Bishop Manogue’s Choir has just a month to memorize five songs before traveling to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York this Spring break. With limited practice time and a prestigious concert venue within reach, the pressure is building quickly.

The trip is scheduled for March 25 – 30, and will bring high school choir students from across the country for an ensemble performance of 4 songs. Each high school choir will also have the opportunity to sing one song on their own, including our Bishop Manogue students!

Performing at Carnegie Hall is a rare opportunity that many singers never experience, which makes the task even more daunting. Because our art program is currently focusing on the upcoming musical production, the choir can only meet once a week, making each rehearsal very crucial. Due to the recent weather conditions, resulting in a full week of online school, the choir has missed one of its rehearsals. That gives them just five rehearsals to lock in five full songs–completely memorized.

Students have reported that the time crunch has put a lot of pressure on them to rehearse at home; however, many of these students are also involved in the upcoming musical, leaving little time for practice. Like Aibhilin Pezanoski, one of the choir’s members, many students are choosing to remain hopeful despite the heavy workload. “I am so excited to be singing with the choir at Carnegie Hall,” Aibhilin said. “Though we’re in crunch time, I know our hard work will shine through on stage!”

The choir is entering its final stretch of preparation. Students are pushing harder than ever to maintain focus and momentum. If the choir’s determination matches their ambition, they are sure to rise to the occasion and give a performance worthy of the Carnegie Hall stage.