A group of students from Temple College will have an opportunity next month that many aspiring musicians never get in their lifetimes – the chance to perform at Carnegie Hall.

The students, who are part of the Temple College Chorale, were invited to participate in an April 11 concert at Carnegie Hall that will feature a chorus made up of students from two-year colleges across the country. The chorus will be conducted by Dr. Rich Bjella, who is director of choral activities at Texas Tech University.

The chorus will be accompanied by a professional orchestra and will perform three sacred works by Franz Schubert: “Offertory: Intende Voci,” “Stabat Mater” and “Magnificat,” as well as John Rutter’s “Magnificat.”

The TC Chorale was selected to perform in the concert after submitting a recording of the three Schubert works that they made in the fall. Their recording received the highest possible rating, with an added note that “Your chorale will be a nice component of the larger ensemble.”

“Travel and performing opportunities are exciting for students,” said Dr. Sara Harris Baker, director of choral activities at Temple College. “The more opportunities like this we can offer our students, the better prepared they will be for their careers as performers.”

Baker said the trip will be a good opportunity for the students to get to know the choral director (Bjella) at a school where they might want to continue their music education. It also is helping the students learn about the business side of music. They raised $7,000 to help fund the trip by singing for a variety of audiences last fall and by selling concessions at their concerts.

The students are leaving for New York City April 8 and will spend 15 to 20 hours in rehearsals before the April 11 concert. When not in rehearsals, they will have the opportunity to see a Broadway show, as well as take in attractions such as the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Fifth Avenue and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

“For many of these students this will be their first time ever go to New York, so it’s a really exciting time for them,” Baker said. She said several parents are flying up to New York to watch their students perform.

Shelby Moeller is among the students who will be going on the trip. “I never thought I would get a chance to do this, much less at this stage in my career,” he said. “I hope we do Temple College proud.”

Baker herself has been to New York City many times, but she said this is her first time leading a performing group there.

“Every musician dreams of the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall,” she said. “This is a dream come true for me.”