Boysen Blue is a barbershop quartet consisting of Ethan Steele (17) on Tenor, Charlie Gross (18) on Lead, Josh Cavalli (16) on Bass, and Muamen Alsheakh (18) on Baritone and are all current or former Portage Northern High School students.
Barbershop harmony is a capella, close four part harmony usually sung in a quartet or chorus. The Barbershop Harmony Society was founded in 1938 to promote and encourage barbershop quartet and chorus singing across the world. The Society's mission has since grown, including the addition of youth programming to help share barbershop music to the next generation of singers. In this outreach, the BHS started the Varsity Quartet Contest in 1992 and the Junior Quartet Contest in 2019.
Three years ago, founder Charlie Gross convinced these singers to perform at the PNHS Holiday Collage under the direction of Ms. Chelsea Whiteoak, and they have been singing together ever since. PC student Andrew Funk and PN Alum Noah Aiello were once affiliated with the group as well.
The quartet is the 2024 Pioneer District (Michigan) 3rd Place Quartet and the 2024 PIO Novice Champions.
On Jan 30th, 2025, Boysen Blue traveled to San Antonio to compete in the Barbershop Harmony Society’s Junior Varsity International Competition in an effort to walk away with a bronze, silver and gold medal. The top fifteen under-eighteen barbershop quartets from around the world were in attendance.
Boysen Blue competed with a custom arrangement of the song Strawberry Moon by Dennis van Arsen. The contest ended with a tie between Boysen Blue and a women’s quartet called Lovergirls, and after much deliberation, both quartets were granted the opportunity to share the championship. The complete list of Boysen Blue awards are:
2023 Pioneer District Bush League (3rd place)
2024 International JV Next Gen Quartet Contest (tied for first, given second)
2024 Pioneer District Quartet Contest (3rd place)
2025 International JV Next Gen Quartet Contest (tied for first, given first)
Boysen Blue members are involved in other quartets as well, who have also won numerous awards and are current or former members of the Great Lakes Chorus based in Grand Rapids.
Boysen Blue is taking a break from competing for a few years as the members settle into college but are still looking for opportunities to perform together.
Muamen recently moved to Virginia, Charlie currently lives in East Lansing and attends Michigan State University, where he studies Jazz Performance, Ethan is finishing his senior year at PNHS and looking at colleges, and Josh is focused on college auditions for musical theater.
The quartet intends to continue traveling the country performing for audiences, potentially record and release some music, and help spread the joy of barbershop music to all people.
Follow these amazing performers on social media
Instagram at @boysenblueqt
Facebook at @boysen blueqt
Youtube (search Boysen Blue)
This story includes written contributions from Josh Cavalli, Charlie Gross & Ethan Steele.