West Washington choir selected to perform at Carnegie Hall
A music program that is only five years old is about to take its biggest stage yet.
The West Washington Jr./Sr. High School choir has been selected to participate in a concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City, where the students are expected to perform the world premiere of a new choral composition alongside professional musicians and other selected school choirs from across the country.
The invitation came somewhat unexpectedly for choir director Hannah Ledgerwood. “I honestly thought it was spam... or I was being punked,” Ledgerwood said.
Ledgerwood said she initially received phone calls and emails from a Concert Development Associate with National Concerts, who told her the organization had heard about West Washington's choir.
The selection process included multiple steps. After receiving the initial invitation, West Washington submitted three to four recordings of the choir for review by a board consisting of musicians, composers and directors associated with the program. The school received its official invitation from the Carnegie Board a couple weeks ago .
“I have known about the National Concerts, but never ever thought we would receive an invite as we are so small of a school and the choir program here is (compared to most schools) very small and only 5 years old,” Ledgerwood said.
The Carnegie Hall performance is currently being planned for the week of March 15, although the exact date has not yet been finalized.
During the trip, the West Washington students will spend three nights and four days in New York. The choir will rehearse with professional union musicians, work with a guest conductor from outside the area and work directly with the composer who wrote the piece they will perform. The students are expected to participate in the world premiere of that composition.
The trip will also include backstage tours of Carnegie Hall, multiple rehearsals and an after-party at Carnegie Hall, along with other activities that Ledgerwood said she is still learning about as the plans come together.
West Washington is expected to perform as part of a group that will include at least one other school choir from somewhere in the United States. Ledgerwood said the National Concerts program holds a limited number of concerts each year and selects only a small number of choirs from across the country to participate.
For the West Washington students, getting selected is only the beginning. The choir is now preparing to raise money to help cover the cost of sending the students to New York. Ledgerwood said the current estimate is approximately $1,200 per student for airfare, lodging and meals. With approximately 30 students expected to participate, that would put the current fundraising goal at roughly $36,000.
Additional expenses could include required attire for rehearsals and performances. The school is still waiting for specific information about the dress code and final pricing from its National Concerts coordinator.
The students are already eager to get started. “They are so very excited and ready to fundraise our behinds off!” Ledgerwood said.
More information about fundraising opportunities and the final Carnegie Hall performance date is expected as the school's plans develop.
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