The Forest Lake Christian High School Concert and Chamber Choirs performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City in May 2006. James Melton, dean of the School of Communication and Fine Arts at Vanguard University in Southern California invited the FLCS choirs, along with six other choirs from across the country, to sing at Carnegie Hall. The performance lasted approximately 40 minutes and consisted of three songs by the 19th century German composer Felix Mendelssohn. Two of the selections – “Lift Thine Eyes” and “He, Watching over Israel” – are from Mendelssohn’s famous oratorio, “Elijah,” and the other selection was Psalm 42.

Carnegie Hall, with its imposing architecture and impressive history, created a strong impression on the young performers. “I am honored to sing at Carnegie Hall,” said Andrei Yaholkovsky, a junior this year at Forest Lake. “When we walked in there for the rehearsal, I literally took a step back because of how big it was and how magnificent each detail was. When we sang, the wall just behind us was white and outlined in gold. It was royal, very royal.”

The first song that the choir sang was the a capella “Lift Thine Eyes.” Choir director Evelyn Robinson was as enthralled as her pupils with the awe-inspiring auditorium. “The acoustics of the hall is just incredible,” she said. “Every consonant and syllable could be heard throughout Carnegie Hall and when the conductor cut the choir, one could hear the echo throughout the building. It was really fabulous.” The ensemble got a standing ovation at the end of the performance. Robinson said several parents told her afterward that they cried when they saw their children on the stage. Bill Coibion, father of graduate Nick Coibion, was at the performance. “As a parent, it was exciting to be there for a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” he said. “It was just an enjoyable experience for us that we will treasure for the rest of our lives.”

After the Carnegie Hall performance, the group of 76 FLCS students had the opportunity to see the sights of New York City. Highlights included singing near Ground Zero as well as at St Paul’s chapel. “It’s a great experience for our choir to sing (at Carnegie Hall),” said Jillian VanTassell, a 2006 graduate of FLCS, “and for us also to share the love of Christ with the people of New York.”

Under the direction of Mrs. Robinson, the chamber and concert choirs consistently deliver award winning performances at the national and international level. The chamber choir received a gold medal at a competitive music festival in Montreal, Canada and they have won accolades at concerts in Santa Clara and Los Angeles. The choir and FLCS soloists have been regularly selected for command performances at the annual Association of Christian Schools International Musicale in Sacramento.