By Levi McGarry, College of Arts and Sciences
For 35 choir members from WSU, the dream of performing at the world-famous Carnegie Hall in New York City came true on Saturday, June 7. Professor and associate director of choral activities Matthew Myers led a local cohort of WSU singers, accompanied by members of the Palouse Choral Society, to New York City for a recent five-day residency and evening performance at Carnegie Hall. Opened in 1891, Carnegie Hall is one of the most prestigious concert venues in the world, renowned for its rich history and exceptional acoustics.
Invited by MidAmerica Productions to be a guest conductor for the 2025 season, Myers led both students and community members in a performance of Bach’s Magnificat in D. The combined choir also joined choruses from Colorado, Georgia, and Ireland for a rendition of Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore.
“The singers who participated weren’t just music majors, but also many students who sing in the choirs avocationally,” said Myers. “We had first-year students through graduate students with us alongside community choir members in their sixties and seventies. It was really intergenerational and united by everyone’s love of music.”
Myers, who is also the artistic director for the Palouse Choral Society, said that the choral members had been practicing for this performance since the fall of 2024. Rehearsals were held in the fall as the PCS prepared to perform the Magnificat during their holiday concert. Then additional rehearsals were held throughout the spring and after arrival in New York City, culminating in a whirlwind preparation and performance on June 7th.
The choral singers were accompanied by the New England Symphonic Ensemble and worked closely with professional soloists from the Metropolitan Opera of New York. Even though many had prepared for months for this opportunity, the reality of performing at Carnegie Hall was still awe-inspiring. “The acoustics in that space are unlike anything we have on the Palouse or in the state of Washington,” said Myers. “Students were really amazed by the musical experience.”
For Daniela Alpire, a recent WSU graduate with degrees in music and finance, the involvement of rehearsing and performing with other musicians was the grand culmination of her time as a student. “I’ve been an active member of choir for the past five years, and since the pandemic I have seen the resurgence of the WSU choir community,” Alpire said in recounting her experience at Carnegie Hall. “Even as somebody that studied music throughout college, I really was in awe of just how beautiful and complex music can be.”
Karen Weathermon, a member of the Palouse Choral Society since 1990, said that the students brought energy and enthusiasm to the performance preparations. “I’m an avid attendee of the university choral concerts at Bryan Hall, so it was fun to meet some of the students who I’ve seen perform over the years,” she said.
Weathermon, who is the director of first-year programs at WSU, also praised the camaraderie of the group and the opportunity to hone a life-long passion. “For the students, I hope that singing with the WSU Choir and the Palouse Choral Society helps show that what they’ve done here in college can be something of a life-long experience for them,” she said.
Outside of rehearsals and the performance, participants had plenty of opportunities to explore New York City. Some chose to explore the city’s subway system, while others took advantage of the Broadway buzz as the Tony Awards were occurring the same weekend. Many also visited the Natural History Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Central Park Zoo.
For Myers, the most remarkable moment of the experience came during the curtain call as he gestured to the singers during a standing ovation at Carnegie Hall, witnessing the inspiration and accomplishment on their faces.
“No one is going to force them to sing after they graduate, but I think having these mountaintop experiences can inspire them to keep performing, and singing is absolutely something they can keep doing for the rest of their lives,” said Myers.