Charlestown teens sing at Carnegie Hall with BC High choir

(Photo courtesy Boston College High School)

The BC High Concert Choir performed on stage at Carnegie Hall

By Johanna Kaiser, Town Correspondent

After two Charlestown teenagers took the stage at one of New York City’s iconic theaters, they and their school’s choir exited to a standing ovation.

Garrett Leahy and Matthew Perkins, both sophomores at Boson College High School, joined 83 other members of the BC High Concert Choir recently to perform at New York City’s iconic Carnegie Hall.

The students rehearsed for weeks during the early morning before school and during vacation, to perfect performances of classical pieces composed by Puccini, Prokofiev and Dvorak in Latin, Czech, Russian and English.

The choir also performed a traditional spiritual, a sea chanty, a Russian folk song and concluded with an arrangement of Battle Hymn of the Republic.

“I am honored to have outstanding young gentlemen and I feel honored to work with them. I am thankful to have parents who support them so much and to be part of our team. We are all fortunate to have the support of the BC High administration, faculty and staff for their help in making this dream come true,” Dr. Marina Rozenberg, BC High’s choir director, said in a statement.

And all that hard work by the students, parents and faculty paid off.

School officials said the choir’s performance ended with “thunderous applause and a standing ovation” leaving the students smiling, excited, and proud.

The school’s choir has performed at other notable venues in the past, including the White House, the Vatican, and the National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Choir members are now working on a CD of the repertoire to celebrate the school’s upcoming 150th anniversary while Rozenberg plans next year’s trip to Russia, which will include concerts in Moscow, Kazan and St. Petersburg.
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