Become a member

The “Pitch pitch” - Calling All Pitchforks

What is it?

The Pitchforks Alumni Association (PAA) welcomes any person who sang as a member of the Pitchforks of Duke University. Our mission is to foster connections among past and present Pitchforks and support the current Pitchforks group as they continue a tradition of collegiate a cappella excellence.

Why should I join?

There are many reasons you might want to join the PAA, but the choice is yours. It will be an organization that maintains the bonds we all made while singing at Duke. More importantly, it will take some of the pressure off the current Pitchforks group to raise funds to cover expenses for the 5 year reunions. Also, the current group is no longer able to raise as much money from “album” sales since the advent of digital royalties. This, in turn, limits their ability to tour and enjoy singing to a diverse population across the country and even to a broader audience in other parts of the world.

And then there is the obvious answer: Ben would have wanted it to be this way. We now have members who have only heard stories of the legend of Benjamin F. Ward. Ben was the glue that bound us together. And now that he is gone, we need to formalize a structure that will secure our continued cohesiveness for ourselves and our future Pitchfork brothers.

What will the PAA do?

This, in part, is up to you. Over the next five years, we hope to prioritize making connections amongst alumni, help the current group with musical and logistical support, and then generate financial resources and provide more support and planning of Pitchforks alumni events, with milestones for the 50th (2029) reunion year. It will also give our recent Pitchforks grads access to our alumni network as they get established in their post-graduate life. However, our structure will allow for the future direction to be molded by its active members.

What should I do next?

Please contact us to get connected to our alumni email list and to hear more about current and upcoming plans!