Members of the high school “Take Note” vocal ensemble had the exciting and memorable experience of a lifetime performing with Christian artist Lauren Daigle at her sold-out concert on Saturday, January 26 in Carnegie Hall in New York City. Six high school students, along with Music Director Jaron Beadle and Event Coordinator Jessica Martin, sang 15 songs with Daigle as part of a 200-voice select choir and also had the opportunity to meet Ms. Daigle and have a picture taken with her.
The concert experience was the highlight of a three-day trip to New York City that began on Friday, January 25. The ensemble spent eight hours in rehearsals that day, and then had an enjoyable evening together seeing the Disney Broadway show “Aladdin.” On Saturday, after the thrilling concert experience, the ensemble enjoyed a dinner cruise in the New York harbor, getting to see the city skyscraper lights and stopping in front of the Statue of Liberty for pictures, although it was very chilly! On Sunday, the group took the subway to Brooklyn Tabernacle for church, where they heard the choir and an amazing sermon by Pastor Jim Cymbala. There was also time for some sightseeing, including a stop at Rockefeller Center. The students who were part of the trip were: 9th grader Elizabeth Alford, 10th grader Rebekah Kimmerley, 9th grader Mia Liggins, 11th grader Ashleigh Martin, and 12th graders Lola Oguntuase and Imohimi Unuigbe. Ensemble member and 10th grader Sydney Pearson also participated in part of the experience.
The students had the special privilege of working with songwriters and arrangers, Paul and Brett Mabury, in rehearsal and during the concert. The Maburys shared the stories behind the songs and both they and Ms. Daigle expressed their hope during the rehearsals that the messages in the songs would help bring change into this broken world. One highlight was getting to see the arranger, Brett Mabury, beam with joy while directing the choir and orchestra in his favorite song “This Girl.”
Each member of the ACS group had a different song that touched them while singing, even bringing tears to their eyes. They also loved working with the conductor, Mr. Rommel Guignon from Hawthorne Gospel Church in New Jersey, who encouraged them in every way to worship and listen to the words they were singing. “This was an outstanding learning experience singing with a large group of talented, multi-generational singers from across the country and working with different professional musicians and artists to make a beautiful, joyful noise to the Lord,” said Event Coordinator Jessica Martin. “We look forward to how God will use this experience in these students’ lives going forward.”
