Memorial Park Choirs Heading to Carnegie Hall
Record Number: 8523 Displayed from: Feb 27 2012 12:00AM, until: Apr 27 2012 12:00AMTwo choirs from Memorial Park Middle School will perform at the National Middle School Choir Festival at
Carnegie Hall in New York City this weekend, a dream come true for the 38 students who will participate.
The students involved in 78 Edition and MP Jazz earned the trip to Carnegie Hall after receiving gold ratings
at the Heritage Festival in Washington, D.C., last May. Memorial Park was the only middle school in the high
school-level competition, but the vocal jazz singers had the highest score of the performing choirs.
Students and their chaperones will leave on a bus Thursday, March 1, and return Monday, March 5. They will be
one of six middle school choirs performing at Carnegie Hall on Sunday, March 4, under the direction of Rollo
Dilworth. The music for the program was assigned to the school and includes a piece by Mozart, a Hebrew folk
song, a traditional Japanese song, a Quaker hymn, "Shenandoah" and a spiritual.
Since learning of the trip, students, parents and staff members spent many hours raising money for the trip,
including a variety of fundraisers and asking friends and family members to give personally.
"We have been working tirelessly over the last year to make this trip a reality," said Jana Root,
director of the choirs. "Our students have put in many hours practicing as well as raising money for this
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We are so proud of their accomplishments and their commitment to their
dreams."
© Fort Wayne Community Schools | May 19th 2013