Former music scholar, Freddie Sparke (T 18-23) has been selected to be part of the Harvard Krokodiloes, Harvard’s oldest a cappella group.

Freddie kindly updated us on his journey since leaving Rugby School: 

"I was a member of Town House from 2018 to 2023 and absolutely loved my time there, meeting some lifelong friends. After leaving Rugby, I spent a year working in London as a Music and French teacher at a prep school while applying to university to study music.

Although my initial plan was to focus solely on music, I was—and still am—unsure of what I want to do after graduating. That uncertainty led me to apply to Harvard, where the liberal arts and sciences programme offers a degree allowing me to pursue multiple interests alongside music. This semester, for instance, I am studying music while also taking a mathematics course, an introductory economics course, and a climate action seminar. A year ago, I never would have imagined exploring such a range of subjects! With the rest of the academic year to experiment before declaring my concentration, I’m currently considering a double concentration in Music and Economics.

Outside the classroom, I’ve had the privilege of joining the Harvard Krokodiloes, the university’s oldest a cappella group, founded in 1946. "The Kroks" are an all-lower-voice group comprising 12 students, and the audition process was both intense and exhilarating. Over four consecutive nights, auditions involved call-backs or cuts, narrowing down the pool of 60–70 hopefuls to just four new members. Being part of the choir at Rugby for five years helped prepare me for this, especially as it honed my skills as a performer and sight-reader—both crucial during auditions.

Earlier this week, the Kroks’ tour managers revealed the much-anticipated itinerary for our winter tour—a tradition shrouded in secrecy until the last possible moment! I’m beyond excited to announce that we’ll kick off in New York on January 2nd, followed by Philadelphia on the 4th, and Washington, D.C. on the 6th. On January 8th—my birthday!—we’ll fly to San Francisco, then on to Los Angeles from the 11th to the 15th. From there, we’ll visit Belize, Houston, Miami, and one mystery destination that we won’t know until we’re at the airport!

If anyone happens to be in these cities and would like to hear us sing, I’d love to meet you—please do get in touch! The Krok experience so far has been incredible, and I’m thrilled to perform in these amazing places and grow closer to my eleven fellow singers.

Looking back, I’m grateful for the opportunities and experiences I had at Rugby, which have undoubtedly paved the way for my adventures at Harvard and beyond."