A mixed ensemble of Tappan Zee High School Chorale and Concert Choir members are performing as part of the opening act of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular this Friday!
Students will be performing “A Winter Snow Dreamscape,” an original arrangement by Choral Director Russell Wagner, DMA, who will conduct. “This is a new 4:30 minute arrangement that I wrote for the students that has a snow theme, including “White World of Winter,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Frosty the Snowman,” “Let It Snow,” “It’s a Marshmallow World” and “White Christmas.” The hall gives us a five-minute window to perform anything Christmas-related that is acapella, so each year I compose a new arrangement for the attending ensemble.”
A tremendous amount of preparation is required for this event each year and having lost nearly a year of ensemble students practicing together, in-person makes this experience that much more meaningful.
“It is always my objective to see that our students have as many opportunities as possible to connect with professionals in the music industry and to see the wide variety of musical possibilities as both a musician and consumer of music,” Wagoner noted. “For many high school students, the opportunity to perform at Radio City Music Hall and Carnegie Hall are rare. I love that we can provide these chances for students to perform at prestigious venues and be part of their rich history. Alumni often remark that these experiences are highlights not only of their high school career, but their lives.”
In addition to tomorrow’s performance at Radio City, students have been invited to perform as part of a mass choir with conductor Rollo Dilworth at Carnegie Hall in April 2022. They will be premiering two new works by Elaine Hagenberg and Andrea Ramsey and performing other notable choral works.
