Royal choir tunes up for one-of-kind trip
By Cynthia Overweg cindy@theacorn.com

NEW YORK STATE OF MIND- Director Bonnie Graeve will travel April 14 with Royal High's award-winning choirs to New York City for a performance at famed Carnegie Hall. Only six choirs from across the nation are accepted for this special honor. Here, Graeve directs students as they sing their pieces for a recording during Wednesday's choir practice.

After submitting a series of audition tapes to the Masterworks Series, a group sponsored by Manhattan Concert Productions in New York City, Royal High School music teacher Bonnie Graeve and her choir have been given an honor few receive.

The Highlander choir and their teacher have been invited to New York City to perform on April 14 at world-renowned Carnegie Hall.

They will sing Antonio Vivaldi's "Gloria," with a professional orchestra and professional soloists.

Royal's choir of 110 singers will appear on the same stage where many of the world's most gifted musical artists have performed, Graeve said.

"This is a career highlight for me and a great accomplishment for the choir," she said.

Photos by IRIS SMOOT Acorn Newspapers

What makes the event unique is that Royal's 24 chamber singers and 25 vocal ensemble singers will be the only featured singers onstage for the first 30 minutes of the program.

The second part of the program involves a choir of 300, composed of singers from colleges and universities throughout the United States. Royal's is the only high school choir that will perform that evening, Graeve said.

Choir students like Sara Pulsipher, 17, see the trip to the Big Apple as a once-in-lifetime shot.

"I can't believe we get to sing at Carnegie Hall," said Pulsipher, a first soprano. "It's so amazing to be able to do this. Without all the work Mrs. Graeve has done, this wouldn't be happening."

Joel Denning, 17, shared his choirmate's excitement.

"I'm ecstatic. It's a huge honor," said Denning, who sings tenor with the choir. "I've never even been on an airplane."

The choir will also enjoy the rare privilege of singing at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, which seats 5,000 people.

"This is the trip of a lifetime," said A.J. McCaan, 16, a second soprano who wants to sing professionally. "My parents are really excited."

Every student must pay their own way to New York. The cost for airfare, lodging and meals for the five-day trip is about $1,430 per student, Graeve estimated.

"We're doing a lot of fundraising," Graeve said. "The kids have raised money with car washes and candy and bake sales. They've worked hard to make this happen."

The Royal students will have ample supervision in New York. Thirty adults, including parents, will be traveling with the choir, and another 25 adults will join the group once they arrive in the city.

While in New York, the choir plans to visit Ground Zero to honor the victims of the 9/11 Twin Towers attacks. Spearheaded by Denning, the group will take letters and mementos from community members who would like to pay their respects.

Anyone interested in sending along a personal note or memorial can contact the main desk at Royal High School at (805) 306-4875.

Graeve said she is very proud of what her choir has achieved.

"This is such a special opportunity for us. It's an enormous privilege just to be invited to participate, let alone get the chance to be the featured choir."