History
In 1980, two Harvard-Radcliffe students, Simin Yazdgerdi and Suzanne Goldsmith, transformed a loosely organized co-ed singing group called the Harvard Squares into Harvard’s first full-fledged mixed a cappella ensemble now known as the Harvard Opportunes. Over the years the Opportunes have won widespread acclaim for their intricate six-to-eight-part harmonies as well as for their stage presence and sense of humor. Though all are seasoned musicians, the Opportunes have academic concentrations spanning Harvard’s diverse curriculum, from molecular and cellular biology to social studies to English. Our members hail from all over the country and the world and are involved in Harvard athletics, clubs, theater, publications, and service programs.
Performances
The Opportunes are available for hire throughout the year at many venues, including schools, business meetings, and private functions. For instance, in 1995 Quincy Jones asked the Opportunes to celebrate his 50 years in music. Sharing the stage with James Moody and Take 6, the Opportunes performed for a Who’s Who in the entertainment industry. In the spring of 1997, the Opportunes appeared as featured musical guest’s on NBC’s Today Show. The group has also performed with Adam Sandler before a sold-out crowd in Radio City Music Hall, on the streets of New Orleans, in the Empire State building, and on the beaches of the Bahamas and Puerto Rico. In addition to off-campus performances, the Opportunes sing in one major concert each semester in Harvard’s historic Sanders Theater. In the past, the group has performed with other Harvard ensembles, the Tufts Beelzebubs, Brown Derbies, Brown Jabberwocks, Yale Alley Cats, Yale Spizzwinks, and Penn 6.
Tours
Each year over spring break, the Opportunes take a rest from Cambridge’s winter chill to venture somewhere tropical. There, the group enjoys splashing in the waves and bathing in the sun by the day and entertaining resort guests by night. Past spring break locations have included Jamaica, Hawaii, Miami, the Bahamas, and Puerto Rico. In 1998, the group made its first foray into the eastern hemisphere with its tour of Hong Kong. The Opportunes also spend a few days touring New York each January, singing at schools and private functions during Harvard’s reading period.
Awards & Honors
Each year the Contemporary A Cappella Society of America (CASA) honors the best groups in the nation with nominations for the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARA), among the most prestigious awards in the a cappella community. Despite the hundreds of albums and soloists (thousands of tracks!) submitted annually for consideration, the Opportunes have an astounding record of recording excellence. Most recently, our recording of We Built this City (sung by Rachel Flynn ‘09) was added to Voices Only, a compilation CD of college a cappella hits. Molly Swenson ‘10 was also nominated for a CARA award in the category of best mixed solo for her rendition of Heart of the Matter.