Music Interview: Garden State Sound

Garden State Sound is a virtual, professional a cappella that was established in New Jersey in 2021. The group consists of Antonio Zarco, Dan Burg, Ethan Greenberg, Claudia Gruber, Emily Porter, Ella Simmons, Jasmine Sorensen, Christopher Sorensen, Jasmine Sorensen, and Hanah Gershkowitz. The group has made music over the past couple of years on their social media. Garden State Sound has two latest singles out of Arcade by Duncan Laurence & Bam Bam by Camilla Cabello (feat. Ed Sheeran). We have had the pleasure of being able to talk to the members to get to know more about the group and what can we expect in the future!

Who are some of your biggest influences musically? Why?

Christopher Sorensen: My love for music is shaped by a diverse array of influences, ranging from Lady Gaga's pop hits and theatrical performances, to Al Green's soulful R&B, and even the catchy tunes of Disney songs. However, the most significant influence on my musical development has been my family, particularly my dad who is a pianist and my mom who is a vocalist. Their shared passion for music and early nurturing of my interests have given me a unique perspective and appreciation for different styles and genres. As a result, I am inspired to pursue my own creative endeavors and deeply grateful for the many musical influences that have helped shape my love for this art form.

Of all genres/types of music, what drew you to a cappella?

Claudia Gruber: As someone who loves many kinds of music, a cappella ties it all together for me. A cappella can be anything you want it to be, and so I've always been drawn to how creative we can get as performers or arrangers. My favorite part though, is the unique community that forms when people share their voices together. I started singing a cappella in elementary or middle school, because I wanted to make music with friends and I thought it was cool that you could have a stage filled with people, making that music using just your voices. Since then, a cappella has created some of the strongest friendships and happiest memories for me. Garden State Sound is the same - even with us living in places around the country, we get to share our voices with each other and I'm so grateful for the way it connects us!

What prompted you to create Garden State Sound? How did find you the other members?

Antonio Zarco: During when the pandemic hit, I had the idea to want to be able to create music virtually while everyone was in lockdown during quarantine at the time. It was a decision that myself, Dan and Ethan came about to want to be able to make this group work and it did in the long run.

Dan Burg: Scouting for members at the time was mainly from word of mouth and through social media. But now, we have an exact audition process for other future members who are interested in wanting to join the group.

What does the creative process look like when arranging and mixing your covers that you post?

Ethan Greenberg: We’re lucky to have a lot of arranging/mixing talent within the group, so our processes tend to be quite collaborative. Arrangements can be done by anyone in the group. When I create arrangements, I usually transpose the solo and bass for the song into my notation software, and then add on other parts. I tend to reharmonize the song to add crunchy harmonies and capture iconic instrumental parts in our voices! Our mixing is also a very collaborative process. We use logic for our mixing, and go through a LOT of versions as we perfect our song. Antonio and I tend to transfer the logic files between our computers, and we spam mixes to get feedback from other members and make small tweaks.

What are your goals regarding GSS? What do you hope the group accomplishes?

Jasmine Sorensen: As a member of the group, my hopes for GSS are to continue to grow and evolve as a musical collective. I hope that we can create more original music and release it on multiple platforms to reach a wider audience. It would be amazing to have our music featured on major playlists and be recognized on a wider scale. I also hope that we can have more opportunities to perform together in person, whether it be at local events or even opening for bigger concerts. Meeting up regularly for rehearsals and filming sessions would be a great way to bond and create even more content. In addition to music, I hope we can monetize our channels and create merchandise and a website for GSS to promote our group and gain more visibility. Overall, my hope for GSS is to continue to push ourselves creatively and to collectively achieve our goals!

What do you want to be remembered by?

Ella Simmons: My hope is that we would be remembered as a group of people who care for each other and embrace our diverse musical skills, while also having a lot of fun with one another as we share what we love with the world. I want our music to be remembered as something that makes someone’s day, makes people think, and makes others smile. I want our content to be something memorable that guides people to enjoy music and appreciate a cappella just a little bit more than they would have before experiencing GSS.

Can we expect a GSS debut album?

Antonio Zarco: I can definitely say that there will potentially be some sort of release in the future! Stay tuned!

What has your experience been like in the group so far?

Hanah Gershkowitz: While I haven’t been in the group for long, I have had such a positive experience. Everyone welcomed me into the group and it’s been so supportive and collaborative. The group knows how to have fun and laugh during meetings but also be productive and produce great quality music. I can’t want for what is to come for this group.

How do you manage to stay friends while being in the group?

Ethan Greenberg: Before joining the group, a lot of us have connections that go deeper than just an a cappella acquaintance, so when there are issues, we have our friendship to fall back on. Additionally, we don't always discuss a cappella. We have lots of social facetime calls where we can share what's happening in our lives as well as fun discourse topics, like "what's the proper way to eat an orange?" or "is mac-and-cheese from a box homemade?". Finally, everyone in our group loves spongebob! Our group chat is patrick-themed and we especially love the Valentine's Day episode!