United Methodist Chancel Choir performs at Carnegie Hall

The Dripping Springs United Methodist Church Chancel Choir was able to do what most musicians just dream of— to travel to the Big Apple and perform at Carnegie Hall.

After hours of practice, practice, and even more practice, under the church’s Musical Director Adam Miller DSUMC Chance Choir members performed in the hallowed hall where names like Judy Garland, Tchaikovsky, and even Stevie Ray Vaughn have performed.

The DSUMC Carnegie Hall May 11^th  performance of Vivaldi’s “Gloria,” was part of an ensemble that included six combined choruses from Texas Methodist churches (with a New Jersey high school chorus thrown in), performing with the New England Symphonic Ensemble. The rousing audience applause at the end of the performance proved that “Gloria,” written in the 18^thcentury, is just as popular today as when it was written.

“It was almost like being in a dream. It was so nice that getting together with a group of people with the same interests and doing something together at Carnegie Hall,” choir member Sheila Boes said.  The combined chorus and the symphony blended together beautifully on the sacred music.

“We spent a year working with this (piece) and each note. The words have to come out perfectly. We listened to CDs to learn how to perfect how we pronounced (Latin) words,” said choir member Dana Broddrick. 

Maestra Lahonda Sharp had a grueling practice schedule but the end product was worth it. She would practice for hours getting the song and voices prepared, then when done would also lead the long practices with the symphony.

UMC’s Adam Miller has known Sharp for a long time. His father, also church musical director worked with Sharp years ago and now Adam is also a friend. Sharp has toured internationally with different choirs and is highly respected in the music world.

Miller performed with the chorus, something rare for the musical director. “It was such an honor to sing with everyone, especially with Adam. Standing besides him and listening to him was an honor,” Broddrick said. “Our choir director spends such time into everything he does.”

The one of three performance halls in Carnegie, the Isaac Stern Auditorium on the Ronald O. Perelman Stage is out of a Technicolor fairytale, with abundant gold leaf trim is very impressive. The opera boxes up above with seating for six or so was just like you would picture a European opera house, but come to life.

So yes, to quote Sheila Boes, to me, “it was like a dream.”