Feet tap. Hands snap. Singers harmonize, then flow into their own melodies. The group’s beatboxer replaces any 808s, and the musicians override the need for other instruments with just their voices. Speakers amplify the sound, and E.T. by Katy Perry fills up an entire cafeteria.
It is not Pitch Perfect. While the comedic movie is an introduction to a cappella, real a cappella is more of a well-developed art. Singers use their voices to contribute to their group’s overall sound, which takes practice and coordination, rather than on the fly changes and instinct.
In Revere’s Reverse A Cappella group (emphasis on the first ‘e’ in Reverse), this year’s members and director, Sierra Pabon, have created a name outside of Revere. The administration granted the group funding to purchase a sound system, which has helped Reverse elevate their sound. Just like the Pitch Perfect crew, Reverse has seen some serious success and growth. But unlike the Pitch Perfect crew, they do not say “A Ca” anything.
Sierra Pabon has directed Revere’s high school choirs for the past two years, including Reverse. She enjoys Pitch Perfect, but says the way it portrays real a cappella is off-kilter.
“Instead of just making things up on the spot or cheesy arrangements, we do what we do well,” Pabon said.
A cappella by definition means without instruments. Each individual singer has their own practiced part which contributes to the group’s sound, replacing the lack of instruments. All the members of Reverse are also in RHS’s Chorale or Symphonic choir, which builds music literacy and voice control skills. After building those skills, students can move into the a cappella group, which is another full year class.
“We take those techniques and the music reading skills that we have [learned from the other choirs] and we apply them to new types of music. . . . I would say there’s a huge difference between a cappella and our traditional choirs, but at the same time,
the technique . . . between the two is not very different,” Pabon said.
The result to an outsider can seem drastically different, though. Every member of the group is on an individual microphone, and choreography is also part of their performance. The choreography is much more limited than a show choir, but still takes preparation and coordination.
“I think when you see it happen in its most organic sense, you can’t see it and be like, ‘wow, that’s lame.’ There is major respect for those singers that are putting themselves out there, and they are skilled at what they do,” Pabon said.
The group also stays away from music most people would expect from a typical choir. The students get to pick contemporary music to perform, rather than the teacher picking music for them.
“We’ve done music by Billie Eilish, Katy Perry, Harry Styles, lots of different groups that are up and coming or current. I’m not opposed to doing traditional music with them, but that’s not really what it’s for,” Pabon said.
The group used to focus on more traditional music, but Pabon has helped Reverse transform its sound. Gianna Kosir, a Senior, is Reverse’s president and the choir president. This means she oversees details like organizing setlists, and she also organizes bigger pieces like fundraising. She expressed appreciation for Pabon.
“When she got here, we were able to buy a sound system. . . . That’s very crucial for our sound,” Kosir said.
Revere’s choir has been around for a while, even before Pabon started teaching at Revere two years ago. But Kosir said Pabon grew up in a community that prioritized a cappella, and she envisioned that Reverse could grow from Pabon’s experience.
“I can see this program really skyrocketing, especially with Ms. Pabon. She is so smart about everything. . . . She can pick nitpick things and just really make things great,” Kosir said.
Other members have specialized roles within Reverse as well. Tessa Kraynak, a Junior at Revere, organizes the social media aspect of not only Reverse but RHS’s choirs as a whole.
“We have tried to spread the word about our auditions as much as we can. . . . [A goal for us is] making sure that it becomes a priority for people by being known within the school,” Kraynak said.
Since getting new equipment, Pabon explained that Reverse can expand up to around twenty students. Kraynak’s role of managing the Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) accounts is important for that growth, since many Revere students are unaware of Reverse.
Another member of the group, Senior Jack Repie, is the group’s vocal percussionist and bass. Repie has trained with Pabon individually on learning how to maintain the group’s tempo along with creating more unique sounds often only found in a cappella.
“I am basically the drums and cymbals of our a capella group and the very low notes you’ll hear,” Repie said.
Repie explained the group’s recent successes. They recently attended the Kettering National A Cappella Festival in Dayton and performed on the main stage for the Saturday night slot. Reverse is a first year participating group, and performing on the main stage so early on in their development is unusual and impressive. And on February 16, Reverse is traveling to Nordonia for another national a cappella festival.
“We are one of six groups that gets to perform on that Friday night [at Nordonia]. These six groups were the best out of everybody who auditioned, and there’s people from all over the country,” Repie said.
Reverse had to send in a video audition for the spot. Only five other a cappella groups will be headlining, some hailing from hours-away locations like Pittsburgh.
The Reverse members agree that the group is a family. Kosir and Pabon explained how everyone is able to express their creativity. Members expressed their gratitude for being in the group as well as their encouragement for others to join.
“[Reverse is] honestly so much fun. It’s all people who love doing the same thing: we all make music. You’ll see everybody just jamming out,” Repie said.
Reverse has grown to prominence since its recent transformation. Pabon, the switch to contemporary music, a speaker system, and the tight-knit community have helped the group thrive. Kosir has high hopes for the group in the future, and many of the members can return next year to build on their successes.
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