Ticket bearers can log onto the Sing Song Web site at www.acu.edu/singsong and vote for their favorite act using an ID number found on the tickets. The link will be activated directly after the show Friday evening and will remain open until 6 p.m. Saturday.

“It’s a small percentage of the overall score,” Craig said. “But it is part of the process. This year the audience can actually vote from their iPhones while sitting in their seats during the show.”

Craig said this year’s show includes sets and props more technically advanced than ever before.

“All of the clubs do have intricate costumes and sets,” North said. “It’s going to be interesting to see what the judges view as the overall look of the show.”