JACKSON TWP. − The teenage Kefalas siblings seemingly get along with ease, whether it’s sitting at a picnic table and chatting about their pop rock band COMPASS or crafting songs in their basement studio.
Brotherly and sisterly rivalries are non-existent, and any joking is in good nature. Fielding questions about their new album and upcoming concert, they politely took turns, offering alternating perspectives and insight. And their rapport and bond are even more obvious when listening to their recently released self-titled album.
Arianna Kefalas, 19, belts out vocals and plays bass. Harrison Kefalas, 17, both strums and shreds on guitar. And John Kefalas, 14, bangs the drums.
“We’ve learned how to kind of communicate with each other like I feel that most people cannot,” said Harrison, a student at Jackson High School. “And I feel that’s the advantage of being siblings.”
Arianna, who recently completed her freshman year at Kent State University, said the album is the product of their evolution as a band.
“I think we all personally did a lot of growing and grew together as a group musically and emotionally,” the fashion design major said. “I can confidently say we put everything into the album.”
New songs will be on the setlist May 21 when COMPASS performs live with an ensemble from the Canton Symphony Orchestra at The Auricle Venue + Bar in downtown Canton as part of the Divergent Sounds Series.
For tickets and more information about the 7:30 p.m. concert, go to cantonsymphony.org/compass/.
For Arianna, the concert will be a full circle moment. She’s a former violinist in the Canton Youth Symphonies.
COMPASS selected four symphony instrumentalists to complement the band − cello, violin, French horn and trumpet.
“This is one of the biggest accomplishments of my high school career,” Harrison said. “I’ve always dreamed of playing guitar for things like this, and the fact I get to do it with my siblings, it’s really one of the coolest things I’ll ever get to do.”
‘Boom, boom, bang’
COMPASS released a self-produced, five-song EP, “Stay A While,” in Spring 2024.
Work on eight songs for their debut album began a few years ago. Most of the tracks were written as of late 2024 before being finished, recorded and mixed, with mastering by Justin Colletti from Joe Lambert Mastering in New York.
The sibling trio’s father George Kefalas, a pulmonary and critical care doctor, also assists COMPASS in the studio and plays keyboards and synthesizers. Kefalas has a diverse musical background, including composing music for GlenOak High School’s jazz band as a student; playing trumpet in a jazz quintet in college; performing in an R&B cover band; and recording an EP and touring regionally with the alternative and grunge rock band AXIS in the ’90s.
Musical influences for COMPASS include Olivia Rodrigo, Maggie Rogers, Lizzie McAlpine, Paramore and John Mayer.
Songs on the new album range from mellower acoustic numbers to up-tempo tracks with keyboards, synthesizers and filtered vocals. Many of them possess a breezy, upbeat cruise down the road vibe.
Balancing home studio time with academics, extracurriculars and life was challenging for the teens.
“But I never viewed it as a thing to do,” Harrison said. “For me, I thought of it as a thing to do after I have homework and studying. I thought of it as more of a relief.”
Inspiration came in spurts, John said, describing the process as “boom, boom, bang.”
“We all had different aspects that we added to each song,” Arianna said.
Messages in some songs are born of their lives. The lyrics of others tilt more abstract. Subjects range from heartbreak to happiness to introspection.
“Every song we write is about an original experience that is 100% true,” Arianna said. “We want to be true to ourselves and real things that people go through. Hopefully, some good art and music can come out of experience.”
Canton Symphony joint concert will be ‘awesome.’
Playing with the symphony won’t be the band’s first big show.
In the winter of 2024, COMPASS advanced to the final round of the Tri-C High School Rock Off at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
COMPASS also has performed smaller gigs, including Canton First Friday and PorchROKR in the Akron neighborhood of Highland Square.
“The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame I feel was the scariest for us, not because we were under pressure to win but because we were in front of professionals and we were younger,” Arianna said. “I never had felt that much adrenaline before; it was like feeling that drop on a rollercoaster.”
Added John, a student at Jackson Memorial Middle School: “It’s like jumping in the pool.”
Performing with the Canton Symphony Orchestra will be another milestone.
“This is awesome,” Arianna said, noting a contingent of friends from high school and college will be in attendance.
Rachel Hagemeier, president and CEO of the Canton Symphony Orchestra, is also excited about the Divergent Sounds Series concert, which is presented by Sirak Financial Services in partnership with The Summit 91.3 FM in Akron.
Arianna was a student violinist in Canton Youth Symphonies.
“It was wonderful to see her grow in talent as a young musician,” recalled Hagemeier, who formerly managed the youth symphony program.
Hagemeier became aware of COMPASS from the high school battle of the bands in Cleveland.
“They are a fabulous band,” she said. “As siblings, they have a great chemistry and obviously love what they do. I’m very proud of how they work together now and the development of their sound. And I’m looking forward to their future.”
‘Making memories is the main goal.’
The siblings aren’t looking far beyond their next show.
Asked what the endgame is for COMPASS, band members said it’s not about rock star dreams or viral videos.
“In a nutshell,” John said, “I feel having fun and making memories is the main goal. For us, it makes it special because we can really communicate together, and it’s not forced.
“I feel like it’s about having that brother-sister bond, and not many people have that as a band.”
Reach Ed at ebalint@gannett.com. Follow on Instagram at ed_balint and TikTok @edwardbalint
If you go
Who: COMPASS, a pop rock band featuring siblings Arianna, Harrison and John Kefalas
What: Divergent Sounds Series concert with an ensemble from the Canton Symphony Orchestra
When: 7:30 p.m. May 21. Doors open at 7 p.m.
Where: The Auricle Venue + Bar in downtown Canton, 201 Cleveland Ave. NW
Tickets: $20 presale at cantonsymphony.org/compass/ and $25 day of the show. The Canton Symphony Orchestra box office can be reached at 330-452-2094.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: ‘This is awesome.’ Jackson teen pop band COMPASS paired with symphony
Reporting by Ed Balint, Canton Repository / The Repository
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