Forte (vocal group)

FORTE
FORTE
	FORTE in 2015, left to right: Hana Ryu, Josh Page, Sean Panikkar
Background information
Also known as	Forte Tenors
Origin	America's Got Talent (group); New York, U.S. (Page); Pennsylvania, U.S. (Panikkar); Seoul, South Korea (Ryu);
Genres	Classical crossover; operatic pop;
Years active	2013–present
Labels	Columbia
Members	Josh Page, 34; Sean Panikkar, 43; Hana Ryu, 43;
Past members	Fernando Varela, 44
Website	fortetenors.com
	Their debut (below) is the only public performance by (l–r) Varela, Ryu and Page as FORTE FORTE's audition song, "Pie Jesu" (excerpt)

Forte (/ˈfɔːrteɪ/; styled as FORTE) is a classical crossover–operatic pop trio comprising tenors Josh Page, Sean Panikkar and Hana Ryu. Forte was created specifically for season eight of America's Got Talent (AGT) in 2013. After weeks of preparation online, the three original members met in person just two days before their first performance together; afterward, the show's rules forced the group to make a personnel change. The new lineup advanced to the final round in September, where Forte finished in fourth place. Following their elimination, the men accepted a recording contract offered by representatives of Columbia Records, who were waiting for them in the hallway offstage.

Forte has since performed at Carnegie Hall and the White House, and has been the featured guest at numerous charity galas. The group was the first finalist from season eight to headline a show in Las Vegas. Their self-titled debut album, released in November 2013, peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Classical Albums chart. Forte's second album, The Future Classics, presents their operatic take on contemporary popular songs and features an original piece using the theme music composed for Game of Thrones.