Choir students at Ola High School are on a collective mission to make it to the Big Apple, and they’re looking for help locally to get them there.
The group recently secured an invitation from MidAmerica Productions to go to New York City June 25-29, 2021. They are slated to sing with the New England Symphony Ensemble June 28, 2021, at Carnegie Hall.
Mindy Forehand is the choir director at Ola High School. She said she is “determined” to raise enough money for all of her choir participants to go on the trip.
“In order for my kids to sing along, we need at least 75 kids to go,” said Forehand. “But ideally, I’d like all 170 of my kids to go. The only thing holding them back is the financial obligation. It’s truly the chance of a lifetime, and the one thing holding us back is money.”
The cost of the trip, said Forehand, comes to $1,700 per student. In addition to travel expenses the choir is seeking additional funds to help them prepare for their performance, she said.
“We have to pay for rental fees for Carnegie, and rehearsal fees for the ballroom in the hotel they’ll be staying in,” said Forehand.
She said the performance represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her students, and for herself as their conductor.
“I’ve never tried to fundraise so hard in my life,” said Forehand. “It is that big of an opportunity. We’ve had kids sing at Carnegie Hall before in mass combined choirs with singers from all over the world with guest conductors. This is just me, with them.
“Conducting in Carnegie Hall is every choir director’s dream,” she continued. “There are hundreds of thousands of us. And most never make it to Carnegie Hall. I’ve devoted my entire life to changing my children’s life, and I am one of a handful of conductors whose dream is coming true. And, I get to do it with my kids.”
Forehand said MidAmerica Productions is selective in determining which choirs receive an invitation to perform. She praised her students’ efforts in helping them to reach this milestone.
“We are successful because of every kid in chorus,” she said. “I can wave my arms all day long, but my kids all work so hard. They deserve to do something great, and this is one of the greatest things that will ever happen to them. It’s every musician’s dream to be on that stage. We’ve got that offer, and money is the only thing holding us back.”
Forehand added that she and her students are working on several
fundraising opportunities, including a 5K run, a raffle, and a painting class. She said the leadership at Ola High School “100 percent” supports the choir’s efforts to go on the trip. She is hopeful the local community will help her raise the funds they need.
Student Conductor Jared Brooks, a senior, joined the choir in ninth grade and has participated throughout high school. Brooks said he learned three months ago about the possibility of performing at Carnegie Hall and would consider it an honor.
“A lot of choirs pay big money to sing with other choirs at Carnegie Hall,” said Brooks. “The difference is, our choir alone was invited to sing at Carnegie Hall, which is very unheard of. We’re actually the very first choir in our district to ever be invited to sing at Carnegie Hall.”
Brooks said Forehand has been a major component in the choir’s success in recent years.
“We have an amazing director – the way she works with and drives us to be successful every single day,” said Brooks. “She deserves so much credit for what she does with us. “When she came to Ola six years ago, there were only two choirs and about 60 kids. Now, we have four choirs, 170 kids and probably the most successful show in Henry County.”
Edward Fairley, a senior at Ola High School, has been involved in their choir since he was a freshman and now serves as its president. Fairley was one of the first choir members to learn about the possibility of performing in New York City.
Fairley said the invitation to the Big Apple says a lot about the choir’s abilities.
“I was awestruck, especially because our choir specifically was asked,” he said. “It would honestly mean the world. It’s a wonderful opportunity. There are artists all over the world who cannot say they’ve performed at Carnegie Hall. It would be a dream come true, especially understanding the history of Carnegie Hall and its effect on music.”
To make donations for the trip via PayPal, e-mail OHSCarnegie2021@gmail.com. For more information, call 770-288-3222 or e-mail mindy.forehand@henry.k12.ga.us.
