The concert choir from Martin Luther School in Maspeth recently performed two pieces on Fox 5’s morning show “Good Day New York.” Reporter Julie Chang featured the group and their director, Katie Chan Chee, as part of the show’s Glee Club segment, a tie-in to the popular Fox show “Glee.”
“This was a great opportunity for our singers to gain experience performing before a huge audience,” said Chan Chee. “They were a little nervous at first, but Julie really put them all at ease. By the time they finished the second song, they were all naturals in front of the camera.
“We have really seen the interest level for choir and chorus increase since ‘Glee’ has been on the air,” she continued. “More than 25 percent of our student body is involved in one of these two singing groups.”
The students performed two “teaser” numbers which were aired leading up to their renditions of “Jubilata” and “The James Bond Theme,” a song comprised of sounds and beats rather than lyrics.
This performance on “Good Day New York” was a direct result of the concert choir’s participation in the Sing! For Wildlife competition, sponsored by the Hard Rock Café and held at the Bronx Zoo after Christmas. The choir and mixed chorus also performed “America the Beautiful” at an Islanders game in February.
Randal Gast, Head of School, explained that Fine Arts are an integral portion of the educational experience at Martin Luther.
“We believe that a well-rounded student has experiences in music and art as well as math and English and science, and this is reflected in our course offerings and graduation requirements,” said Gast.
“Students are encouraged to perform with the Symphonic Band or choirs, and can experience a variety of art techniques, from painting and sculpture to digital photography through our art classes,” he continued. “We also have an active Drama Department which performs a minimum of three productions each year.”
The video of the students performing on “Good Day New York” is available for viewing on the school’s web site, www.MartinLutherNYC.org.
