The Yale International Singers rehearses once a week for two and a half hours (with a break for refreshments). YIS aims to provide choral performance opportunities for graduate/professional students and young professionals who, because of their busy schedules, cannot afford a heavier time commitment. Generally a dress rehearsal and extra rehearsals are scheduled as needed in the weeks before a performance. For the 2003-2004 season we are rehearsing Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 9:30 pm in the Byers Seminar Room in Silliman College. For our current rehearsal schedule, see rehearsals.

The International Singers presents two formal concerts per year, one at the end of each semester, generally in the beautiful Old Campus Dwight Chapel. In addition, the YIS has performed at other universities; in the spring of 2000 we sang at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology along with a capella choirs from MIT and the Sloan Business School. Other performances have included less formal concerts for Yale's McDougal Center (our sponsor), and other Yale and New Haven functions. Additional performance opportunities arise for the members of the Yale International Singers as well; for example, in the 2000-2001 season, members were invited to sing Mozart's Requiem with the choir of the Dunbar United Church of Christ in Hamden, and also were invited by the Yale Russian Chorus to sing in the 5th Annual Slavic Choral Festival.

From common experience inevitably builds friendship. The YIS takes care to plan social events for its members at least once per semester. These have included restaurant dinners, picnics at the beach, potluck dinners (with foods from many different countries, of course!), and parties (see our photogallery). The academically-diverse membership provides the opportunity for students and young professionals from all disciplines to meet.