Analy choir to play Carnegie Hall

<p>Analy High School's Honor Choir is headed to New York to sing on the famed stage at Carnegie Hall. But it wasn't always meant to be.</p><p>The 61 members of the choir were originally scheduled to participate in a different invitation-only concert back East, but it fell through. Then the invitation came to be part of the Distinguished Concerts International New York presentation of "the city &amp; the sea: The Music of Eric Whitacre meets the poetry of e.e. cummings."</p><p>"For us, this is the first time this has ever happened," said Analy choral director Andy DelMonte. "This is really once in a lifetime -- and about as exciting as any performance opportunity could be."</p><p>The performance is April 17.</p><p>Senior Olivia Sterler is equally excited to be able to sing within Carnegie's famed walls as she is to be working with Whitacre.</p><p>"All over the country they are going crazy for him. In the choral world, everyone knows about him," she said.</p><p>Senior Katrina Greek said she can't wait to stand on stage with 100 other singers and sing pieces that participants say are intricate and difficult.</p><p>"I love performing, it just gives me this natural high, so doing it front of so many people and just where you are is going to make it incredible," she said.</p><p>The choir is hosting a fundraising benefit show at 8 tonight in the school theater.</p><p>-- Kerry Benefield</p>