Mira Costa Band and Orchestra prepares for Carnegie Hall

By Marisa Ellis

Circulation Manager

Mira Costa Band and Orchestra will be having a Carnegie Hall send off concert on May 24 in the auditorium for parents and students to hear the music the groups will be playing on May 29 at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Since last May, band director Joel Carlson and Orchestra director Peter Parks have worked with their Booster organizations to plan all the details for getting over 250 students and over 40 chaperones to New York City.

“One of the most difficult parts of planning this trip was figuring out how to transport some of the larger instruments,” Carlson said. “Since it is such a major issue, we have decided to rent the percussion instruments and cellos in New York.”

The students have been working on their music with Carlson and Parks starting in Januray and will be able to share this music program with the community on May 24 to send the students off to New York.

“Working with talented and hardworking students has made it a great experience in preparation for the big performance at Carnegie Hall,” Carlson said. “It has paid off that they get a chance to play at the famous concert hall.”

Both Band and Orchestra Booster groups have spent this year fundraising for the trip by hosting the Evening of Electric Ensembles Concert, hosting several Austrian students and creating an online Go-Fundme campaign. According to Ritter, the goal was to raise $68,000 for the Carnegie trip to help pay for all the instrument costs and they managed to raise all of the money through these fundraisers.

“These fundraisers have helped us tremendously in reaching our goal,” Band President and senior Pooja Nagpal said. “We are so thankful for everyone who has helped out.”

According to Ritter, while in New York from May 26-30, students will be mixing their practicing for the concert with sightseeing. They will have a chance to see sights such as the Statue of Liberty and the 9/11 Memorial.

“We will be able to see all the excursions New York has to offer,” Band president and senior Lauren Koch said. “It will be a fun break from the concentration on performing at Carnegie Hall.”