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BIG
APPLE: The Cherokee Chamber Singers, shown singing at last
years Cherokee Veterans Day observance, have been
selected to sing at the world-famous Carnegie Hall next spring.
(SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather)
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Since 1891, thousands of the worlds best singers and musicians
have performed at famed Carnegie Hall in New York City. Next spring,
26 members of the Cherokee (Central Schools) Chamber Singers will
join those ranks.
The Cherokee Chamber Singers will perform six or seven pieces
at the venue in March 2018 as part of WorldStrides Festival
at Carnegie Hall: National Youth Choir.
The kids have done so well at the theater part, but I
wanted this year for it to be about really lifting the kids
musicianship so they were really singing well, singing musically,
reading notes, and learning a deeper sense of what it means to sing
in a choir. said Michael Yannette, Cherokee High School and
Middle School director of choir and musical theater. When
we started this year, the theme was this is our year to really achieve
a different level of musicianship. So, this was kind of a way for
me to make there a reason why.
He said the improvement is already showing and showed in their
two-piece audition tape they submitted to be selected to perform
at Carnegie. We wouldnt have gotten this with the same
audition that we did for Disney last year. There was a certain level
there and that was great that they did that, but this was setting
the bar higher.
The general idea to audition for the Festival came when Yannette
heard that Dr. Andre Thomas, Florida State University professor
of music, would be one of the conductors. A graduate of Florida
State himself, Yannette commented, Andre Thomas is a
world famous conductor.
Yannette said the entire theme of this school year has been
centered around excellence. Weve just had
a different year. We have had an incredible hit the ground
running year. Theres just been no turning back. Last
year, they had such amazing things happen that they were ready.
Theyve just been incredible.
He said the amount of time the students have put into this year
and their audition for Carnegie is commendable. These kids
came not only after school
they came during Fair Week! And,
another day, they were here for five hours rehearsing for this thing.
Yannette said after seeing the amount of work the students were
putting in, he felt they had already won regardless of the outcome
of their audition. I was so proud of them.
But, they did win and were selected.
He said the trip will be nice, but at the end of the day, it
is all about the music and improving the students musicianship.
Its great that were going to see New York and
everything, but for me it means six or seven pieces that were
working on to build that excellence.
The exact itinerary hasnt been worked up yet, but Yannette
did relate, It is my wish for them that they get to see three
Broadway shows while we are there
hopefully, theyll get
the real New York City experience.
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