BHS Choirs Perform at Carnegie Hall
The Berkley High School A Cappella and Belle Tones choirs performed at Carnegie Hall in New York on April 15 at the Octavo Festival Chorus. The students performed on the Isaac Stern Auditorium stage. This prestigious invitation was extended by Dr. Brandon Johnson, the Director of Choral Activities at Eastern Michigan University.
35 A Cappella and Belle Tones students performed the following pieces of literature with 235 singers combined. The whole program theme was 'singing the darkness to light,’ based on the Amanda Gorman poem “The Hill We Climb.”
- Hope Lingers On, Lissa Schneckenburger
- Where the Light Begins, Susan LaBarr
- Fire, Katerina Gimon
- By Night, Elaine Hagenberg
- Can We Sing the Darkness to Light, Kyle Peterson
- Children, Go Where I Send Thee, arr. Kevin Phillip Johnson
Carnegie performance highlights included the students having the opportunity to work with the By Night composer Elaine Hagenberg, Reagan Berryman and Brooke Boatman making it to the finalists round for solos in the concert and having guest conductor Dr. Linda Hassleler from Capital University in Ohio conduct the concert.
While in New York for the three-day trip students had the opportunity to attend Hadestown on Broadway and meet the cast after the show for pictures and autographs, and explore the city in between rehearsals.
Choir Director Julie Smith shared, “Our students have earned this rare and exciting opportunity through their commitment to choir and their passion for learning.”
Congratulations to both the student vocalists and teachers Julie Smith and Sarah Noble for this rare and special opportunity.
