Toni Gerner, Belleville, who is studying music at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, has earned a spot in the Vocal Jazz Ensemble.

To land a spot with the group, students have to go through an audition process that includes assessments of the singer’s vocal range and ability to match pitches, sight singing and an excerpt of a jazz or pop tune. Students of all majors are welcome to audition.

“Students learn to sing vocal jazz music from a stylistically accurate perspective,” said Sharri VanAlstine, an assistant professor at UW-Whitewater. “They learn different vocal techniques...