Schools
The MHS Passing Notes: "Glee" in 14-Part Harmony
"We want everyone in the community to know us."-- Elena Juliano
Who are the Passing Notes? An a cappella singing group, 14-members strong, comprised entirely of singers aged 14-18. Though the Passing Notes perform at various community functions all year long, they aren't quite a household name yet in town.
Group leaders Jason Cerf and Elena Juliano feel it's time to change that.
"We want to come up with ways we can get everyone in the community to know us," says Juliano.
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"We pride ourselves on being a premier a cappella group," Cerf states. "And professionalism is part of it. It's kind of like a business. We have a Facebook page, a Twitter account, a YouTube account and a band camp account where you can listen to our music and buy it online."
Cerf and Juliano explain that the members of the group are not only musically accomplished, they are self-managed. The young singers do their own song arrangements, schedule their own rehearsals, and book their own gigs. Almost every year they record a new CD. They are committed to community service and don't charge for engagements. Known for being prompt and dependable, they behave responsibly at each gig and deliver a quality performance each time.
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What makes this even more admirable is that the Passing Notes, a Montclair High School club, is run entirely by students. Cerf says, "We don't have any teachers involved at all," and maintains that, despite its members changing every year, the group deserves its well-earned reputation from years of consistent hard work and dedication.
The 2010-2011 Passing Notes are: Jason Cerf, Leader; Elena Juliano, Co-Leader; Steven Whitely, Co-Leader/musical arranger; Emerson Gordon; Jami Price; Molly Grund; Dash Katz; Desiree Bannister. The newest members are: Inayah Turner; Amelia Parker; Spencer Bokat-Lindell; Brianne Kennedy; James Rinearson, and Jonah Fried.
Patch recently attended a Passing Notes rehearsal, and here's what the members of the group had to say:
Patch: What's the best part of being in The Passing Notes?
Desiree: The people.
Jami: Singing is great but it's also great to come together with these people.
Dash: We get to be a mini-family.
Elena: It's cool how we're all involved in different things but we all come together with this.
Spencer: Sometimes it's nice to just focus on singing because acting and being in shows can be a distraction from pure singing.
Molly: The best part is being able to hear the combination of all our voices.
Emerson: We make some sexy sounds.
Patch: What's the worst part of being in the Passing Notes?
(Laughter.)
Jami: Knowing as a senior you have to leave.
Jason (4-year veteran of the group): Sometimes we have cold and miserable gigs. Like at the Iris Gardens.
Jami: There are gigs when there's such loud background noise we have to yell. Belting is not a cappella!
Emerson: At "Montclair Schools Rock!" we had to get there really early and they put us across the room from the food.
Jonah: No one was listening to us.
Elena: It's good and bad that it's a small group. A lot of people really want to be in it and are good singers but don't make it. It makes me feel bad that we can't let everyone in.
Patch: What makes a good a cappella singer?
Desiree: The voice that can stand out in a solo but also sounds great in harmony.
Jason: This year we had fifty—almost sixty—people audition for six spots.
Elena: We could only fill one spot in each section. (soprano, alto, bass, etc.)
Spencer: The Passing Notes is the most prestigious musical club in the high school -- nothing against the other clubs. It felt like an achievement to get in.
Patch: How do you choose songs and assign parts/solos?:
Jason: We choose songs based on what we sound like. With every year a different sound emerges.
Elena: People try out for each solo. Everyone has a different style. Like, Desiree has a jazz voice so she has the solo for, "Someone to Watch Over Me."
Jason: Stephen Whitely arranged that song. We also do, "Yesterday" and Lauren Hill's version of "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You." Our repertoire is on Facebook.
Elena: Everyone in the group really respects one another. We know when someone deserves a solo. We don't get jealous of one another.
Patch: What are your musical influences?
(Consensus: Various, especially Broadway. The word "Glee" comes up more than once.)
James: I still listen to Boys 2 Men.
Patch: What do you think of Glee?
James: I compare it to a carpool of people singing.
Spencer: Glee actually showcases people who have talent.
Brianne: I enjoy listening to Glee but the show is really bad.
Desiree: The plots are so generic, so cheesy, but the music is great.
Jason: It's really good that singing is becoming more of a presence in the media, and society.
Patch: How many of you intend to pursue a cappella in college?
(Consensus: Everyone.)
Jason: When I was looking at colleges, the a cappella scene was definitely a plus.
Spencer: My brother Noah didn't apply to University of Chicago because they didn't have a capella. (Note: Noah, a former Passing Notes member, is now active in the Yale a cappella scene.)
Patch: Any further thoughts?
Desiree: Being in the Passing Notes has been a great learning experience. When (the group) visited my school in eighth grade I thought, 'if I get in I'll have great mentors in high school.'
Jason: We've got a few gigs coming up this weekend and we're singing at a Haiti (benefit) event in January. Also, we're thinking of doing an a cappella festival with the Yale Dukesmen, the NYU N'Harmonics, the Oblerlin Overtones and the Colgate Resolutions. (All groups feature Passing Notes alumni.)
All I can say about upcoming gigs is, follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
The Passing Notes will perform this weekend, Friday, December 3 at 7:30 at Terra Tea Salon (on Church Street) and Sunday, December 5 at 3:30 pm, The Montclair Inn (Steve Matthew's Realtor Client Party, a Holiday Cookie Exchange).
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