Carnegie Hall: breathtaking and unforgettable

New York City. The Big Apple. The city that never sleeps.

From April 1-5, I had the privilege to travel with my fellow A Capella choir members to New York City. Last year, we were surprised that the CVHS A Capella choir was chosen to perform in Carnegie Hall, the most prestigious musical stage in the nation. With the help of the community of Castro Valley and the other CVHS choirs, we were finally ready for Carnegie.

The week before spring break, I had a hard time believing it was really happening. The day was coming up fast. It felt like we had just started fundraising and spreading the news to the community.

Friday morning finally arrived. I eagerly woke up, despite it being 3 a.m. It was truly happening. We were heading to the East Coast. When I arrived at the San Francisco International Airport, many peers talked about not even sleeping before because of the excitement.

When we reached New York, everything was different. I don’t remember the last time I went to New York, but it was a sight. The weather, lights, buildings, taxis, and people really created an environment that many residents of the Bay Area would not be used to.

Besides preparing for our performances, we were able to explore New York City with tours, restaurants, a cruise, a Broadway show, and much more.

Other than the cold weather and having sore legs from walking, the whole trip was fun and memorable.

Then came Carnegie. On Monday, we held one last rehearsal with the other choirs from around the nation. We were to perform in a mass choir, but we also held the honor of opening the concert in a spotlight performance as CVHS A Capella. Walking onto the stage, the view brought amazement to everyone. I was speechless. New York is always known for building up instead of out, but looking out at the Hall from the stage was a beautiful and breathtaking sight. The view was incomparable. It’s engraved in our memories for the rest of our lives.

When we sang in our spotlight performance, we represented the Bay Area, CVHS, and our music program. Now we prepare for the most prestigious state choral competition, the Golden State Choral Competition, and we will come confident, prepared, and ready.