The Harvard-Radcliffe Callbacks won second place in the first round of a national a capella competition on Sunday. The win entitles them to compete next month at the semi-final level of the National Championship of College A Capella for a bid to the finals.

At Sunday's competition, the 18-member singing group was judged based on several criteria ranging from originality and presentation to musicality and quality of soloists. The next competition will take place March 7 at Smith College.

The Callbacks sang three songs: Madonna's "Like a Prayer," "Scarborough Fair," by Simon and Garfunkle and "Tempted," by Squeeze.

For his solo performance in "Tempted," Callbacks stage manager and member Michael F. Rizzo '99 was judged Best Soloist. "It felt great...but I never could have won it if the group behind me hadn't been singing their part," Rizzo said.

Callbacks President Carolyn M. Baker '98 said that the group's soloists were an important part of what differentiated them from other performers.

"We had fantastic soloists," Baker said. "I think that we really engaged the audience, and I think that they enjoyed watching us."

G. Gregory Bullen, one of the competition's three judges, said he agreed with Baker's view.

"In terms of what the audience thought, they were definitely the best group there," Bullen said. "If there had been an applause-o-meter, they would have set it off."

Callbacks Musical Director Pinki Mishra '99 said that this type of audience connection was an intentional part of the group's program structure.

"We try to choose a diverse set [of songs] that appeals to a wide range of musical tastes," Mishra said. "With this competition, we were...looking for numbers that are fun to perform."

What made the groups so difficult to judge, Bullen said, was their differing styles.

"I wish I could see more divisions between all-male groups, all-female groups and mixed groups," he said. "There are so many different factors which control what the different styles can do."

These relative style differences may have been what prevented the Callbacks from winning first-place Sunday. The group was edged out buy the University of New Hampshire Notables, an all-female group.

Regardless of their loss to the Notables, the Callbacks said they are pleased with their overall success.

"It's good to get some recognition for a capella in general, which is often regarded as not the highest art form," Rizzo said.