With dreams for his choir students at Red Mountain High School, Joseph Johnston sent an auditioning CD of La Camarata by the choir of juniors and seniors to the Carnegie Hall nominating committee.
The Red Mountain High School choir was selected as 67 of the 250 voices, which comprised a choir that performed at Carnegie Hall this past March.
It was an amazing experience for these singers who were directed by Eric Whitaker, the rock star of conducting and composing. “To have the opportunity to work with him is a dream come true for any performer,” said Mr. Johnston.
Upon arriving in the Big Apple, the students had 10 hours of rehearsal with the other performers from around the world, including singers from Austria and the Philippines. The show was performed in two acts at Carnegie Hall, with black tie as the dress code.
“Singing in that amazing hall and sharing it with my peers and friends was astounding,” said Brigham Taylor, a junior at Red Mountain High School. The camaraderie and appreciation the students had for their classmates was heartwarming. Jazlee Fenn, a senior at Red Mountain High School, was chosen as a soloist after auditioning with the conductor. Only three students were selected. Her fellow singers had nothing but admiration and congratulatory responses for her. They expressed genuine appreciation for a talent deserving of such recognition.
Besides performing at Carnegie Hall, the students were able to see the Broadway show, Peter and the Star Catcher. Afterward, attending a workshop with the star of the show, they ran through the music and choreography from the show.
It wasn’t all hard work during their visit. Another highlight was visiting the 9-11 Memorial. Upon their arrival, this inspiring group of young adults spontaneously joined hands and sang the National Anthem acapella style. “It was our way of thanking everyone for serving America and their contributions to our country,” Ashley North stated. “It was our expression of our love to them and our country.”
Without the dedication of teachers like Joseph Johnston, along with the parents and chaperones, experiences of this caliber for students would not happen. The fund-raising, which took place for the New York event, was a yearlong process, along with the collecting of Extracurricular Activity donations. It is all worth it. These inspiring young adults agreed it was a life-changing experience, and they extended a thank you to Mr. Johnston.
For more information, or to support the choir, please visit www.mpsaz.org, or contact Mr. Johnston at Red Mountain High School. Call (480) 472-8000. The high school is located at 7301 E. Brown Road.