Bowdoin’s Oldest Co-ed A Cappella Group Celebrates its 30th Anniversary
By Delaney Jones '26
Over brunch in Thorne Dining Hall, BOKA alumni spoke about the significance of the anniversary.
“It brings me so much joy that BOKA is still active on campus,” said Jennifer Hoenig ’99, a member of the original group. “I auditioned for BOKA the year it was founded, and thirty years later, here we are celebrating its anniversary. It's truly so special.”
Jordan Hay ’12 highlighted how meaningful it felt to bring her children to the reunion, which took place April 10-12. “It feels so full circle,” she said. “Being a part of BOKA was one of the best parts of my Bowdoin experience, and I am so excited to share it with them.”
“BOKA has such a special place in my heart and inspired a lifelong love of music,” added Timothy Poulin ’10. “I still sing in my town of Belfast, Maine.”
The alumni and current students spent the afternoon rehearsing together in Gibson Hall. They did vocal warmups, shared sheet music and split into their voice parts: soprano, alto, tenor, baritone and bass.
The evening culminated with a performance in the Bowdoin Chapel. The full group performed “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, along with four additional songs sung by the current members.
“It was so special to share music across generations of Bowdoin singers,” said Phoebe Kolff ’26, current senior leader of the group. “The sense of connection and the energy in the room felt truly alive.”
After the performance, the group gathered for a dinner reception in Moulton Union Lounge, where they reflected on what the reunion meant to them.
“BOKA’s thirtieth anniversary is what the twenty-fifth should have been,” said Wayne Harding ’21. “It wasn’t feasible to plan a reunion during the pandemic, so I’m very grateful we were able to come together this year.”
“I’ve had music in my life for as long as I can remember, and BOKA is by far the music community that I miss the most,” said George Chapman Odlum ’23. “The opportunity to come back and perform with BOKA was so beautiful and incredible.”
“BOKA was such an important part of my time at Bowdoin, so it has been incredibly exciting to come back, reconnect with friends, and meet the current iteration of the group,” said Matthew Herzfelt ’07. “I look forward to seeing how they continue to grow.”
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