Poway High School choirs to perform at Carnegie Hall in NYC

Two of Poway High School’s choirs will be performing on stage at Carnegie Hall in New York City on Monday — and will be joined on the trip by a special guest.

The Women’s Ensemble and Die Lieders choir groups will be traveling to New York City, along with Nancy Gray, the director of choral activities at Poway High School, on April 9, where they will get to play tourist and explore the city before performing at Carnegie Hall as part of a Masterworks concert series put on by Manhattan Concert Productions.

The students will be joined by a special tour guide, PHS Principal Ron Garrett, who is a native New Yorker. “He’s coming with us to play tour guide,” said Gray. “He gave us a presentation on how to get around the city. The kids are really excited, he’ll be joining them for most activities.”

The two PHS choirs will join several other choirs and the New York Chamber Orchestra to perform Mozart’s “Solemn Vespers,” a 35-minute long piece. “It’s quite an honor,” said Gray. “Poway High is the only high school choir doing it. It’s a big challenge.”

Gray said that the two choirs have been preparing to perform the piece since last fall.

The students will also attend a post-concert reception at Planet Hollywood.

Gray said the students will be seeing “Matilda” on Broadway; visiting Coney Island, the 9/11 Memorial Site, the Museum of Modern Art and the Empire State Building during their time there. “They’ll have the chance to have fun while we’re there, though the focus will be on the concert,” said Gray.