A Chesty Lion will join voices with the top-rated high school vocalists from across the world in February.
Ashton Rapp, a senior at Lawrence High School, was selected for the 2022 High School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall, according to a news release from the Lawrence school district.
Rapp auditioned for the Honors Performance Series, which includes five ensembles. Rapp will perform bass, joining fellow vocal artists from 47 states, Australia, Bermuda, China, Guam and South Korea.
“I am super excited to perform with the Honors Performance Series in New York because it marks a great accomplishment in my vocal career,” Rapp said in the news release. “I wish to go into vocal performance in college and with this grand opportunity that is open to me, I feel like I’m closer to achieving my dreams.”
Program Director Marion Gomez said the performance series processed nearly 10,000 nominations and selected 500 of the “most talented student performers from around the world.”
“Working with these conductors and performing at Carnegie Hall is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that these musicians will never forget,” Gomez said.
Rapp auditioned for the series earlier this year. “Acceptance to the elite group is a direct result of the talent, dedication, and achievements demonstrated in his application and audition recording,” the news release said.
Rapp studies music privately with Vanessa Thomas and is a member of LHS A Capella and Chorale under the direction of Dwayne Dunn. Rapp has earned a 4.0 GPA and the head drum major spot in the LHS marching band. In September, the Lawrence Schools Foundation recognized him as a 2021 Student Champion of the Arts. He serves as an executive board member of the National Honor Society and is a member of the LINK Crew, which encourages ninth graders during their transition to high school. Rapp plans to study voice in college but is unsure of where he will attend.
The finalists will spend five days learning from world-renowned master conductors as well as each other in New York City. They will participate in the Honors Choral Performance on Sunday, Feb. 6. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, Dec. 8 through the Carnegie Hall box office.
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Tricia Masenthin (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at tmasenthin (at) lawrencekstimes (dot) com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
More coverage of Lawrence Public Schools:
Maya Hodison/Lawrence Times
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
