I was lost in Manhattan once and stopped to ask someone for directions. “Excuse me,” I said, “but do you know how to get to Carnegie Hall?”

In a thick New York accent they said, “Practice.”

That’s exactly how RLRS senior Eric White got to Carnegie Hall on the week of February 9–12, lots and lots and lots of practice. Eric had been selected for the High School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall. Participation in the Honors Ensemble is limited to the highest-rated young performers from around the world.

Eric auditioned for the Honors Performance Series and was accepted after a review by the Honors Selection Board. Acceptance to the elite group is a direct result of the talent, dedication, and achievements demonstrated in his application and audition recording.

Eric has studied music since middle school and is a member of Rangeley High School’s Drama Club and chorus, and is a regular performer in Rangeley Friends of the Arts productions. “Singing on the Carnegie stage was an experience of a lifetime,” Eric said. “One of my favorite things about music is how it can unite people.”

Eric was accompanied on this trip by his music teacher Erin Perkins. They began fundraising to make this opportunity possible the minute after he heard he was accepted to participate. It required being in Manhattan for five nights, so they held a live concert at The Lakeside Theater and Eric was also able to collect donations on his individual Honors Performance Series page. Folks stepped up and donated and this garnered enough that his goal was met with time to spare.

“Being selected to the Honors Performance Series is something each Finalist should be extremely proud of accomplishing,” said Marion Gomez, Music Director for the Honors Performance Series. “We processed nearly 10,000 nominations this year and have selected the most talented student performers from around the world. Working with these conductors and performing at this renowned music hall is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that these student singers will never forget.”

This year’s conductor was Dr. Jeffery L. Ames, a distinguished composer and educator currently serving as Director of Choral Activities and Professor of Music at Belmont University. He oversaw 170 vocalists as they practiced from 9-5 on February 8 and 9, giving an afternoon performance on Saturday, February 10. They sang seven songs in all. Eric’s two favorites were “Rytmus,” with a stress on diction and pitch, and “Night Vision,” adapted from a Stephen Chatman poem of the same name.

Eric and Erin took full advantage of all that New York City had to offer. “We are so grateful,” Erin said, “to all who donated to help make this trip possible. Singing at Carnegie is such an amazing opportunity, but just being in New York City and experiencing the hustle and bustle of it all is a life altering experience itself.”

Eric and Erin also got to see two Broadway musicals, Hadestown and Sweeney Todd, which the RFA had put on two summers ago and they both had starred in. Eric wants to give a shoutout to Mr. Finnegan Fox, his newly adopted stuffed animal, but, especially, to all of the good people who helped him realize this experience. How will he achieve his dreams? Practice.

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