<![CDATA[

For more than 125 years, Carnegie Hall has hosted some of the most talented performers from across the world. Last week, a young Bellevue singer joined their ranks when she was selected to be a part of an international choir ensemble.

Madeline Hedges was one of dozens of students from around the globe chosen to perform at storied Carnegie Hall through the venue’s High School Honors Performance Series on Feb. 7. The Sammamish High School 10th grader — who has been singing as long as she can remember — said she was awed by the experience.

“It was absolutely amazing. The acoustics (in Carnegie Hall) are just out of this world, and it’s just so beautiful. Just knowing who performed there — we were backstage for awhile before the performance and we could see pictures of the people who have performed there. To be on the same stage as them just blew my mind,” she said.

The opportunity was established to showcase some of the most talented student performers in high school, according to travel organization WorldStrides, which presents the event. It challenges elite students, who rehearse and perform under master conductors and allows them to perform before invited representatives from collegiate and professional music programs.

It also includes middle school, orchaestra and band ensembles.

“I was nervous because I didn’t know anybody else who was going, and just knowing that I was going to be around the best singers in the world was a little nervewracking,” Hedges said of the days leading up to the trip.

Performers must be recommended by a music director or teacher in addition to submitting an application and audition recording. Hedges, however, has no clue who recommended her and hadn’t actually heard of the series until her mother received an email saying she had been nominated.

After sorting through scores of applicants, performers from 49 U.S. states, Guam, four provinces of Canada, Armenia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Oman, the Philippines, Qatar, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates were chosen for the 2016 series.

“It’s just interesting to see the different cultures,” Hedges said. “A lot of them have different ways of learning their music.”

The choir performed six songs, ranging from a classical piece by Johann Sebastian Bach to a Lebanese folk song.

Each performer learned the pieces — some in languages foreign to them — on their own at home using practice videos before arriving in New York. Once the ensemble joined together, the students practiced for 18 hours over the two days leading up to the concert.

“I was really sad right after that the performance was over. It’s a lot of build up, and it’s over so fast,” Hedges said.

Hedges didn’t dwell for long.

After returning home, she quickly jumped into more rehearsals and another performance for the all-state choir competition on Feb. 14, taking the lessons she learned in New York with her.

“It was just an amazing experience. The directors taught us a lot and I really learned how to be a better musician,” she said.

]]>