Frosh Singers Unite to Form New Group Called Callbacks

Students who have heard "Puttin' on the Ritz" or "Blue Moon" wafting through the Yard recently have not been listening to records or tapes, but to a new freshman singing group, the Callbacks.

Members of the group met at callbacks for the Veritones and Opportunes. After being denied admittance, they decided to form a group of their own named after the place they met, said Adam J. Fratto '90, guitarist and one of the original organizers of the group.

"We weren't mad about [not getting in] but we just thought we wanted to sing together as a group. It just started sounding better than we thought it would," Fratto said.

The Callbacks perform a capella and with guitar, singing Broadway musical selections to close harmony pop music, "stuff that's fun to sing," said Sarah James '90.

The group of about 15 singers now rehearses three nights a week and has started giving post-rehearsal concerts around the Yard. The Callbacks are tentatively planning to perform this November at one of the teas given by Dean of Freshmen Henry C. Moses.

"The group is pretty set," said James, "but anyone can still join if they want to." Callbacks holds neither auditions nor callbacks. "We're trying not to become too hung up on becoming a really competitive group--it's fun the way it is," said Larissa D. Stillman '90, another co-founder.