Having donned striped vests and bowler hats, they emerged for an energetically choreographed ragtime medley, complete with tap dancing and the classic 80s dance move, “The Robot.”

As the choir and Harvard groups took their final bows, Turnbull slowly smiled and mouthed “bravo.”

Living the Vida Harvard

The choir members had longer, busier days than most Harvard students.

Finished with breakfast by 8 a.m., the choir reported immediately to classes. Their packed day of lectures and rehearsals kept them from the Houses until after rehearsal ended at 10 p.m.

On Wednesday, the boys went to Harvard’s ceramics studio, where they worked in groups to sculpt pieces inspired by their music. Each singer brought a different perspective based on the part he would sing.

Classes with Harvard’s top professors were the cornerstone of the visit.

Bass Professor of Government Michael J. Sandel lectured the older boys about the ethics of human cloning.

Emmy-winning journalist Callie Crossley taught a class about political and social activism. She showed footage from the civil rights movement to her group and asked the boys to consider whether they would face danger to fight for equality.

“We had mixed opinions before, we wouldn’t fight because we weren’t brave enough,” eighth grade soprano Stephen M. Hill said.

But after seeing the films, Hill said more boys thought they would fight for education and desegregation.

A favorite of the choir, DuBois Professor of the Humanities Henry Louis “Skip” Gates lectured about his Encyclopedia Africana, which documents the entire history of Africa in detail.

“It took him 26 times get it started,” Darren P. Alexander, a junior bass in the choir, joked of Gates’ history. “He has determination.”

University President Lawrence H. Summers taught the older choir students some basics of economics.

After using the prisoner’s dilemma as an example of group dynamics, Summers auctioned off a one dollar bill to show the benefits of cooperation.