On Jan. 14, Harvard University’s Radcliffe Pitches traveled from Boston, Massachusetts to sing in the Pine View auditorium. The Radcliffe Pitches are the oldest all-female a cappella singing group at Harvard University (founded in 1975).
Chorus teacher Seth Gardner has been anticipating the arrival of the Radcliffe Pitches since October. “I like to provide students with an opportunity to hear performances from people outside of Pine View,” Gardner said. Dr. Arysol Niffenegger, a Harvard graduate and current Pine View parent, “pitched” the idea and gave Gardner the opportunity to have the singers come to Pine View. Gardner gladly agreed to this and was excited to meet the Pitches and hear them perform.
The Pitches entertained with songs varying from “It’s My Party” by Lesley Gore, to “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. Each vocalist used her voice to put together a unique and completely a cappella performance. A cappella singing is a choral production without instrumental accompaniment.
Every year, the Pitches put on a winter tour. This year, they decided to come to Florida. “Well, we are from Boston, so the weather is pretty cold. We all felt like it would be a fun opportunity to come down where it’s warm,” Amy Sparrow, tour manager and four-year member of the Radcliffe Pitches, said.
Both Gardner and principal Dr. Stephen Covert are very proud of the performance and hope to bring even more entertainment and educational opportunities to Pine View in the future.