Top Vocal Groups In Philadelphia

Philadelphia might be called the City of Brotherly Love, but it also has a deep adoration for great music. Philly has been a virtual breeding ground for stellar vocal groups such as Boyz II Men, The Roots and Hall and Oats. From a capella and doo-wop groups originating from the gritty street corners of the city to choirs shouting praise throughout the hallowed walls of a chapel, Philadelphia has it all. Check out the top vocal groups in Philadelphia today.

Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale
100 South Broad St., Suite 620
Philadelphia, PA 19110
(215) 222-3500
www.phillyboyschoir.org

Founded in 1968, the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale is a select group of male singers under the age of 15. The harmonic group of youngsters has visited every major continent in the world, performing American classical, spiritual, contemporary and patriotic music in more than a dozen languages for heads of state, royalty and millions of fans. Luciano Pavarotti and the Philadelphia Orchestra have appeared with the choir, and the group has even crooned at the White House. Audiences can catch the chorale at a number of local venues, including the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship at Lincoln Financial Field on May 25, 2013 and at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Doylestown on May 31, 2013.

The Philadelphia Singers
1211 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 751-9494
www.philadelphiasingers.org

As the area's sole professional chamber chorus, The Philadelphia Singers has been a city institution since its inception in 1972. Its Christmas performances of Handel's "Messiah" have become a yearly holiday tradition in the Philadelphia area. Comprised of 24 male and female voices, the group performs works from almost all parts of the chorale repertoire and has a reputation of serenading in unusual locations. The group's stratospheric volume has been enjoyed in the Great Stair Hall of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the chorale will next be heard at Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia on April 26 and 28, 2013.

Singing City
123 S. 17th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 569-9067
www.singingcity.org

Singing City is a world-famous community choir under the direction of Jeffrey Brillhart. The integrated 110-plus voices were initially put together in 1948 by Dr. Elaine Brown in an effort to bridge the gap between cultures, races and religions in the Philadelphia area. Today, the internationally recognized group marries musical excellence with community service by performing at concert halls, hospitals, senior centers and homeless shelters. You can revel in the reverberating sounds of the choir at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Philadelphia on April 26, 2013 as it performs a new work outlining the story of the 1963 Civil Rights march in Birmingham, Alabama.

Related: Philadelphia Boys Choir Has New Home At Broad And Spring Garden

OwlCapella
Temple University

1801 N. Broad St.

Philadelphia, PA 19122

www.owlcappella.com

OwlCapella is a relatively new group on the horizon originating from Temple University. In fact, it's Temple's first co-ed a capella effort. In Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young fashion, the 17-member group blends voices in a repertoire that includes Top 40 hits such as David Guetta and Sia's "Titanium" and Gotye’s "Somebody That I Used to Know." Since its inception in 2010, OwlCapella has performed at the Philadelphia Auto Show and Radio City Music Hall. A capella aficionados can catch a performance at the Kimmel Center during the Philadelphia Festival of the Arts (PIFA) on April 22, 2013.

8 to the Bar

Drexel University

c/o Stephen Stratoti
1037 Daly Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148
www.8ttb.net

An all-male acapella group from Drexel University, 8 to the Bar has been performing for Philadelphia audiences since 1997. Channeling a style reminiscent of the Beach Boys meets the Backstreet Boys, 8 to the Bar refuses to pigeon-hole itself into just one genre. Instead, the group changes things up on a regular basis. One set might include heavy metal and hip-hop tunes, while another might feature a mix of reggae, golden oldies and modern rock. Whatever the group performs, audiences can't help but tap feet, snap fingers and sing along.

Related: High School Students Warm Up Vocal Chords To Perform With Pros

Susan DeFeo has been a professional writer since 1997. She served as a community events columnist for New Jersey's "Cape May County Herald" for more than a decade. A writer for numerous online publications, Susan has covered health, fitness, beauty and travel, all subjects that are near and dear to her as a married mother of seven children. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.