Performances from Coast to Coast for RL’s Singers

Glee Club performing at a joint concert with the Winsor School singers in March. (Photo by John Werner)
The Latonics were the sole high school group invited to perform at BU's fundraising concert in February.

From Universal Studios to Boston University’s Marsh Chapel, Roxbury Latin’s singers have been keeping busy from coast to coast. After catching the eye of Boston University’s Dear Abbeys a cappella group during a concert at St. Mark’s in January, the Latonics were invited to perform for the college group’s annual “Men Being Manly” concert on February 23. The Latonics were the only high school group included in the all-male a cappella lineup, which featured The Beelzebubs from Tufts University and The CharlieChords from Berklee College of Music. Proceeds from the concert were donated to 16,000 Strong, BU’s student-run campaign against sexual assault and violence.

Shortly thereafter, on March 3, the Glee Club and Latonics joined the Chorale and Small Chorus at Winsor School for their annual joint concert. This year the group, about 75 strong, tackled a particularly ambitious piece of music: three movements from Brahms “Requiem” accompanied by a full orchestra. The Latonics also paired up with Winsor’s Senior Small Chorus for an a cappella performance of Two Door Cinema Club’s “What You Know.”

Then it was off to Los Angeles for 34 members of the Glee Club and three faculty members for the first week of spring break. Musical highlights of the trip included a performance at a church service in Newport Beach, an evening concert at La Jolla Country Day School, and a rainy gig on the main stage at Universal Studios. The boys also enjoyed a beach day in Santa Monica, toured Paramount Studios, caught a Clipper’s game, and visited the San Diego Zoo. If they sang in those venues it was informal, but probably beautiful.

Still energized from their California trip, the Latonics will host A Cappella Fest on Friday, April 5, in the Smith Theater. The group will debut new pieces and reprise a few of their pop favorites from the year. The concert will also include guest performances by St. Mark’s Royal Blues, Dover-Sherborn High School’s DS Al Coda, and Harvard’s LowKeys, which includes RL’s own David Ma ’18 as part of Harvard’s premier contemporary a cappella troupe. As always, Rob Opdycke and Nate Piper’s vocal rock band Similar Jones will also make an appearance. We hope to see you there!Members of the Glee Club performed the sea shanty “Drunken Sailor” at Our Lady Queen of Angels Church in Newport Beach, California, over spring break.