Alfa

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Alfa was born to a family that more than dabbled a bit in music. Some say she was born on a tree in the jungles of Mindanao, but those privvy to her life pre-cross-Pacific days know full well she was born in a tiny white hospital, and that she first learned piano from a strict Madame who would not let her exercise self-made renditions of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” during lessons. Her mother played the piano and the organ, her grandfather played the guitar by ear, her grandmother taught piano, and her aunts played the clarinet and the flute (they would soon become church organists, each married to pastors). Annoyed at what she saw as the norm, Alfa swore she would never become a musician. In fact, she first wanted to become a dentist.
Now 21, Alfa has relented to her musical fate. A singer/songstress since the age of 13, having cut her first demo at 15 and now a seasoned performer all over the venues of Manhattan (CBGBs, The Cutting Room, Arlene’s Grocery, Sidewalk Café, Rockwood Music Hall, Union Square, to name a few) Alfa has been around the figurative musical block with her start as a classical pianist under Dr. Raul Sunico, then a violinist in various orchestras including the Children’s Orchestra Society of H.T. Ma (Yo-Yo Ma’s pops), before finding her niche as a songwriter using a blend of her classical and church background and self-taught guitar and piano skillz (with a Z, heck yeah). At 17, she performed her song, "I Believe" with a full symphony orchestra at the Denver Center for Performing Arts and Lefrak Hall in Queens College under the direction of Michael Dadap. In addition to her extensive repertoire of ballads, laments, and pseudo-rock melodies, she has written music for plays, films and dabbled in acapella arrangements and performances with her childhood musician friends.
Alfa is inspired by everything: from first loves and intriguing faces, to the idiosyncracies of the number Pi. She is super thankful for the music and musicians that have perpetually surrounded her life, in spite of her initial disdain toward the sacred art. She will graduate Magna Cum Laude from NYU in May 2007 (finalement!). Alfa loves maps, New York City, ballet flats and Vera Wang perfume.
She has worked with with Dan Coutant at The Buddy Project thebuddyproject.com (Sufjan Stevens, Asthmatic Kitty) and has just begun work with Alex Houton ( www.alexhouton.com ) of Wu Shu Entertainment Group (Charlotte Sometimes, Jerzy Jung)
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ARTIST REVIEWS YOU COULD USE:
"Alfa Garcia is an NYU junior who hovers around the New York and New Jersey singer-songwriter scene with her classically bred musicality and musicianship. So good her music is that she has gathered a steady fan base, which carry her through her shows like ants carrying a single grain of cooked white rice."
- Ted Reyes
Filipino Express July 2005
"Born and raised in a family of classical musicians, Alfa Garcia is anything but traditional. A trained classical musician herself, Alfa's talent is well served in the singer/songwriter genre, where her rich, soulful voice and lyrical insight bespeak a maturity far beyond her tender years. Akin to the musical stylings of Norah Jones, Fiona Apple, and Vanessa Carlton, Alfa takes us on the journey of innocent youth learning to come of age in love, in loss, in heartache, in the hope of big dreams, and in wisdom. Beautiful and graceful, yet with an earthy bent, Alfa's music touches lingeringly and lightly, but with deeper, thoughtful intent. "

- Feliza Mirasol
Feliza Mirasol's World 2006
"...hydraulics for the heart."
- Danny Katz
dannykatzmusic.com
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