Norwood Teen Selected For AllStars Band To Support Rock N' Roll Cancer Charity

by Rafe Gomez

Gabrielle Morelli, a 16 year-old vocalist from Norwood, was chosen to represent School of Rock Tenafly as a member of the School of Rock AllStars Band, which has just completed a mini-tour of the East Coast in support of Love Hope Strength, an international music-centric cancer charity.

“Gabby is a soaring soprano with wine glass-shattering power and a mega-watt smile,” says Kathleen Ruscick, General Manager of School of Rock Tenafly. “She’s a huge asset to the AllStars, and we’re thrilled that – for the second year in a row – she was selected to be a member of the band.”

The AllStars’ tour included performances at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park; The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn; and three shows at the Gathering of the Vibes festival in Bridgeport, CT. The concerts sought to create awareness for the Love Hope Strength’s efforts to build and support cancer centers around the world, boost awareness of global cancer needs, and expand international bone marrow databases.

“We have roughly 200 bone marrow drives scheduled this summer and are stretched thin with volunteers and resources,” says Shannon Foley, executive director of Love Hope Strength. “Teaming up with the School of Rock AllStars gave us the opportunity to be at more concerts and festivals than we ever could attend without them. Amazingly, in the three years that we’ve been working with the AllStars, we’ve found 12 bone marrow matches among School of Rock families and supporters – which could mean the difference between life and death for a patient with blood cancer.”

Morelli auditioned for the AllStars in January and was notified in April that she was selected to be part of the band. Her fellow members, which included 24 School of Rock students from 12 schools in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, assembled on July 27 for rehearsals in Woodland Park, NJ and began the five day tour on July 30.

“The AllStars experience has boosted my confidence and shown me how powerful music can be,” says Morelli. “The teen years can be challenging, but the AllStars and School of Rock Tenafly have given me a family of close friends who I will always have forever.”