Waynesboro Concert Choir departs for New York City

Alicia Rimel, The News Virginian
Published: April 18, 2008

After weeks of preparation and anticipation, the Waynesboro High School Concert Choir embarked by bus for New York City today at 10 a.m. The students are scheduled to perform at Carnegie Hall on Monday at 8 p.m., featured as part of a mass choir comprised of other high school groups from across the nation.
“They [students] are very excited,” said Jeff Ryman, Waynesboro High School’s concert choir director. “They seem to be twittering right now.”
The trip will be packed with more than the choir’s historical performance at Carnegie Hall. After arrival in New York, the students will travel downtown to board a free ferry to Staten Island to visit the Statue of Liberty. Their first day in the city will also include a walk to Ground Zero and the New York Stock Exchange.
Saturday morning will begin with a three hour morning practice, followed by a 3 p.m. performance at the United Nations Building. That evening will be a chance for students to unwind. Provided by Mid-America Productions, producer of the Carnegie Hall concert, choir members will enjoy a visit to the Empire State Building. Shopping and sight-seeing will follow.
Sunday morning will offer a chance to recharge for the following day. An afternoon rehearsal will be followed by a Broadway showing of Mary Poppins.
On Monday morning, between 8-9 a.m., the students will be featured on the CBS Early Show; the choir members were invited to be a part of the broadcast by producer Steve Cohen. A brief tour of the studio will follow. After a break, the students will attend a dress rehearsal at 2 p.m.
At 8 p.m., the Carnegie performance will begin. The students will be featured after the show’s first intermission. Afterwards, students will make their way to the audience to witness the remainder of the performance. Mid-America will treat the choir to a dinner cruise on the harbor following the concert.
On Tuesday, the choir will make the trek back to Waynesboro.
“Probably, for some of them, they have never been to New York,” said parent Carol Elliot. “I feel that, from what I’ve been told, that this is going to be one of the more unique trips they’ve ever taken because of what they’re going to do [concert] along with these other things that they will get to do.”