The Albert Lea community should be very proud of their young people who recently traveled to New York City. Sixty-eight members of the Albert Lea High School concert choir and 27 parents and family members rode coach buses 24 hours to the Big Apple and back.

While in the city they saw the Empire State Building, Grand Central Station, Times Square, Greenwich Village, Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center, Lincoln Center, Central Park, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Chinatown, Little Italy, Wall Street and the 9/11 Memorial site. They experienced a live musical performance at the Birdland Jazz Club and Broadway shows, “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Mamma Mia.” They sang beautifully at St. John the Divine, for a Broadway Magic clinic with performers from a Broadway show, at St. Paul’s Chapel, at Church of the Village and briefly in Grand Central Station. They finished off their trip with a harbor cruise and dinner/dance around Manhattan Island and the Statue of Liberty. Their music visibly touched many as gracious words of thanks and tears were shared with the students. With our community’s help they were able to give a generous donation to the food pantry sponsored by the church congregation in Greenwich Village.

Not only am I proud of my student’s beautiful music making, but also their cooperative nature and adventurous spirit. They were respectful, polite, on time and appreciative of this whole experience. Too many times the newspaper is full of bad news about kids, but we should all be proud of our quality high school students here!

Thanks to the whole community for all the generous financial assistance given to the choir students through donations and sponsorship of our many fundraisers! We could not have made it happen without it. A big thank you to the parents who went along to chaperone and manage students, and a huge shout out to the Albert Lea Bus Co. drivers, who maneuvered through nasty traffic, broken mirrors and snowy roads to get us to our destinations safely.

We would love for you to hear us sing at our remaining concerts this year including the show choir showcase on April 6 and our spring choir concert on May 13. Thanks again, Albert Lea!

 

Diane Heaney
choral director
Albert Lea High School
Albert Lea