With a cappella groups popping up left and right, singing groups need to carve out their own path to emerge from the herd.
For the Maccabeats, that means tying in their Jewish culture to their songs.
“We don’t want to shove anything in anybody’s face,” said Julian Horowitz, a member of the group. “But it’s important for us to portray our heritage in a positive and accessible way.”
The 14-member, all-male group was founded at Yeshiva University in 2007, no different from the thousands of similar groups at schools across the country, Horowitz said.
Unlike most groups, though, the Maccabeats have expanded from their campus to play for audiences large and small across the world – including appearances on TV and playing for President Barack Obama at the White House.
The Maccabeats will play Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at Temple Beth Shalom in Roslyn Heights.
“Our audiences, great and small, are what keep us going,” Horowitz said. “Through the crazy travel schedules, the eternal juggling act of life, work, family, and all other ups and downs, singing along with a cheering crowd is one of the great experiences in life.”
Each show’s set is a little different, Horowitz said, adding that the group tries to “throw in some local flavor” wherever possible.
The group writes some original music, Horowitz said, but mostly performs covers and take-offs of other artist’s music.
The group’s songs range from contemporary pop covers to musical theater medleys.
Performances of the Maccabeats’ songs, including their “Justin Bieber Passover Mashup,” “Hasmosean – A Hamilton Hannukah,” and Passover Les Misérables medley, are featured on the group’s YouTube channel.
For Horowitz, recording videos and performing live are different experiences, but he said he does not have a strong preference for one over the other.
Horowitz said he is still not sure if he wants to continue to pursue a career in music forever, but for now he said that he and the Maccabeats want to keep recording and performing as long as they can.
At the end of the day, the group is like a family, Horowitz said.
“There are highs and lows,” he said. “But we’re stuck together and we’ll stick together.”
