Jones High students have a date at Carnegie
Student musicians at Jones High have their sights set on the bright lights of New York — not as tourists but as stars.
Members of the Orlando school’s concert choir and wind ensemble are preparing for an April performance at Carnegie Hall — the concert venue so prestigious that in the music world its name is synonymous with success. Jones is one of only nine schools nationwide invited to the festival.
“People dream of just going to New York City, but to be on one of the biggest stages in the world … I can’t get a grasp on it, except I’m going to remember it the rest of my life,” said singer Jonathan Grant, 18, a senior at the school that serves the Parramore neighborhood west of downtown Orlando.
The two performing groups were selected to participate in World-Strides Festival at Carnegie Hall, meaning they would perform in the historic Manhattan building where headliners
have included Igor Stravinsky, Benny Goodman, Judy Garland, Billie Holiday and Tchaikovsky — who conducted his own work for the building’s opening in 1890.
Although the old joke says the way to get to Carnegie Hall is through practice, the journey also requires a sizable financial commitment. Organizers hope a fundraising dinner and concert today will help.
About $200,000 will be needed for 100 students and chaperones to participate in the three-day trip, which includes time for sightseeing and a Broadway show. Orange County Public Schools policy means the students have to raise the money themselves — though administrators are supportive.
“Giving our students this once-in-a-lifetime experience will enrich our entire student population and let our top musicians display their talents — letting the world know why we are the great Jones High School,” said principal Allison Kirby while promoting this weekend’s fundraiser.
WorldStrides is the country’s largest educational travel company and works with more than 400,000 students each year. About 4,000 students from more than 90 schools will participate in the Carnegie Hall program this year.
It’s not uncommon for student music groups to seek funds for performance opportunities, said Scott Evans, the Orange district’s senior administrator for visual and performing arts.
For example, students from University High and Freedom High are raising money for a trip to an American Choral Directors Association conference in Kentucky, where they have been asked to perform.
So far, the Jones students have raised about $70,000, said Andrea Green, the school’s choral director. “We’ve got a long way to go.”
Mayor Buddy Dyer is urging the community to support the endeavor.
“Clearly, this prestigious invitation is unique and honors our city,” Dyer wrote in a public letter that asked donors to “help make this dream trip a reality for these deserving youth, who I know will represent our city with pride.”
Green is determined money won’t stop her students, but she admits it keeps her up at night.
“I’m stressed, but I just keep moving forward,” she said. “It’s going to happen.”
She and Jones band director Jamaal Nicholas are in constant communication planning the trip.
“This bond right now is so close,” said Nicholas. Besides their love of music, the two share a love of Jones. Both graduated from the school before returning to teach there — Green in 1988, Nicholas in 2009.
They run rehearsals four days each week; students also practice on their own after school. The hard work was evident on the audio recording submitted to the selection panel last year.
“WorldStrides was very impressed by both the choral and instrumental ensembles from Jones,” said Marion Gomez, general manager of the OnStage Festivals at Carnegie Hall program. “In fact, the choral group has been selected as the featured choir for the event.”
That honor means that besides performing in a mass chorus with the other schools’ students, the Jones singers will take the stage by themselves.
“I can’t wait to see what the big thrill of Carnegie Hall is,” said Johnta Barber, a 15-year-old sophomore who plays percussion instruments such as timpani and marimba. “I just can’t wait to get there.”