The Arrangers' Lab
Voices of Gotham's performance of Arrangers' Lab member and Assistant Artistic Director Matt Gallagher's arrangement of "How Could I Ever Know?" from the musical The Secret Garden. Performed at the 2015 Barbershop Harmony Society International Chorus Competition in Pittsburgh, PA.
The Arrangers' Lab is Voices of Gotham's resident collective of composers who create and arrange new music in the barbershop harmony and contemporary a cappella styles. Already educated in significant university music programs, they apply their skills toward the study of the barbershop tradition and the ongoing development of its pedagogy and repertoire. They work in close collaboration with Voices of Gotham's artistic staff while continuing their own training at the Barbershop Harmony Society's Harmony University.
In addition to providing Voices of Gotham and its affiliated quartets with custom material, the Arrangers' Lab also leads an ongoing Barbershop Arranging Workshop for members of the chorus at large. In the workshop, participants study existing barbershop arrangements, learn basic theory and composition, and gain insight and feedback on their work.
Lab Biographies
Adam Bock – ARRANGER
Adam is a musical jack-of-all-trades employed in various artistic pursuits ranging from private education to playing with Queens rock outfit Hollis Brown (opener for The Counting Crows' 2015 National Tour). Since graduating with a degree in Music Composition from Webster University in St. Louis, he has devoted a significant portion of his time and energy to barbershop. In 2010, he joined the Ambassadors of Harmony who went on to win the International Chorus Competition. After moving to New York City in 2012, he joined Voices of Gotham and quickly began looking for ways to assist the organization beyond being a "Voice" on the risers. In addition to writing arrangements for the group, Adam serves as Tenor Section Leader and Artistic Administrator.
Arrangements for Voices of Gotham: The Way You Make Me Feel; New York Medley (contest piece, with Josh Ehrlich); Sweet Caroline.
Performed quartet arrangements: Vocal Spectrum, On Tap
Josh Ehrlich – ARRANGER
Josh Ehrlich starting writing songs as birthday presents for friends and family at age nine. In high school, he discovered singing and began arranging. He went on to Yale University, where he joined and eventually served as music director of Yale’s Society of Orpheus and Bacchus. Since college, Josh has taught music theory in addition to conducting choirs and musicals for a variety of schools, camps, and theater programs, including two off-Broadway shows. He has written over 70 arrangements, a cabaret song cycle, and a symphony for full orchestra. Josh also plays piano for the '90s cover band Uncle Jesse and the folk-rock band East River Divide. This past summer, Josh was awarded the Lou Perry Scholarship to Harmony University, where he studied arranging and composition with David Wright and Steven Armstrong.
www.joshehrlichmusic.com
Arrangements for Voices of Gotham: New York State of Mind; Baby, It's Cold Outside; Because; New York Medley (contest piece, with Adam Bock); The Way (contest piece).
Matt Gallagher – ARRANGER
Matt is a 28-year barbershop singer, and proud Voices of Gotham member. He also recently became a member of the Atlantic and Northeastern Harmony Brigades. As a professional musician, Matt has conducted several Broadway musicals, most recently: Newsies, The Book of Mormon, Rock of Ages, and Doctor Zhivago. Matt has had the good fortune to collaborate and perform with such artists as Dolly Parton, Joan Osborne, Clay Aiken, and Phish. www.mattgallaghermd.com
Arrangements for Voices of Gotham: How Could I Ever Know? (from THE SECRET GARDEN, contest piece); L.O.V.E. & Marriage Medley (contest piece); Let's Do It/Let's Misbehave (contest piece).
JUDE THOMAS – ARRANGERS' LAB MANAGER
Jude Thomas is a composer and performer in the New York City area. He has composed in a variety on genres that include chamber music, opera, musical theater, and electronic music. Jude has been an active barbershopper since 2008, singing with both Pacific Coast Harmony in La Jolla, California, and the Masters of Harmony in the Los Angeles area. Jude is also an active music writer and speaker. He received both his bachelor's and master's degree in Music Composition from San Diego State University. http://composerjude.com
Published arrangements: Pretty Women from the musical Sweeney Todd.
GUS CURRY – ASSOCIATE ARRANGER
Gus Curry grew up in a musical household and was immediately hooked when he heard his dad's barbershop quartet rehearse in the dining room. That intense interest in music and performance that barbershop sparked early on led to an acting career where he received such awards as Boston's prestigious IRNE award for Best Actor in a Musical, The WISE Foundation's Thespian of the Year, Midtown International Theatre Festival Best Lead Actor in a Musical, and TAP National Theatre Honorary Best Actor. He is now pursuing a career in Earth Sciences. Gus lives in Inwood, NYC with his wife, KT, and cats, BabaGhanouj and Malama. He is a reverently proud member of the baritone section of Voices of Gotham as well as the baritone and in-house arranger for Hell's Kitchen chapter quartet, For the Times.
Public performances of arrangements: For the Times; For the Times, Too!
Arrangers' Lab awards: Certificate of Achievement for First Public Performance of Work, Tin Pan Alley Quartet Contest 2015.
rafi hasib – Associate Arranger
Rafi Hasib is a software and infrastructure engineer at a Manhattan-based media tech startup. He studied engineering and music at the University of Pennsylvania, where he participated in several singing and instrumental groups. Since the first arrangements for his high school a cappella quartet and brass quintet, he has arranged Beatles-inspired music for professional musicians Jamie Egan and Glen Burtnik, in addition to scoring musicals for the Penn Glee Club. Since graduating, he has focused on barbershop music through his participation with Voices of Gotham, the East Coast Sound youth chorus, and Barbershop Harmony Society-sponsored Harmony University.
Public performances of arrangements: Subway Glide
Arrangers' Lab awards: Certificate of Achievement for First Public Performance of Work, Tin Pan Alley Quartet Contest 2015.
Brian Wollman – ASSOCIATE ARRANGER
Brian is an elementary school teacher at Harlem Children's Zone. He started singing in fifth grade, eventually participating in La Guardia High School's senior chorus, gospel chorus, and Perfect Fifth, his high school's all-male a cappella group. While studying Music Education at Ithaca College, he served as account manager and fraternal education officer for Phi Mu Alpha, the college's all-male music fraternity. Following graduation, he moved to New York City, where he joined Voices of Gotham in 2011. Currently, he is pursuing his Master's degree in Music Education at Brooklyn College.
Arrangements for Voices of Gotham: I Saw Her Standing There.
Voices of Gotham's Arrangers Lab Program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.