This spring break, Erie’s own choir department will get a special opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Erie’s choir department was one of only two that were invited to perform at Carnegie Hall and it won’t be anything short of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Not only will they be signing alongside professional and collegiate-level choirs, it will be a world premiere of a beautiful choral piece.

“Lots of choirs go to New York, but we get to perform at Carnegie Hall and do a world premiere for a piece that has never been sung before” Choir Director Janay Bird explained.

The piece, titled “Reflections on a Mexican Garden”, is written by Kevin Padworski and it will feature signers from every choir at EHS, including Man Choir, Concert Choir, Women’s Ensemble, CR5, and Topaz.

Ashley Bedore, a senior at EHS, is one of those signers and sheds light on the opportunity by explaining that “most choir students never get this opportunity to perform at THE Carnegie Hall, so to have this opportunity is really special.”

In between the rehearsals and performance, the signers will be getting a full New York City experience. They will be seeing “Hello Dolly” on Broadway, taking in the sights, and going on a dinner cruise after their performance.

This is coming just days after CR5 comes home from their trip to Orlando to perform at Festival Disney. Every other year, students in the choir, CR5, compete against other choirs across the nation and are judged by collegiate choral conductors, while getting to have some fun at Disney World!

The choir department has received many opportunities to gain experience with professionals recently. Erie choirs had the chance to perform with and as the opening act for two of a cappella band FACE’s concerts. You can read more about that here.

Erie’s choirs are thriving and the trip to New York City is just another stamp of achievement to boast.