The chorus received a well-deserved standing ovation on Thursday night, when the children performed at their first major concert of the season! The fourth grade chorus also made a startling debut, and showed that the future of the PS22 Chorus was in good hands! Check out some video highlights below, then read on for more!
And now for the play by play!!
After the the fourth graders raised the roof with their six holiday selections, it was time for the PS22 Chorus to take the stage! Kareem gave the concert a jump start with the "22 Rap", and proved that even technical difficulties couldn't hold him back from doing his thing! Way to go, kid!
Then Andrew and Zarmeen introduced the song that had the audience grooving and roaring with laughter! Andrew did his usual outstanding job on John Lee Hooker's "Christmas Blues"!
The group proceeded to sing a beautiful rendition of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing". Then onto a PS22 Chorus website debut -- last year's prodigious chorus member Justin & Mr. B's original song, "Differences". You can hear the original version which Justin and I improvised during a rehearsal last year by clicking here.
"Differences" led into three of the other major holidays being celebrated this season -- Chanukah, Kwanzaa and Eid. Leslie, Vivian, and Jarred introduced the songs for this segment of the show.
The chorus did a particularly beautiful job on an original tune that I put to the seven principles of Kwanzaa. After the "Seven Principles," the next segment of our show was a tribute to September 11th, featuring songs we performed in October at TributeWTC, the World Trade Center Museum.
Currently the museum is featuring an original PS22 film as part of its children's exhibit.
A high honor indeed and a testament to the heart and soul the children at PS22 put into everything they do.
The audience was visibly moved by these numbers in particular, and you won't be left wondering why after you watch these performances!
The chorus concluded its set with Isaiah doing his unstoppable rendition of the Chuck Berry classic, "Run Run Rudolph"!!
Isaiah is just a natural and tears up the floor, leaving the audience hungry for more! That's how we do it!
Every great performance deserves an encore, and the chorus gave the audience just that! Kindergartener Alicea came to the stage to gasps and awe, as she lead the fourth and fifth grade choruses AND the audience in a rousing rendition of "Jingle Bells"! Her voice is amazing and further proof that the future of the PS22 Chorus is in the best of little hands!
The audience was simply outstanding, and it was a thrill to see our former principal Mrs. Karina Costantino among the happy spectators!
Also wonderful to see former chorus members and PS22 students coming back to celebrate the holidays with the old family, such as the super-talented dynamic duo, Deon & Clive...
the extraordinary Ben...
and Fabian, Crystal, Beatrice, Carmelo, and the rest of the gang!
What better way to usher in the holidays?
So happy Hannukah...
...enjoy Eid...
...have a wonderful Kwanzaa...
and a very Merry Christmas from the PS22 Chorus!!
