A Riverview High School student, Hannah Hewett, recently had the opportunity to perform as a vocalist with the Honors Concert Choir at Carnegie Hall in New York City. George Mason University’s Honors Performance Series is an opportunity for young vocalists from all over the world to perform under the best conductors at prestigious concert halls.
Hewett is a member of the Riverview High School Chamber Choir, the Victorian Christmas Choir, the Harmonix Group, a church choir and has studied piano and voice privately for years.
This year, 10,000 nominations were sent out for auditions, and only 500 students were selected to perform with this concert choir. Hewett was invited to audition with the concert choir, and she submitted her application, resume and two audition pieces. She was then selected to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City, led by conductor Jeffrey L. Ames, Ph.D.
In addition to the prestige of performing under world-class conductors, students who participate in this concert series are eligible for college credit with George Mason University.
Marion Gomez, music director for the Honors Performance Series, stated, “Being selected to the Honors Performance Series is something each finalist should be extremely proud of accomplishing. Working with these conductors and performing at these renowned music halls is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that these musicians will never forget.”
Hewett participated in the choir as a first alto singer and performed with the Honors Concert Choir for the matinee showing on February 10. The concert lasted approximately two hours and consisted of three performances by an orchestra and two choral groups. The Honors Concert Choir performed seven songs: “Gloria Fanfare” by Dr. Jeffery L. Ames; “Rytmus” by Ivan Hrusovsky; “Svjati Boze” by Lisa Milena Simikic; “Night Vision” by Stephen Chatman; “Northern Lights” by Eriks Esenvalds; “I Wanna Be Ready,” a traditional spiritual; and “We Shall Overcome” by Zilphia Horton, Frank Hamilton, Guy Carawan and Pete Seeger.
Hewett said of her experience in New York City, “I was so excited to perform in such a prestigious venue like Carnegie Hall, to work with a wonderful conductor like Dr. Ames and my fellow concert choir performers from around the world and to take in all the sights and sounds of New York City for five days. It was such a great, once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I wish it would have lasted longer.”
