Four high school students challenge the norm within the barbershop quartet community through singing in a style that is not commonly known among youth, especially in Silicon Valley. The Sopranotes is a local barbershop quartet — a group traditionally composed of four singers that concentrates on performing a cappella in the barbershop style, distinguished by a four-part harmony and independent melodic lines.

During founder and Los Altos High School senior Mira Sumant’s first year in high school, she stumbled upon videos of quartets singing online, which inspired the formation of The Sopranotes.

“One group in particular, The Newfangled Four, really inspired me,” Sumant said. “Once I found them, I was hooked. YouTube kept recommending more videos, and I thought, ‘I have to do this, because it would be crazy not to.’”

As Sumant was building the quartet, she recruited her friends who were also involved with music. Sumant is the lead singer, Los Altos High senior Caila Kim sings baritone, Mountain View High senior Kaela Nguyen sings bass and Foothill Middle College senior Elaine Choi sings tenor.

The group was officially formed in July 2023 and began exploring different opportunities immediately, initially focusing on community performances, Sumant said.

Sumant said The Sopranotes began their competition journey as a part of the Barbershop Harmony Society, an organization dedicated to promoting and preserving barbershop music through different programs and competitions. They also became affiliated with the Society’s sister organization, Sweet Adelines.

“One of our main goals is to improve in competition, specifically with organizations like the Barbershop Harmony Society and Sweet Adelines International,” Sumant said. “Another goal is to make a positive community impact. We want to share barbershop music and the joy it brings us with more people.”

Eventually, The Sopranotes applied and were accepted to perform at the 2025 Midwinter Convention, an annual event hosted by the Barbershop Harmony Society.

Nguyen said her group appreciated the support from their other performers at the competitions.

“We walked out of the competition, and there’s a guy standing at the door, and he said, ‘I did not sound like that in high school.’ And I thought, wow, I love that.”

As the group began gaining momentum in competitions, they sought out help from a coach at Sweet Adelines: Julie Starr.

“When they first performed for our chorus last winter, they were good singers, but a little bit stiff,” Starr said. “Now, they’re all telling the same story. Their faces look engaged, and it’s been a very pleasant journey to see that growth.”

By performing on different stages together, the members of The Sopranotes have not only grown as musicians but formed impenetrable bonds with one another, said Sumant.

“She [Sumant] taught me how to communicate effectively and how to be less of a doormat by drawing my own boundaries,” Kim said. “I feel like it’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing, and it’s a gift that only certain people have.”

The Sopranotes has found a place within the greater barbershop music community, Nguyen said. Between barbershop singers, unique traditions prevail. “Tag singing,” where singers would spontaneously join in short, harmonized phrases with others, is one such example; even during competitions, singers engage in tag singing with complete strangers, Kim said.

The Sopranotes have come a long way in self-organizing a quartet and participating in competitions.

“I feel like they’re my family. It was nice to be able to spend so much time with them. It’s been amazing to grow together,” said Nguyen.