67 students from Crown Point High School’s Choir can add singing on stage at Carnegie Hall to their repertoire. The performance was part of a five-day trip to the Choirs of American Festival in late March 2022. CPHS received an invitation to participate in the event from Choirs of America, who invites top groups from each state across the country.
Students sang four pieces by American composer and director Z. Randall Stroope, whose shorter choral works have sold more than four million copies worldwide. One song from the performance was a Carnegie premiere and another was a world premiere. Students also participated in a choral festival at Queens College.
In addition to the performances, students worked with three clinicians (college level directors) to hone their skills: Jace Saplan (Hawaii), Joshua Habermann (Dallas) and Z. Randall Stroope (Oklahoma). “To have three directors work with the students and help them move their music to another level was invaluable - for them as well as myself,” Bill Woods, CPHS choral director, said.
The trip provided a chance to experience a Broadway show, participate in a Broadway clinic with actors and tour famous sites such as the 9/11 Memorial, Statue of Liberty and Times Square.
Senior Leo Silberhorn said the trip was a once in a lifetime opportunity. “I will never forget the feeling of being on that stage. Our choirs have all sung pieces written by Dr. Stroope throughout our years at CPHS. Seeing The Lion King on Broadway was by far the most emotional experience I had in New York. Every single comment about how show-stopping The Lion King is on stage is true. This trip taught me a great amount of information that I will take with me throughout my life. I learned so much more about choir as an art form; rather than simply singing a piece of music,” Silberhorn said.
The CPHS choirs have a history of excellence with seven appearances at ISSMA State Finals, concerts with the Northwest Symphony Orchestra, and a performance at Disney’s Candlelight Processional in December of 2018.