Ardsley Students Preparing for Parisian Debut

It’s probably a safe bet that few students are anticipating the upcoming President’s Week vacation with as much enthusiasm as members of Ardsley High School’s Select Chorus.

Twenty-one students—out of a total of 28 members of Select Chorus—are heading to Paris, where they’ll perform at Notre Dame Cathedral, the church of La Madeleine, and  Chateau Chambord in the Loire Valley. Their repertoire will include sacred music for the half hour concert at Notre Dame, with secular, jazz and show tunes at the hour-long concerts at the other venues.

It’s not the first time that Ardsley’s Select Chorus has taken its show on the road. Four years ago, the group went to Disney World. Two years ago, the chorus performed at the Vatican in Rome.

As Spencer Smith, director and conductor of the Select Chorus explained, when they planned their trip to Italy the tour director asked if they’d be interested in singing at the Vatican. 

“I had been music director at a Catholic Church, so I knew the repertoire,” Smith said.  “We were asked to submit a CD and we were selected.”

The invitation to perform at Notre Dame came about in a similar fashion. Ardsley’s Select Chorus is one of three or four groups, out of about 20, that were chosen for this honor.

Ardsley’s students are thrilled at the opportunity.

“We did the Vatican two years ago,” said senior Emma McGahan, who’s practically giddy at the prospect of traveling to France to perform. “I love everything about France. I’m so excited.”

Junior Heather Sommer has never been out of the country, so “this is really exciting,” she said. “We’re all getting really prepared, practicing since September. It takes a lot of time, but it’s been a lot of fun.”

Students have sacrificed their lunch hours to rehearse. They’ve also devoted Monday after school and Friday before school starts to be note, word and pitch-perfect.

Of course the students will also have a chance to do sight-seeing during the trip, with Versailles, the Louvre and Arc de Triomphe on the itinerary. Ardsley’s French club will also be in Paris at the same time, so the Select Chorus members can count on seeing familiar faces in the audience.

Ardsley’s Select Chorus will be performing at a concert February 15, at 7:30 p.m., at Ardsley High School, as a benefit to raise additional funds for their trip. At the concert there will be a raffle for two round-trip tickets to Paris for Veterans’ Day weekend.