Chorus to Perform at Carnegie Hall

The chorus is preparing for a special performance at Carnegie Hall on Dec 10. This will be the group’s third consecutive year at the venue. As the Pioneer reported in its Oct. 26 issue, Music Professor Mark Shapiro’s connection with Carnegie Hall paved the way for the music students’ performances.

Junior music major Veronica Nguyen, a member of the chorus, is excited to sing at the historic venue. “It’s a really fantastic experience,” Nguyen said. “Singing at Carnegie Hall is really like nothing else. You can really feel the history and the magnitude of where you’re performing when you’re standing on that stage.”

Nguyen is a seasoned singer, as she started singing in middle school. She is ready for the moment but admits that when singing at a place as famous and appreciated as Carnegie Hall, she needs to calm her nerves. “It’s definitely a lot higher [amount of] pressure. You really have to know all the ins and outs of your music; you have to be prepared because time on the Carnegie Hall stage is really valuable,” she said. “You really only get one shot at it.”

The chorus has been working since the start of the semester to make sure the performance goes on without a hitch.

Leading the choir is Professor Shapiro, who is the director of Choral Studies. Nguyen praised Shapiro noting that he stresses that the students understand music theory concepts as well as using listening skills to “sing by ear” (not reading notes).

Shapiro also directs the Cecilia Chorus of New York in New York City. The Cecilia Chorus will be performing with the LIU chorus at Carnegie Hall. In addition to another chorus, professional singers, as well as an orchestra will be added to the choir. Combining both choruses, Nguyen estimates that there will be about 200 people singing.