Eastside High School junior Gracie Bates has been selected for the 2022 High School Honors Performance Series this weekend at Carnegie Hall in New York City. 

Bates will perform as a soprano with the High School Treble Choir. Participation in one of the five Honors Ensembles is limited to the highest-rated high school performers from across the world.

Gracie auditioned for the Honors Performance Series last year and was recently accepted after a review by the Honors Selection Board. Acceptance to the elite group is a direct result of the talent, dedication, and achievements demonstrated in her application and audition recording.

Bates has studied music for five years and is a member of Oxford Youth Singers and Eastside High School’s Acapella and Show choirs. Gracie has also auditioned for and been selected for Allstate Chorus this year. In response to her selection as a finalist, Bates said, “It is an honor to be selected for this program and I am excited to travel to New York and experience something new.”

She added, “I’m super excited. It’s going to be a great experience. I’m going to meet so many new people and get a new perspective on a lot of things. It’s going to be cool to be around people who value music like I do and enjoy performing and singing like I do.”

“This is a tremendous honor for Gracie,” said Joel Singleton, choral director for Eastside High School. “She’s a hard worker in choir class and a very talented student. 

"Having the opportunity to sing at Carnegie Hall is a dream come true for so many musicians and she will love the experience. I am proud of her for stepping out and auditioning for this event.”

Gracie will join performers from students from 47 United States, Australia, Bermuda, China, Guam, and South Korea for a special performance at the world-famous Carnegie Hall, a venue that marks the pinnacle of musical achievement.

The finalists will come together in New York City for five days in February. They will have the opportunity to learn from world-renowned conductors, work with other finalists, and get a taste of New York City. Two performances, an Honors Instrumental Performance and Honors Choral Performance, will take place Saturday, Feb. 5, and Sunday, Feb. 6, respectively, and are open to the public. 

“After having performances worldwide impacted for over a year, we are excited to be returning to the stage at Carnegie Hall. Being selected to the Honors Performance Series is something each Finalist should be extremely proud of accomplishing,” said Marion Gomez, program director for the Honors Performance Series. “We processed nearly 10,000 nominations this year and have selected over 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.”

The Honors Performance Series was created to showcase accomplished individual high school performers on an international level by allowing them to study under master conductors and perform in the celebrated venue, Carnegie Hall.

The Honors Performance Series is presented by WorldStrides, the nation’s leading educational travel organization. Learn more by visiting honorsperformance.org and worldstrides.com.