《声音》启明星专刊 VOICES for Daystar Academy VOICES Spring/Summer Edition 2019 | Page 18

UP CLOSE
with the Radcliffe Pitches
By Sophie Webster, Tour Manager, The Radcliffe Pitches
Arlesia McGowan,
Soprano 2 (Senior)
Can you please tell us more about the Radcliffe
Pitches, who you are and what’s unique about your
group?
The Radcliffe Pitches were founded in 1975 at Harvard’s
historic Hasty Pudding Club. Our group is made up of 12
undergraduates who love to sing. Together, we perform
a repertoire inspired by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald
and Frank Sinatra. Every year, the Pitches perform
many concerts at Harvard and around the world, with
destinations including England, France, Germany,
China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Bermuda,
and Mexico. We simply love to entertain, and our shows
range from concerts at large venues to performances for
celebrities and private events. Each February, we have
the pleasure of singing for the Hasty Pudding Man of
the Year, who has included Ryan Reynolds, Chris Pratt,
Neil Patrick Harris, and Justin Timberlake in the past,
just to name a few. In addition, we spend every spring
break performing all over the island of Bermuda, along
with the Hasty Pudding Theatricals and our two brother
groups, the Harvard Krokodiloes and the Harvard Din &
Tonics.
What’s special about a cappella?
A cappella music is special because there are no
instruments involved aside from our voices (and, in our
case, snaps!). We try to mimic every part of a jazz song
- the bass line, the drums, the piano, the saxophone -
with just our voices. This makes for a fun challenge:
often, the instrumentation can be quite complex, but
it is very fun to dream up new ways to vocally represent
different sections of our favorite songs.
Can you share with us a little more about the musical
make-up of your 12-member group? What are the
tones and what are their roles?
Our group is comprised of four voice parts: Soprano 1,
Soprano 2, Alto 1, and Alto 2, written in descending
order from highest to lowest voiced singers. The soprano
1s and 2s usually take turns carrying the melody of the
Daystar Academy Spring/Summer Edition 2019
Arianna Paz,
Soprano 1, President (Senior)
song. Meanwhile, the Alto 1s provide harmonic intricacy
in their part, and the Alto 2s tackle the song’s bass line.
Three Pitches are assigned to each voice part.
How long does it take to learn a song, and what are
some of the challenges involved?
Learning a song usually takes two rehearsals to get just
right, clocking in at approximately 3 hours total. When
we learn a new song, we have to be very cognizant
of blending and balancing all 12 singers’ unique voices
properly. This is essential to our central goal: sounding
like one voice. Another important consideration is
dynamics -- when are we going to sing loudly, and when
are some quiet moments? There are many factors to
tinker with when we learn a new song, both in our
initial learning stages and in the weeks after as we
approach a performance.
What are you trying to achieve as an a cappella
group?
The Pitches’ goal is to entertain and provide high-
caliber music for audiences all over the globe. We love
to infuse humor into all we do, making for a comedic
and musically exciting experience for all. We also hope
to spread a message of female empowerment in our
song selections while championing the importance of
sisterhood and togetherness.
How do you feel when you sing together?
Singing together is always a very exciting and often a
very emotional experience. The majority of our songs
are upbeat and fast-paced, and it is impossible not to
smile when you’re singing such fun music with some of
your closest friends! One exercise we do when we’re