Students in the Cane Creek Middle School Band have returned from a once-in-a-lifetime experience - performing on the historic, majestic stage of Carnegie Hall.
“Walking on stage is a little overwhelming at first due to the size, but it plays like a dream,” shared band director Adam Stewart. “You can hear everything while on the stage, and it makes for a very intimate performance. I think the students realized immediately when we started to play just how special of an experience it was going to be. As a musician, performing in that hall is a lifelong dream.”
Percussionist Rylan Craig realized the significance of the performance with his first step on stage. “As we walked in, you could hear our footsteps echoing,” he said. “It had such a big sound. At first, it was hard to get an idea of how physically big the space was. Once we spent a little time there and got to explore, we discovered it’s really huge.”
The Cane Creek performance was rated by judges, similar to the annual music performance adjudication (MPA) that school bands perform in our area each year. The Carnegie performance earned Cane Creek a “gold”, equivalent to an MPA superior rating. Upon hearing that news, the students erupted in cheers.
“We were ecstatic,” Rylan shared. “We were jumping and screaming.”
When students weren’t rehearsing or performing, they had an opportunity to see Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, and attend a performance of “Wicked” on Broadway.
“One of my favorite memories is going to the top of the Empire State Building,” said Rylan. “It was at night, and you could see all of New York completely lit up.”
The journey to perform at Carnegie Hall started in early 2024, when Mr. Stewart sent a video of his then 7th grade band to the organizers of the New York Invitational Music Festival. The invitation to play came shortly before summer break, and the band spent much of this school year preparing. After Hurricane Helene, music lovers from across the state who heard about the trip made donations to the band to help overcome challenges caused by the storm.
“I would love to share a huge thank you to everyone who supported us and helped us get to New York,” said Mr. Stewart. “After the struggles we've faced this year it was nothing short of a miracle, and the outpouring of support from the community is extremely appreciated.”