Alphabet City Cycle is a contemporary opera that brings together the styles of rock, jazz, and classical music. The composer, Michael Gordon, is known for his works with Bang on a Can, his own "cross-genre" ensemble. He wrote Alphabet City Cycle in 1991, and it premiered at the Kitchen in New York City in 1992. The libretto is by playwright Deborah Artman.

The piece is a song cycle, meaning that it consists of a collection of songs that are related thematically. The songs are connected by instrumental interludes and spoken sections. The vocal parts are demanding, requiring a wide range and intricate rhythms. Gordon's music often features ostinatos, or repeating patterns, and this work is no exception. The singers are accompanied by an ensemble that includes saxophone, guitar, bass, and percussion.

One of the most striking aspects of Alphabet City Cycle is the way that it blends together different musical styles. The singer's technique in this piece includes a lot of vocal distortion and growling. This technique can be challenging, so singers should begin by warming up their voices with exercises like this growling exercise from Singing Carrots. The piece also features heavy use of Twang. Learn how to do it with this Twang exercise.

To learn how to sing like the performers in Alphabet City Cycle, it's essential to develop good basic singing skills. Singing Carrots' singing course is an excellent resource for beginning singers, covering everything from breathing basics to singing with emotion and vibrato. In particular, students should focus on breath support and open mouth and throat techniques as the music requires a lot of power and intensity.

Another crucial aspect to consider is the choice of songs. Since Alphabet City Cycle is a song cycle, the songs work together to tell a story. Thus, singers should focus on choosing songs that showcase the style of the composition. Singing Carrots' song search is a powerful tool that can help students find appropriate songs that fit their vocal range, style preference, and difficulty level. They can also create their song-book of performances set while searching through songs that will work well with this technique.

Overall, learning to sing Alphabet City Cycle requires a lot of hard work and dedication, but with the help of Singing Carrots' resources and practical advice, singers can develop the skills they need to perform this stunning work.