The choir at Ola High School isn’t going to let a pandemic stand in the way of their dreams.

Instead, they remain focused on the goal of performing in New York City.

The choir recently received an extension on their invitation, from MidAmerica Productions, to perform at Carnegie Hall.

The performance is currently scheduled for June 20, 2022, said Mindy Forehand, chorus teacher at Ola High School.

The choir garnered their initial invitation from MidAmerica in February of 2020, prior to spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. They held the first of two rehearsals on June 29.

The result, said Forehand, was “like magic.”

“It was like a spark,” she said. “There was an energy in the room. It was one of the best rehearsals I’ve ever had in my life.”

The choir is slated to perform “Dreamweaver” by Ola Gjeilo, as well as the world premiere of “No Matter What,” with music by Alexis Renee Ward and a poem by Ola choir student Eve Michael, said Forehand.

“The premiere will be conducted by former Ola Choir student Drew Bradley, now a high school choir teacher himself,” she said.

The cost to send the choir to perform at Carnegie Hall is approximately $1,800 per singer. Those funds cover fees including plane flights, hotel rooms, venues and a rental fee for Carnegie Hall, said Forehand.

“As of now, we are at 30 percent of our goal, with the dozen fundraisers we did this year and students’ monthly payments,” she said. “Our goal is 100 singers. We currently have 85.”

Forehand was initially invited, early in 2020, to conduct her choir at Carnegie Hall in June of this year. At that time, she said, dozens of people reached out to help her reach that goal.

“Then, shelter-in-place happened,” said Forehand. “We were given the option to perform in June 2022, but we had to wait for the Board of Education to approve the trip. We did as much fundraising as possible: Papa John’s Spirit Weeks, Domino’s Slice the Price Cards, Cards for a Cause, Painting Classes, Textathon, 31 Gifts, and more.”

Forehand acknowledged that preparing for a New York City choir performance, in the midst of a pandemic, has been challenging for her and her students. She said keeping her students “motivated and engaged” was the hardest thing she’d ever done as an educator.

“Teaching singing in a pandemic was next to impossible,” said Forehand. “The hardest part is teaching choir in a virtual or hybrid setting. I never had a full choir in front of me. Choir is like a team sport. If everyone’s not there, it’s really hard to practice.”

Forehand said she is proud of the dedication put forth by her students, regardless of the obstacles that were put before them.

“We were learning the hardest music we’ve ever tried to perform, and did it fairly successfully,” she said.

In addition to the choir’s continued accolades, Forehand is also reaping the benefits of her expertise individually in 2021. For the second year in a row, she is in the quarterfinals for the Grammy Music Educator Award, presented by the Ford Motor Company and the Grammy Museum.

Forehand said she was initially nominated last year by two of her students, Jared Brooks and Alex Shofman.

“Based on my application from last year, they put me in the running for this year as a Legacy Candidate,” said Forehand.
She said approximately 200 music educators in the nation are nominated for the honor each year. News of her initial Educator Award, in 2020, came shortly after the spread of COVID-19.

As such, Forehand soon became concerned that a large choir could be viewed a “superspreader” for the virus.

“On Mother’s Day last year, I sent my principal an e-mail panicking that I would not have a job,” she said. “I sent him a list of six Georgia curriculum classes that I was qualified to teach. The next day, I got the e-mail saying I was one of the quarterfinalists. I started crying.”

Forehand said anyone who was in the choir at the time of their first invitation is eligible to perform with the group at Carnegie Hall in 2022.

“There were a handful who received invitations who graduated before 2020 who will be able to perform as well,” she said.
For upcoming fundraisers and more information about the Carnegie Hall trip, visit ohscarnegie.org.