A vocal ensemble from Eden Court in Inverness have been invited to make a one-off performance at the world-famous Carnegie Hall.
And they will be following in the footsteps of a group of military wives from Inverness and Lossiemouth who sang at the iconic area in 2016.
The Just Sing group, directed by Fiona Sellar, have gained the opportunity from the Distinguished Concerts International New York City team to perform at the fifth Production of Total Vocal – a display of contemporary a cappella under the direction of producer Deke Sharon, best known for his work on The Sing-Off and Pitch Perfect.
James Mackenzie-Blackman, chief executive of Eden Court, said: “We’re absolutely delighted and it is just fantastic that the Highlands and Eden Court is going to be represented on such an amazing platform.
“At Eden Court, we run over 60 classes a week for the general public and that is a large part of what makes us successful.
“Having something as fantastic as Just Sing, who are a very active group and enjoy their time with us, putting themselves forward for this opportunity, is great and we are very supportive.
“To perform at such an iconic place as the Carnegie Hall is a huge testament to the quality of their skills.”
The group, who currently meet on Monday evenings at the Highland capital’s arts centre, are set to perform in the Isaac Stern Auditorium during their five-day stay.
The Just Sing workshop is designed to allow keen singers to elaborate on a repertoire of songs, whilst also exploring some advance vocal techniques. Various styles of music are covered as part of the offering, including rock, pop, gospel, world and folk.
Dr Jonathan Griffith, artistic director and principal conductor for DCINY, said: “Just Sing received this invitation because of the quality and high level of musicianship demonstrated by the singers as well as the exceptional quality of their audition recording.
“It is quite an honour just to be invited to perform in New York. These wonderful musicians not only represent a high quality of music and education, but they also become ambassadors for the entire community. This is an event of extreme pride for everybody and deserving of the community’s recognition and support.
“Not all of the time is spent in rehearsals, since there is so much history and culture to see in New York City.
“The singers will spend approximately nine to 10 hours in rehearsals over the five-day residency. However, the performance is the primary purpose for their visit to the city.”
The venue is named after famed Scottish philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, who funded the construction of the building in 1890 and was declared a national historic landmark in 1962.
Around 250 performances are put on each season by the Carnegie Hall with some of the world’s most famous and recognised artists gracing its hallowed halls. Five of the most high-profile acts include:
– The Rolling Stones
– The Beach Boys
– Ike and Tina Turner
– Benny Goodman
– Shirley Bassey
