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MFL MarMac choir members perform at Carnegie Hall

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MFL MarMac choir members Micah Decker (left), James Slama, Spencer Rose and Christopher Wright stand with choral director Jaydeane Berns outside Carnegie Hall, where they performed Feb. 19. (Submitted photos)

MFL MarMac choral director Jaydeane Berns admitted she cried hearing her students rehearse in Carnegie Hall for the first time. “It was really powerful, and something I never thought I’d experience,” she shared.

The gravity of the opportunity began to sink in the first night the boys were in New York City, when they saw a poster promoting the concert “The Glory of Freedom,” of which “The Testament of Freedom” was a part. “The first time it hit me was that first night,” Christopher Wright noted, “when we walked by a big poster and saw our school name.”

James Slama, Micah Decker, Spencer Rose and Christopher Wright pose with Lee Nelson, who conducted “The Testament of Freedom.” The boys were previously acquainted with Nelson through the Real Men Sing honor festival at Wartburg College, where Nelson works.

By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times Editor

Four MFL MarMac high school choir members had the experience of a lifetime Feb. 19, when they performed at prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City.

“It was a year ago, on April 19, that we found out we were accepted and going,” said choral director Jaydeane Berns.

That “we” included juniors Christopher Wright, James Slama and Micah Decker, along with senior Spencer Rose. 

The four were selected to perform in Randall Thompson’s “The Testament of Freedom,” as part of the Distinguished Concerts International New York City (DCINY) concert series. The quality and high level of musicianship they demonstrated in audition recordings snagged them the opportunity.

The group left Iowa for New York City on Thursday, Feb. 16, following months of planning and organization, not to mention fundraising.

“It was fun. As we were circling and readying for descent, we saw the Statue of Liberty and the New York City skyline,” Berns remarked.

After a crazy taxi ride to their hotel, located in the heart of Manhattan, kitty corner from Carnegie Hall, the group went out for a supper of calzones and briefly walked through Times Square. The gravity of the opportunity also began to sink in, thanks to a poster promoting the performance.

“The first time it hit me was that first night,” Wright noted, “when we walked by a big poster and saw our school name.”

Friday morning included a visit to the 9/11 museum, as well as their first subway ride. Then, it was back to the hotel for rehearsal.

The four-hour rehearsal was a bit intimidating, Wright admitted.

“You had to try and find your role in the group,” Rose stated.

Performers, ranging from age 14 to 87, came from men’s choir groups throughout the country. There were even two female performers who sang as tenors, Berns explained. 

The large age range was unexpected, Slama said: “I thought it would be a bunch of teenagers, but I was by guys in their 40s and 60s.”

On Saturday, the boys participated in another four-hour rehearsal, then enjoyed a long walk through Central Park. That night, the group had dinner at the famed restaurant Sardi’s, which was located across the street from the Majestic Theater, where they saw “Phantom of the Opera.”

Sunday morning, the performers had their first rehearsal at Carnegie Hall.

As a director, Berns said she was allowed to watch from the back rows.

“I cried that first time. I still get emotional,” she shared. “It was really powerful, and something I never thought I’d experience.”

The performance, held later that day, was even more special.

Berns noted “The Testament of Freedom” was part of a concert entitled “The Glory of Freedom.” The first part of the show included a youth orchestra from Minnesota. Following intermission, an adult chorus sang “Gloria.” The men’s chorus then sang “The Testament of Freedom.”

“The Testament of Freedom” was first performed at Carnegie Hall 71 years ago, following president Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death. The four-part piece was written to celebrate the bicentennial of president and founding father Thomas Jefferson’s birth.

“It was really patriotic,” Slama said, adding that it was based upon Jefferson’s writings. “Part three was my favorite. It was about declaring war on Great Britain.”

Wartburg College’s Lee Nelson, who Berns said her students had already met through the college’s honor festival Real Men Sing, conducted “The Testament of Freedom.”

The students said waiting to take the stage was the hardest part.

“The wait eats you alive,” Slama commented. Watching the previous performers come off stage was emotional. “One lady came off crying, saying, ‘It doesn’t last long enough.’”

“You can’t describe it,” Rose said of taking the stage. “You’re in a normal space, then it all just opens up.”

Carnegie Hall, Decker shared, had a full house for the event.

Slama, whose parents, Travis and Shelly, traveled with the group to New York City, said he was able to see them throughout the performance, making the experience even more emotional.

Although “The Testament of Freedom” took around 28 minutes to perform, the boys said it felt like less.

“It felt like 10 minutes,” Wright remarked. “It was amazing. I’d like to do it again.”

The group wrapped up their time in New York City on Monday, Feb. 20, with a trip to the Today Show (where they made it on TV) and other stops around the city.

Slama said coming home to Iowa—with its green grass and fresh air—was nice, but he appreciated the different cultural experiences he had on the trip.

Taking in New York City and performing at Carnegie Hall is something that will stick with them forever.

“Some men have waited their whole lives [to perform at Carnegie Hall,” Rose said. “I’m 18 and got to do that. It will probably never happen again.”

“It was like nothing I’ve ever done before,” Decker added. “I’ve been to a lot of honor choirs, but nothing like this. I don’t know how I’ll ever top this.”

Berns said she envisions the experience taking the students to the next level in their future musical endeavors.

Wright agreed, noting, “I think it will help inspire us at solo and ensemble.”

The opportunity will also serve as a reminder that hard work pays off.

“Try your best,” he said. “If you do, you can get outcomes like this.”

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