LIVERPOOL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT – The Liverpool High School Concert Chorale and MMSquared Quartet recently took part in the Barbershop Harmony Society’s International Next Generation Junior Chorus Festival and Quartet Contest in New York City. They were one of only 15 high school ensembles invited world-wide to participate
Chosen for the festival through an extensive application process, the LHS Concert Chorale is an auditioned ensemble made up of 50 LHS students who have been fundraising and preparing for this destination event since last summer. Each ensemble invited was required to prepare a three-song set of a cappella music, including two songs in the traditional American art form of 4-part barbershop harmony and a third from any a cappella tradition.
The LHS Concert Chorale, under the direction of Sky Harris, selected three pieces to share their story of love and hope that opened with the 1946 Peggy Lee chart,” It’s a Good Day,” with student-generated parody lyrics introducing the Liverpool group to the New York City crowd. “We’re doing things the Liverpool way,” wrote the students!
Song two was a world premiere arranged by Melody Hine specifically for the Concert Chorale and originally written by Syracuse songwriter Caroline Bergan who student taught at LHS last spring.  The song, “Dear Stranger,” is an original by Bergan that the Concert Chorale students fell in love with about the power of being a bright light in the lives of those around us, whether we know them or not.
The set closed with an 8-part arrangement of Rihanna’s “We Found Love” originally written for the University of Chicago’s Voices in Your Head that brought the message of love for each other, in spite of all the turmoil in the world to a stunning close that had the audience jumping to its feet!
In a field of 15 choruses from around North America and Europe, the Concert Chorale received a rating of Outstanding and finished in Second Place in the Large Chorus Division, coming home with medals and more than a few memories to show for their turn on stage!
MMSquared Quartet, made up of LHS freshmen Molly Jaquin, Mia Humphrey, Mia Cabrey, and Madison Humphrey qualified to represent LHS through a video contest last fall and were selected as one of the top 15 quartets in the world under the age of 18. Singing to a standing room only hall, MMSquared was one of the youngest quartets in the contest and inspired the audience with their rendition of Disney’s “When You Wish Upon a Star,” earning them a rating of Excellent!
MMSquared, made up of four friends, including a set of twins, started singing together when they were eighth graders in the Morgan Road Middle Chorus with teacher Alicia Caron. Caron also served as a coach and chaperone for the trip alongside several other Liverpool staff and alumni, as well as parents.
“A trip like this doesn’t happen without an incredible team – our nurse, social worker, educators, parents, and support staff all made sure our students had an experience they’ll never forget,” said Sky Harris, director of the LHS Concert Chorale, who organized and led the trip. “They kept the kids safe, cared for, and able to focus on putting their best selves forward both on and off the stage!”
Support for the trip became a community affair with major grants coming from both the Barbershop Harmony Society, as well the Liverpool Foundation for Education.
Other sponsors also included Sugar Blossom Cake Shop, CNY Latino, Krzyzak Eye Care, Hayden Jewelers, FamilyCare of Cicero, and the Liverpool Redemption Center, as well as several families and individuals who helped contribute to keep costs down for students.
In addition to the competition, singers from LHS were also able to take in a Broadway show, hear and see amazing a cappella performance every night as a part of the Festival, receive in-person coaching from members of the judging panel, meet and bond with other young singers from around the world, explore all that New York City has to offer, and rehearse and perform as part of a mass choir of all the youth chorus and quartet participants. The students loved that they not only got to know each other better, but now have singing friends all the way in Ireland!
“I am incredibly proud of how well our students represented the program and the wonderful impact they had not only on the audience at the festival, but on everyone we came across while we were traveling,” said Harris. “The students truly understood the message we were there to deliver: that every person we come across has value, that love can be found in spite of all odds, and that each of us has a responsibility to use our talents to make the world a better place.”
Don’t miss both groups back home in action coming up at SAYacaFEST on Saturday, Feb. 10th at 7pm in the LHS Auditorium.  Co-hosted by the Liverpool Central School District Fine Arts Department and the Spirit of Syracuse Chorus, SAYacaFEST is a free event open to all singers under the age of 26 and their music educators.
The day culminates in an evening of a cappella performances featuring great local talent from area schools including LHS, as well as SU’s Otto Tunes, several award-winning quartets, and the combined festival chorus of more than 100 singers under the direction of Dr. Ben May from SUNY Oswego!  Registration is still open for participants (lakesideacappella.com/off-season-events) and the concert is free and open to the public.