SHS choir to perform at Carnegie Hall | Education | Summerville Journal Scene

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SHS choir to perform at Carnegie Hall

Published Thursday, April 02, 2009 1:40 PM

By Michael Tannebaum
Summerville Journal Scene ®

About three months ago, sisters Tailah and Cierra Michael, members of Summerville High School’s Bella Voce choir, sang a couple of songs for the Rotary Club of Summerville.

At the time, Tailah, a senior, and Cierra, a junior, were trying to raise enough money to travel to New York City to perform April 13 at historic Carnegie Hall.

Like the rest of Bella Voce, the sisters had participated in several fundraising activities; however, they still did not have enough money for the trip.

At the Rotary Club meeting, Tony Pope, public relations and fundraising chairman of the organization, asked the approximately 60 people in attendance to make a contribution to help the sisters.

The Rotary Club members stepped up to the plate and donated $1400 to support the Michaels’ trip.

“The two young girls did a really nice job singing,” Pope said. “This will be a great experience for them.”

Tailah and Cierra were not the only Bella Voce members to benefit from the Rotary Club’s contributions.

“It was enough to pay off our trip and then some, so we were able to help some other kids, too,” Tailah said. “Our parents were thankful and grateful because we had no idea how we were going to pay for the trip.”

On April 10, Tailah, Cierra and about 35 members of Bella Voce will depart for New York where they will rehearse a few times with the other half dozen choirs with whom they will perform.

“I’m looking forward to it because it’s fun to socialize and perform with other choirs,” Cierra said. “It also gives us an opportunity to learn ways that we can improve.”

Bella Voce was asked to perform at Carnegie Hall by Kirby Shaw, a renowned composer who has sold nearly 20 million copies of his music worldwide.

Last spring, Shaw, an adjudicator at a competition in which Bella Voce performed, was so impressed by the choir that he invited them to Carnegie Hall to perform contemporary and traditional works that he arranged.

SHS Chorus Director Vivian Jones could not be more excited.

“This is an experience of a lifetime for me to take them to Carnegie Hall,” Jones said. “It’s truly an honor that Kirby Shaw took a liking to us.”

Bella Voce has rehearsed for the performance since January and Tailah is confident the choir will perform at a high level.

“There’s always room to improve but I think we’ll do well,” Tailah said. “We improve each and every day.”

Contact Michael Tannebaum at 873-9424 ext. 215 or mtannebaum@journalscene.com

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