GRAND FORKS — In continuing with tradition, the Grand Cities Children’s Choir returned to New York City to perform this past week. Six years ago, the choir performed at Carnegie Hall. This year, the choir performed at two historic churches and participated in a Broadway clinic.
The trip is taken by the children’s choir every three years, give or take, to build camaraderie, teach responsibility and reward the children’s hard work with a great setting to perform in.
“Every other trip we try to do something pretty big,” conductor Jack Boyer said. “We thought it would be fun to go back to New York this year.”
This time around came with a travelling snafu as snowstorms in the Twin Cities canceled flights and forced the group to stay in Harrison, New Jersey, while awaiting a different flight. They are expected to return to Grand Forks by Wednesday.
While they are currently stuck in a hotel, the trip has been very rewarding for conductors and performers alike.
“It is really amazing to see. It’s been really rewarding to see them kind of come into their own a little bit to grow musically, grow personally as we go about this trip,” Boyer said.
At the Broadway Up Close workshop, students were able to take in a conversation with Broadway actor Michael Patrick Walker and sing some famous Broadway tunes. This was followed by seeing Aladdin at the New Amsterdam Theatre.
The group also sang at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City.
Grand Cities Children’s Choir performing at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City.
Contributed/Jack Boyer
“It was amazing for these kids to see churches that even look like that because we just don’t have them in Grand Forks,” Boyer said. “Singing in there is a little different than the Red River choir room.”
Both European-style churches and made of stone, St John the Divine is considered to be the fourth largest church in the world. Other churches that are greater in size are considered basilicas.
“Acoutsically, it sounded amazing. They sounded so good in there. The final notes just rang out for 10 seconds in this big hall. It was cool to perform in these different venues,” Boyer said.
As of Monday evening, holed up in a hotel, the group has had some movie nights and participated in Grand Cities trivia while they await the next flight back home.
Digital Content Producer and Sports Reporter at the Grand Forks Herald since December of 2020. Maxwell can be contacted at mmarko@gfherald.com.