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WCDS Singers Join Carnegie Hall Debut
Unique experiences encourage students to pursue artistic excellence
Students in the Upper School at Westchester had the extraordinary opportunity to debut new music and work directly with a professional composer and conductor at an iconic performance venue.
The Concert Choir traveled to New York City to sing with other choirs from across the U.S. at Carnegie Hall.
Along with distinguished soloists and the New England Symphonic Ensemble, they lifted their voices for the New York premiere of “Magnificat” by composer-conductor Marc-André Bougie. They also performed Mozart’s Mass in C Major, K. 317 “Coronation Mass,” conducted by Leslie Dala. The concert was part of MidAmerica Productions’ 40th anniversary season.
The Concert Choir, under the direction of Mrs. Shelley Jennings, music teacher and interim director of the arts, is one of several arts elective courses available to students in the Upper School.
“We love Westchester’s small size, but our singers would not be able to perform large works of music without joining other choirs,” said Jennings. “It is a great honor being a part of the premiere of Bougie’s ‘Magnificat.’ We have been given the unique opportunity to learn this piece, composed just last year, along with Mozart’s ‘Coronation Mass,’ written way back in 1779. I can’t think of a better place than Carnegie Hall for this experience.”
In preparation for the momentous performance, the Concert Choir participated in a choral clinic with Bougie, the composer of “Magnificat.” This experience provided the students with valuable insights into the piece and allowed them to work closely with the composer himself while he visited Westchester.
Following the trip, Concert Choir member Hadley Briggs said she enjoyed experiencing how different musicians approach warm-ups or interpreting the music. She also recognized the value of working directly with Bougie.
“It was a great experience getting to have the person who composed the new piece be our conductor for the performance,” she said. “He was able to have us perform the piece exactly how he wanted, and I loved getting to be a part of it. Not even just the performance, but the rehearsals were great.”
For Briggs and her classmates, performing at Carnegie Hall was a landmark moment that serves to inspire them to keep pursuing artistic excellence.
“This unique experience has encouraged me to continue to participate and grow in the performing arts. I loved getting to sing on that stage and be able to have such a professional experience. Westchester has really helped nurture my love for the arts and realize that it is what I want to pursue in the future.”
