Green Brook’s Music Department has added a new vocal ensemble this year called Alzapella. This is a highly selective group of 6th through 8th grade singers who are auditioned at the beginning of the year. Auditions include scales, a pop solo of their choosing, aural pitch callback, and movement activities. The singers in this group tackle some of the most complex, difficult, and fun a cappella arrangements. If you’ve seen Pitch Perfect or the group the Pentatonix, then you’ve already heard this style of vocal music that we call contemporary a cappella. Alzapella is a group of 10-18 middle schoolers that sing arrangements of their favorite pop and rock songs in 6 to 8 part harmony (created by their director Mr. Alzaher) with a lead soloist and beatboxer for each song.
Singers in this group have already received some pretty amazing accolades and experiences including performing for the “Godfather of Acapella” and producer for the Pitch Perfect movies Deke Sharon and the music director and arranger for Pentatonix Ben Bram, they were also featured at the Highlands Acapella Festival, and were chosen to go to the State Teen Arts festival to represent Somerset County in vocal music. These students were also honored at a Green Brook Board of Education Meeting alongside other outstanding musicians who were selected for regional and all-state instrumental ensembles. While there are quite a few High School a capella groups starting in New Jersey recently, Alzapella is one of the only middle school contemporary a cappella programs in the state.
(above) Green Brook’s Alzapella ensemble with Mr. Alzaher and Mrs. Ferrara at the State Teen Arts festival.
