The Swinging ‘Gates Feature Junior Soloists

There’s no question that the Swinging ‘Gates is a lovely group of Colgate women. From their opening song “Pitch Pipe” to the end of the show, their harmonies were undeniably beautiful and polished. Their performance on Wednesday, March 12 at the O’Connor Campus Center (COOP) was no exception. Their precisely executed female-barbershop tune, in which they declare, “All you need is a pitch pipe, a song and a smile,” was enough to transform the small gathering in the COOP TV room into a scene from the 1950s.

The remainder of the show featured the Swinging ‘Gates juniors as soloists and in duos, beginning with junior Allie Schneider. Schneider, who sang Sheryl Crow’s “My Favorite Mistake,” has a confident, robust voice. Her undeniable talent makes performing seem effortless. To follow, junior tenor Katie Fell led the ‘Gates with her low soothing voice in a rendition of Hanson’s “Change in my Life.” Fell’s performance was supported by the beatboxing of junior Katie Williams. Williams then paired up with junior Joanie Margolis for a soulful execution of the Indigo Girls’ “Least Complicated.” Margolis’ lyrical and expressive voice contrasted with the cooler, more raspy voice of Williams, making for a pleasurable performance. The final soloist of the night, junior Amanda Golden, sang The Wreckers’ “Leave the Pieces,” adding Norah Jones-esque composure to the typical country tune.

The ‘Gates also took a break from their featured performances to highlight the strength of the group as a whole. In an a capellarendition of “California Dreamin’,” by The Mamas and the Papas, all 15 Swinging ‘Gates joined together to put on a moving performance. At the end of the show, the ‘Gates returned to their bubble-gum pop roots with “Call Your Girlfriend,” by Robyn.

If you missed this signature Swinging ‘Gates performance, come watch them sing with their favorite boys, the Colgate Thirteen, for their spring concert on Saturday, April 12 in the Chapel

at 6 p.m.