Photo Credit: Zury Ramirez
by Carly Shaw, Staff Writer
A group of a hundred people, made up of Concert Choir members, their families, and even FVHS faculty, traveled across the country to New York City on Thursday, April 16, for their annual choir tour. Choir director and trip coordinator Kevin Tison spent months planning the trip, including taking two planning trips to New York. After months of planning and over six hours of flying, the group had an opportunity to truly embrace New York. The group spent the week visiting everything from classic New York landmarks to Broadway shows and everything in between.
“[When coming up with the different activities,] I tried to create a variety that would appease to all of the students, because when you have 68 students and a lot of adults and parents on the trip, you want to find activities that are going to be of interest to everyone, including some that are cultural, artistic, or historical,” said Tison.
While in New York, Concert Choir had the opportunity to sing in a few venues. The first and probably most prominent venue was Carnegie Hall in Midtown Manhattan. Carnegie Hall is known as the most prestigious concert stage in the U.S. and having a chance to sing in that venue would be an amazing opportunity for any choir. The second New York venue that Concert Choir was able to sing at was the Statue of Liberty. Among the songs sung, they performed the Star Spangled Banner and Precious Lord, some of the group’s favorite songs.
“Performing at Carnegie Hall and the Statue of Liberty were my favorite parts. They’re very unique places that not many people get the chance of going to so it was definitely the highlight of the trip,” said Emerald Nguyen(‘15), Choir Board President and member of Concert Choir.
In addition to singing in many incredible venues, the group was able to experience many exciting excursions along the way. Each student had the choice of two exciting activities, including a trip to Central Park, shopping on 5th Avenue, and walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, among other opportunities to explore the Big Apple. The group also had the opportunity to attend Les Miserables on Broadway and talk to the cast after the show. The talk with the cast gave to choir members important insight into the art of performing.
Photo Credit: Zury Ramirez
“I met my Broadway crush Ramin Karimloo! It was way more than I ever expected. Mr. Tison really outdid himself and I know that this trip was memorable to me and to everyone else who attended,” said Zury Ramirez (‘15), Concert Choir member and trip attendee.
Despite the extensive planning and a busy schedule, the trip was a great experience for everyone who attended, giving them the opportunity to sing in amazing venues and to explore New York.
