Three upper school students, Ayushi Gautam (10), Ishanya Anthapur (11), and Shazdeh Hussain (12), performed at Carnegie Hall in the High School Honors Performance Series on Feb. 16, amongst the world’s elite musical students.

In order to be selected into the program, these students underwent an application process including their complete performing biography and an audition recording. Prior to going to New York for the five-day excursion, students also had to prepare six different songs to prepare for their training. Once they arrived, this practice was supplemented by three rigorous eight-hour rehearsals with the conductors of the show.

The three high school students were placed in choirs comprising of as many as eight varying musical parts of both boys and girls from Shanghai and Doha to Ohio. They worked under under Dr. Lynne Gackle, the associate professor of ensembles at Baylor University, during their entire stay. Gackle helped them organize their performance songs and combine their voices before the show.

“Working with someone as inspiring as Lynne Gackle was an absolute treat,” Shazdeh said. “Making a collective unit out of 178 people that had never even met before, seeing that progression, was a true honor.”

The students performed in front of several audience members for the final show in Carnegie Hall. They introduced the entire program before the invited college and professional representatives of global music programs came to perform.

“The experience was mind-blowing. Just being in the hall is such an honor. Actually performing there is indescribable. The resonance is perfect. I remember being able to hear the overtones of out intricate harmonies and the echoey, majestic feel when we finished a piece,” Ishanya said. “During the performance, I got really excited after our first piece and couldn’t stop smiling.”

Shazdeh also agreed that the performance was a surreal experience.

“I remember snapshots of looking up at the rows upon rows of audience members and laughing pretty loudly on stage when I almost tripped in my heels. That’s a long-winded way of saying it was an out-of-body kind of moment for me,” Shazdeh said. “I just remember exhaling, wow […] this is never going to happen again.”

Though much time was dedicated to preparing for the performance, students also experienced the New York City’s performing arts and tourist sights, including visiting Broadway, seeing celebrities, and roaming lower Manhattan.

“I saw a jazz review called After Midnight starring the singer Fantasia and Dulé Hill from Psych. That was extremely awesome — it is one of the experiences I’ll never forget- also because the review was very audience involved and at one point, I couldn’t help but start like rockin’ out to […] jazz classics,” Ishanya said. “I also went to the restaurant Butter by Alex Guarnaschelli (a chef who is frequently on Food Network) and got her autograph. The Empire State Building at night was stunningly beautiful, too.”

Similar opportunities will be given to the choir members in the near future as well.

This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on March 12, 2014.