Eleven girls from Basking Ridge, members of the New Jersey Youth Chorus, had the time of their lives singing America the Beautiful with Queen Latifah at MetLife Stadium in the Super Bowl pre-game show. The local choristers included Era Atre, Emily Balseiro, Ariaki Dandawate, Claire Fiocco, Julia Fiocco, Claire Jones, Emily Jones, Madeline Kraft, Virginia Lafean, Malaika Ravindran, and Alexandra Szabo.
The chorus rehearsed on Friday, January 31, on the stadium field with Queen Latifah, who chatted and took selfies with the girls. The chorus then headed into New York City to perform on Super Bowl Boulevard in Times Square. Before a packed city street they sang songs from the Great American Song Book, including Lullaby of Broadway, I Got Rhythm, Just the Way You Look Tonight, and God Bless America.
On Sunday, the chorus and other young performers from marching bands across the state spent the afternoon in a reserved theater near the stadium, having lunch and getting ready for the big show. At about 3:30 pm they boarded 17 buses and were taken by a police escort to the stadium. The choristers received the puffy white jackets, white scarves and red gloves they would be wearing, and then headed inside the stadium. One of the highlights for the girls was overhearing world-renowned opera singer Rene Fleming warming up before she sang the National Anthem.
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The Advanced Chorus took the field shortly before 6:00 pm, amazed by the lights and the roar of the crowd – by far their largest audience. Singing with Queen Latifah, in that incredible setting, was an experience they will remember for a lifetime. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Nn5Iyxzzig
The next opportunity to hear the New Jersey Youth Chorus will be at their annual Chocolate Fest fundraiser, Sunday, February 9, 12:00 – 5:00 pm, at The Dolce, 300 North Maple Avenue in Basking Ridge. It will feature many wonderful vendors, a Silent Auction, Tricky Tray, and special guests.
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The New Jersey Youth Chorus, founded in 1992, is an auditioned choral program for children in grades one through twelve, divided into five ensembles: First Steps to Music (grades 1 – 2), Apprentice Chorus (grades 3 – 4), Intermediate Chorus (grades 5-7), Advanced Treble Chorus (grades 8-12), and Young Men’s Ensemble (grades 7 – 12 for changing and changed voices). The Chorus performs locally, nationally and internationally for community, civic and corporate audiences. Over two hundred choristers come from almost 40 towns in six counties of New Jersey. The heart of its mission to provide quality music education that encourages young people’s love and appreciation of choral music and nurtures their individual growth and development.
The Advanced Chorus recently had the honor of being selected by renowned choral composer Z Randall Stroope to record three pieces of his music. The Chorus performs frequently with many professional ensembles, including the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Canadian Brass. They have worked with Oscar and Grammy-award winning composer Marvin Hamlisch and Bill Conti, composer of television and movie themes, including Rocky. They were a featured choir at the 2008 and 2012 American Choral Directors Association’s Conference, and the only children’s choir to be invited to sing at Chorus America’s 2009 National Conference. They have also sung with Irish tenor, Ronan Tynan, appeared on the Today Show, and have sung at Carnegie Hall. The Advanced Chorus has participated in numerous festivals in New Orleans, Hawaii, Canada and England, and has toured Italy, Ireland, Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany.
The Chorus regularly hosts visiting youth choirs, such as Cantus, the premier men’s ensemble in the United States, the Drakensberg Boys Choir from South Africa, the Bach Children’s Chorus from Canada, the Crypt Choir from King's School in Canterbury, England, the Lincoln Boys Choir from Nebraska, Colgate 13 and Ithacapella.
The choir's "Kids for Kids" mission includes opportunities to perform and assist children’s organizations and charities. The choir's "Kids for Kids" mission includes opportunities to perform and assist children’s organizations and charities. Funds have been raised for a summer camp for children of September 11 victims, Hearts Across the Ocean, for children needing open heart surgery in India, the American Cancer Society, Bryan’s Dream Foundation, for children with brain tumors, and others. In the fall of 2011, they performed at the Saving Grace Gala in NYC, which benefited the Preeclampsia Foundation and the Foundation for America’s Blood Centers. During the Gala, they premiered a new piece written by Jim Papoulis, specifically for the event. They have performed for the Matthew Larson Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation’s Gala in NYC, and the Greg Wolf Foundation, among other fundraising events.
For further information, please visit the website at www.njyouthchorus.org or call (973) 998-5670.
