The Seton Catholic Central Select Choir, led by Jan Deangelo, is about to embark on its annual trip to The Big Apple. The group has been steadily practicing and improving throughout the school year and is ready to showcase its talents on the big stage. They will be competing in this year’s upcoming New York City Heritage Festival this April. Aside from performing, the squad of about thirty singers will be participating in several memorable activities.

The choir is known for outperforming larger and older groups. The small-but-mighty team contains several middle schoolers and a limited number of singers. Their lacking number of singers is most evident in their men’s tenor and baritone sections which consist of just a few guys each. Despite this, they do not fall behind. This is much in part to the consistent leadership and mentorship of the veterans. Upperclassmen choir members can often be seen on Sundays helping with the pronunciation of Latin and Swahili lyrics, mastering advanced rhythmic schemes, and demonstrating confidence in their abilities. Not only that, but former members of all ages regularly participate in local concerts and events to help out. To top it off, the leadership and extra time invested by the Deangelos combined with rigorous three-hour practice sessions every week make this group of young singers experienced and confident beyond their years.

Throughout the trip, from 4/27 – 4/30, the choir will have a full plate. They will receive a backstage tour of Radio City Music Hall at the Rockefeller Center which is sure to be fascinating. They will also be participating in both a Stage Combat workshop and a Broadway Workshop as the majority of Select Choir members also perform in the school drama productions. You can read about their most recent production “Hello Dolly!”, in our recap article. Finally, the group will be competing in the New York City Heritage Festival where, following a first-place finish in a virtual competition last year, they’re looking to make a statement. Besides the performances with the whole choir, there will also be other performances. This includes a quintet of Isabella Williams, Bridget Curran, Peyton Force, Mary Redmore, and Shannon Hayes, and small groups such as this one will be competing together and looking to make their own statements as well.

The work ethic and dedication of the Select Choir will be on display in April, as the singers are put to the test in NYC. The itinerary will serve to provide the kids with a memorable four days to explore and take on the big city. The Voice of The Saints and the entire Seton community wish them luck as they continue to prepare for April.