How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

Practice.

San Juan Hills’ Master Choral group can validate this old axiom.

On April 25- 28, San Juan Hills’ choir class performed on the same stage as the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, the New York Philharmonic — Carnegie Hall.

The ensemble attended Heritage Festival in New York City. In this festival, high school choral ensembles from all over the country are ranked on an international standard. The top few groups from the festival had the opportunity to perform at the prestigious Carnegie Hall.

High school choirs from all over the country submitted audition tapes to a panel in New York. When they found out they had been picked to perform, the whole class was in shock. Isabella Moore (10), says the news was “Mind-blowing. I couldn’t even believe that it was happening”.

Lincoln Nelson (11) smiled as he said, “Some people don’t even see the place in their entire lives, and here we are, in high school getting to perform there”

After being selected, however, the practice and hard work did not stop. The choir rehearsed for four hours on Saturdays, for four months after they got selected. “It was hard work, but it was worth it” reminisces Yasmine Maize (12).

San Juan Hills High School’s 32 member choir was selected and performed under the direction of Dr. Jerry Blackstone. This highly acclaimed director is a Grammy Award winning director and is the director of choral activities at the University of Michigan.

It was especially rewarding for the seniors of the class, as they ended their final year with this incredible opportunity. Madison Cheek (12) has been in this choir for four years. “It was really cool for it to actually happen, like for real this time.”

In addition to rehearsing for their performance, the class got to explore the city. They saw the Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic Theatre, they visited the Empire State Building, and saw Little Italy and Chinatown.

The class fund raised to pay for the trip, as a trip to New York is not a cheap affair. A part of their concert ticket sales went towards their trip, they sold valentines grams, and held bake sales at their concerts. But the majority of the money came from the students themselves. They had been saving up as Mr. De La Cruz hinted at the possibility of such a trip at the end of last year.

This is the first trip to New York the choir class has made. Mr. De La Cruz hopes to make these trips a tradition, but have a different location every year. Kali Winn (10) is “excited to do future tours with this choir.”