BRICK – The talented vocalists of the Brick Memorial Honors and Alumni Chorus recently took to the stage of the famed Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Current and former members of the Brick Memorial High School Chorus ventured into a once-in-a-lifetime performance. The group joined forces with a larger ensemble comprising singers from various parts of New Jersey and Texas – totaling about 175 voices – ranging from high school students to adults.
Kevin Bettys, Brick Memorial Chorus Director, explained the journey on how the group was invited to the unique experience.
“We were recommended by someone who had worked with MidAmerica Productions, the company that produced the concert,” Bettys said.
The chorus performed Dvořák’s Te Deum and Ērik Ešenvalds’ Trinity Te Deum under the direction of Dr. Jeff Goolsby from Abilene Christian University in Texas. The singers were joined on stage with the New England Symphonic Ensemble; the stunning performance left the audience in awe.
The Brick Memorial Cohort included four current students: Caia Cano, Emily Farrell, Kelly Fitzgerald, and Marley Lego; as well as 18 alumni: Kate Tesch (2016), Maddy Blunck (2019), Catherine Rowe (2020), Kyra Griggs (2022), Mae Hughes (2019), Meg Ramos (2021), Olivia Gonzalez (2015), Alyssa Cuccurullo (2023), Amanda Avignone (2019), Kelsy Cowan (2011), Moire Tivenan (2004), Danny Marks (2023), Ian Gillespie (2018), Maxwell Mahaffey (2020), Jason McCarthy (2017), Josh Beaudoin (2023), Charlie Hughes (2021), and Jason Siewert (2015).
“We had three prep rehearsals, just us, three hours each at the high school before we went into New York City for two rehearsals on March 15 and 16 at the Marriott Marquis for a total of seven hours with the rest of the large chorus, Dr. Goolsby and a pianist,” Bettys said. “On March 17 we had a 35-minute dress rehearsal with New England Symphonic Ensemble in Carnegie Hall which concluded about 45 minutes before the concert.”
The performance marked a significant achievement for the Brick Memorial Chorus, adding to the list of accomplishments of the student’s talents.
“As for the experience, just bringing that many current and former students together and having us all sing together was amazing, but to get to prepare for and actually participate in a performance in a venue as iconic as Carnegie Hall together is a memory I imagine we will all carry with us for a lifetime,” Bettys said, reflecting on the moment. “It’s an opportunity of a lifetime to perform in a venue with a tradition and history as rich as Carnegie Hall’s, and to share it with BMHS Chorus members, past and present, makes it even more special.”
