Kroks Plan Celebration for Golden Anniversary

The Krokodiloes, Harvard's oldest a cappella singing group, will perform a 50th Anniversary Concert next weekend in Sanders Theater.

More than 135 Krokodilo alumni are expected to attend anniversary festivities throughout the weekend.

Bryan E. Simmons '83, director of public relations at Lotus Development Corporation and a former Krok, said he is excited about the event.

"I'm looking forward to rekindling very special friendships I made with the group," Simmons said.

Other alumni expected to attend include David Rockefeller Jr. '63, chair of Rockefeller Family & Associates, and William L. Kiely III '69, president of the Coors Brewing Company.

On Friday night, the alumni will gather for a kick off dinner at the Back Bay Harvard Club in Boston.

Spending so much time together allows the group to grow very close, said Laurence M. Wasserman '97, the Krokodiloes' assistant manager.

Simmons said he recalled how the music brought together a group of people that might not have otherwise been friends.

Wasserman said the group rehearses for approximately 15 hours each week and performs in three to five concerts per week. The proceeds from these concerts fund a nine-week worldwide summer tour.

"The summer tour is one of the most exciting things about being a Krok," said Michael J. Sun '97, a former general manager of the group.

He said that singing in Tangiers, Morocco, and at the Sydney Opera House in Australia were a few of the highlights during his tour.

Simmons said having Leonard Bernstein compose and teach a song for the Krokodiloes in his Manhattan apartment during the early 1980s was one of the most memorable moments of his career. Another high point for Simmons was performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.

The audition process to become a member of the all-male group is extremely competitive, said General Manager Anthony J. Salewski '97. There are generally six spots open for the 80 to 100 applicants each year.

The long audition process is a test of stamina as well as singing ability and stage presence, he said.

The Krokodiloes were conceived on the second floor of the Hasty Pudding Club in 1946. Originally consisting of only four members, the group has grown to 12.

Their first recording was in 1949, and their latest release, "12 Holyoke Street," was released in 1995.

The anniversary concert will take place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 16.

Tickets are six dollars for students and 10 dollars for adults and may be purchased at the Sanders Theater Box Office or from any Krok member.