On December 16, Bellefonte High’s Concert Choir embarked on a spectacular opportunity: opening for the famous kickline, The Rockettes, at Radio City Music Hall. Thirty-two Bellefonte students would tackle the big stage of New York City, and have an unforgettable time.
The choir performed two Christmas carols: “Noel Novelet,” a 15th century French carol arranged by Ruth Dwyer, and a vocal jazz rendition of “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year,” arranged by Kirby Shaw.
Starting off at 12:30 p.m., the chorus moved into the Radio City Music Hall and divided into a group tour, where the chorus was ushered around into private areas and even got to meet a famous Rockette. Students were then presented with a short and sweet presentation about what it’s like to be a member of the Rockettes, including the extensive training to get precise coordination with 35 other people.
“I really liked The Radio City Music Hall tour,” sophomore Sierra Kolk said. “My favorite part was singing on the stage because you could see the entirety of the beautiful theater.”
From there, the choir went to Ellen Star Diner, which is a performance based restaurant where the waiters and waitresses sing. While loud, the environment and food was amazing. The staff was having so much fun entertaining the choir, who even got songs dedicated to them.
At last, the time to perform on the Radio City Music Hall stage came a little after 4:00 p.m. While still nervous, the choir calmed their nerves and went onto the stage. Families and friends watched as “Noel Nouvelet” kicked off the performance. Chaperones were given permission to record the opening act, and it was later published to Facebook.
“Performing at Radio City music Hall was a fantastic experience. The space was absolutely beautiful and the acoustic setting was fascinating to perform in. It was very nerve wracking to perform in front of roughly 4,000 people,” junior Eli Rushton said.
This event was a big deal, and makes graduating at the end of the year a bit better. Now, the seniors of the choir can go out with a bang.
As a member of the chorus myself, the Christmas Spectacular show was simply amazing. Seeing the coordination between the Rockettes, the huge set pieces, and hearing the singing of the actors made the experience mind blowing.
Bellefonte High’s Concert Choir had a once-in-a-lifetime experience opening for the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, and everyone had a great time.
