Carnegie Hall | Musikverein Vienna | Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre | Sydney Opera House
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A Life-Changing Experience

The world’s renowned stages demand the world’s best performers. The Honors Performance Series assembles some of the world’s rising young musicians to perform under the baton of master conductors at several of the world’s most celebrated concert halls: Carnegie Hall in New York City, USA; Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia; Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre in London, England; and the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria.

The Honors Performance Series was established to feature talented young musicians on stage at one of the world's most famous music halls: Carnegie Hall.

Selected performers come together in New York City for several days of rehearsals with renowned conductors leading up to their life-changing performance at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage. In addition to performance preparation, networking with peers and experiencing the sights and performance arts of New York City are also important parts of the experience.

In the footsteps of the renowned Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall, we are pleased to have featured young musicians on these additional world-renowned world stages:

MV Grosser Saal Horizontal

Musikverein
Vienna, Austria

RFH Christian Bortes - See Attribution Instructions

Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre
London, England

image © Christian Bortes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/79653482@N00/7251199192

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Sydney Opera House
Sydney, Australia

Meet Our Conductors

Our annually rotating group of distinguished Conductors has included Eph Ehly, Charles Peltz, H. Robert Reynolds, and others (see below for an inclusive list).

Sally K. Albrecht

Conductor, 2016 Middle School Honors Junior Choir (Carnegie Hall) Sally K. Albrecht is a popular choral composer, conductor, and clinician, especially known for her work with choral movement. An annual recipient of the ASCAP Special Music Award since 1987, Ms. Albrecht has more than 325 popular choral publications in print, over 50 larger elementary songbooks and…

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Dr. Jeffery L. Ames

Dr. Jeffery L. Ames Conductor, 2017 High School Honors Choir (Sydney Opera House), 2016 and 2012 High School Honors Concert Choir (Carnegie Hall), 2014 Middle School Honors Junior Choir (Carnegie Hall) Dr. Jeffery L. Ames is a distinguished conductor, composer, and educator, currently serving as Director of Choral Activities at Belmont University. Prior appointments include Assistant Director of…

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Dr. Edith A. Copley

Dr. Edith A. Copley Conductor, 2017 High School Honors Concert Choir (Carnegie Hall) Edith A. Copley is a Regents’ Professor and Director of Choral Studies at Northern Arizona University, where she conducts the highly acclaimed Shrine of the Ages Choir. She additionally conducts the Master Chorale of Flagstaff that performs major choral/orchestral works each spring with…

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Dr. Eph Ehly

Dr. Eph Ehly Conductor, 2018 Young Adult Honors Choir (Carnegie Hall), 2015, 2013, 2011, and 2010 High School Honors Concert Choir (Carnegie Hall) Declared as “one of the most sought-after choral conductors/clinicians” in the American Choral Directors Journal, Dr. Eph Ehly has conducted over 80 All-State Choirs and more than 600 Festival Ensembles. As a conductor, author,…

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Dr. Lynne Gackle

Dr. Lynne Gackle Conductor, 2018 High School Honors Women’s Choir (Carnegie Hall); 2014 High School Honors Concert Choir (Carnegie Hall) Dr. Lynne Gackle currently is Associate Professor of Ensembles and Associate Director of Choral Activities at Baylor University, where she conducts the Baylor Bella Voce (Women’s Ensemble) and the Baylor Concert Choir, and teaches courses in…

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Greg Gilpin

Greg Gilpin Conductor, 2018 High School Honors Choir (Sydney Opera House); 2017 and 2015 Middle School Junior Choir (Carnegie Hall) Originally from the “Show-Me” state of Missouri, Greg Gilpin resides in Indianapolis, IN. He is a graduate of Northwest Missouri State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Music Education, K-12. Mr. Gilpin is a well-known,…

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Jeffrey Grogan

Jeffrey Grogan Conductor, 2018 High School Honors Band (Sydney Opera House); 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013 High School Honors Symphony Orchestra (Carnegie Hall); 2012, and 2011 High School Honors Band (Carnegie Hall); 2016, 2015, and 2014 Middle School Honors Junior Band (Carnegie Hall) Jeffrey Grogan is an internationally-known conductor and teacher who has spent his career dedicated to the pursuit…

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Craig Kirchhoff

Craig Kirchhoff Conductor, 2014 High School Honors Band (Carnegie Hall) Craig Kirchhoff is Professor of Conducting and Director of University Bands at the University of Minnesota, where he conducts the University Wind Ensemble and guest conducts in the University Opera Program. Mr. Kirchhoff has appeared as guest conductor, clinician, and lecturer throughout the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan,…

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Sharon Lavery

Sharon Lavery Conductor, 2017 High School Symphony Orchestra (Carnegie Hall), 2015 and 2013 High School Honors Band (Carnegie Hall); Guest Conductor, 2010 High School Honors Band (Carnegie Hall) Sharon Lavery is the Music Director of the Downey Symphony Orchestra and Ms. Lavery holds the post of cover conductor for the Pacific Symphony Orchestra of Orange County. She has led…

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Kirt Mosier

Kirt Mosier Conductor, 2018 High School Honors Band (Carnegie Hall); 2018 High School Honors Orchestra (Sydney Opera House); 2017 and 2016 High School Honors String Orchestra (Carnegie Hall); 2017, 2016 and 2014 Middle School Junior Orchestra (Carnegie Hall) Kirt Mosier, recently retired as Director of Orchestras at Lee’s Summit West High School in Lee’s Summit,…

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Dr. Kenneth Ozzello

Dr. Kenneth Ozzello Conductor, 2017 and 2014 High School Honors Band (Carnegie Hall), 2017 Middle School Honors Junior Band (Carnegie Hall) Dr. Kenneth Ozzello is Director of Bands and Professor of Music at The University of Alabama. He holds the Bachelor of Music in Music Education and the Masters of Music in Conducting degrees from West Virginia University,…

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Charles Peltz

Charles Peltz Conductor, 2012, 2011, and 2010 High School Honors Orchestra (Carnegie Hall); 2014 Middle School Junior Orchestra (Carnegie Hall)  Charles Peltz is the Director of Wind Ensembles at the New England Conservatory of Music and the Music Director of the Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Peltz serves as the Director of Orchestras at the Luzerne Music Center summer…

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Dr. Jeffery Redding

Dr. Jeffery Redding Conductor, 2018 High School Honors Concert Choir (Carnegie Hall); 2017 Young Adult Honors Choir (Carnegie Hall) Dr. Jeffery Redding is past Director of Choral Activities at West Virginia University and currently serves as Director of Choral Activities at West Orange High School in Florida. He has been featured as guest conductor at Carnegie…

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H. Robert Reynolds

H. Robert Reynolds Guest Conductor, 2013 High School Honors Band (Carnegie Hall); Conductor, 2010 High School Honors Band (Carnegie Hall) Mr. Reynolds is a Principal Conductor at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, where he holds a professorship in his name. He previously served as the Henry F. Thurnau Professor of Music and Director…

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Dr. Elizabeth Schauer

Dr. Elizabeth Schauer Conductor, 2016 High School Honors Women’s Choir (Carnegie Hall) Dr. Elizabeth Schauer is Associate Director of Choral Activities and Associate Professor of Music at the University of Arizona. An award-winning educator, Dr. Schauer conducts the Symphonic Choir and University Community Chorus, and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in conducting, literature, and methods. She…

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Jason Seber

Jason Seber Conductor, 2018 High School Honors String Orchestra (Carnegie Hall); 2017 High School Honors Orchestra (Sydney Opera House) Jason Seber is the David T. Beals III Assistant Conductor of the Kansas City Symphony, leading the Symphony in nearly 70 annual performances. Previous to his appointment with the Kansas City Symphony, Seber served as Education and Outreach…

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Dr. Tim Seelig

Dr. Tim Seelig Conductor, 2017 High School Honors Women’s Choir (Carnegie Hall) Dr. Tim Seelig started his career as a singer, making his European operatic debut at the Staatsoper in St. Gallen, Switzerland, and his solo recital debut at Carnegie Hall. In addition to serving as Artistic Director of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, he…

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This was my first Honors Performance, and it makes me want to audition for everything now - so maybe I can experience something half as incredible.

Alyssa
Finalist

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