Hamilton Alumni to Conduct at Carnegie Hall in the Big Apple
Kim Evans Carson, 2003, Penney High School graduate has been the choir instructor at Truman High School in Independence for the last five years. This school year got off to a typical start with students anxious to reconnect and start making music. Less than 24 hours later, everyone’s life changed dramatically. Carson received a phone call from Dr. David Rayl, a former professor from Michigan State University, inviting her and her students to perform under his direction on May 29 at Carnegie Hall in New York City! Recognizing the opportunity of a lifetime, Carson immediately accepted.
Her acceptance set in motion a hectic schedule preparing music to perform a twenty-minute program as the featured choir. The Truman choir will then join four other nationwide choirs, accompanied by the New England Symphony, to perform Dan Forrest’s, “Requiem For the Living.” This will be the school’s first solo appearance and second combined performance at Carnegie Hall since the school was founded in 1964.
In addition to preparing musically for the event, the choir has been engaged in moneymaking activities to raise the $150,000 necessary to cover expenses. At this time, the students are just $10,000 short of their goal. Carson is excited to announce that the Independence choir will perform for a dinner theater production in her hometown. The students will perform their twenty-minute Carnegie program as well as pop tunes through the decades. A live band will accompany the choir during Act II.
If you can’t make it to Carnegie Hall on May 29 at 8 p.m., be sure to attend the dinner theater presentation on May 5 at the Hamilton United Methodist Church! Richard and Linda Evans will be catering an Italian meal beginning at 5:30 p.m. with the concert to follow at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15.00 per plate and must be purchased in advance. To reserve tickets, please call the Hamilton United Methodist Church at 816-583-2325 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday, or leave a message on the answering machine if you call after hours. All proceeds go directly to the Truman High School choir account for their trip.
