Founded in 2013 by Ms. Esther Santos, Mr. Jeffrey Tarayo & Mr. Ryan Cayabyab, Akapela Open is a competition for contemporary* a cappella ensemble singing. It is a project spear-headed by The Music School of Ryan Cayabyab. This competition is deemed to be the first of its kind in the country.

Akapela Open aims:
1) to promote the love for contemporary* a cappella singing and the appreciation for vocal harmony performance;
2) to provide a venue for new arrangements of Philippine and international contemporary vocal music;
3) to provide growth experiences for singers and arrangers;
4) to cultivate a community of contemporary* a cappella singers.