Rahway High School Choir Performs at Carnegie Hall (No, Really. This Isn't the Start of a Joke!)

Rahway High School Choir Sings at Carnegie Hall in NYC

There is an old joke about how a musician gets to Carnegie Hall: practice, practice, practice. For the Rahway High School choir, the real answer was a little more communal.

Union County Life is sharing the story of how Rahway's young singers found their way to one of the most famous stages in the world. This past weekend, the Rahway High School choir traveled to New York City to rehearse and perform as part of the National Youth Chorus program, joining student singers from other states inside Carnegie Hall's Isaac Stern Auditorium.

The invitation came earlier this school year from National Concerts, which asked Rahway High's performing arts program to take part in June's National Youth Chorus and National Masterwork Chorus program. For a public high school choir, sharing a stage with Carnegie Hall is no small thing, and Choir Director Robert Van Wyk made sure to credit everyone who helped the students get there.

"It takes a village," Van Wyk said.

"I am so very proud of our choir, and excited to have them experience this amazing opportunity," Van Wyk said. "They are wonderful ambassadors for our City of Rahway and Rahway High School, and we couldn't be prouder to share that with the world."

The Carnegie Hall trip builds on a run of momentum for Rahway's music program, which performed at Lincoln Center in 2023, also in partnership with National Concerts. For students who spend most of the year rehearsing in a high school auditorium, walking onto one of music's most famous stages is the kind of moment that tends to stay with them.

Find more Rahway events, arts coverage, and community news on Union County Life.

FAQ

Did Rahway High School's choir really perform at Carnegie Hall?
Yes. The choir performed inside Carnegie Hall's Isaac Stern Auditorium as part of the National Youth Chorus program.

Who invited Rahway High School to perform at Carnegie Hall?
National Concerts invited Rahway High's performing arts program to take part in the National Youth Chorus and National Masterwork Chorus program.

Has Rahway High School's choir performed at a major venue before?
Yes. The choir performed at Lincoln Center in 2023, also in partnership with National Concerts.

Who directs the Rahway High School choir?
Robert Van Wyk is the choir director.