The Oscars, the world’s most prestigious awards show, airs tonight and for one lucky group of grade school children, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime. Back in December, Oscar host Anne Hathaway surprised the chorus of Public School 22 from Staten Island, NY with the news that they were picked to perform live during the 2011 Academy Awards. The result was a roomful of screaming children, a delighted Hathaway, and stunned parents.
The PS22 chorus will perform live during the 83rd Annual Academy Awards, which airs live tonight at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on WSB-TV in Atlanta.
About the PS22 Chorus:
The PS22 chorus gained national attention when its musical director, Gregg Breinberg posted videos of its rehearsals on the Internet. The choir is actually made up of fifth graders from the racially diverse neighborhood of Graniteville, N.Y. The chorus became an Internet sensation when Tori Amos, Perez Hilton, and eventually Oprah discovered it. Breinberg is particularly fond of arranging choral renditions of rock and pop songs, like their most popular songs: "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga and Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida.” In fact, PS22 videos have been viewed more than 28 million times on YouTube!
The famous PS22 chorus is already an Internet sensation, and now it's ready for the red carpet. The chorus, currently in Los Angeles, is set to perform “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” during the Academy Awards.
To view PS22 performances of Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” and Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance, check out this NPR link.
In the state of Georgia, music programs are being cut left and right. Last year, Fulton County cut the elementary school band and orchestra programs because of a budget shortfall. The cut impacted 8.000 students across the county. However, parents continue to insist that music plays an important role in their child’s education. Just ask the parents of the PS22 chorus.
To receive future articles by Jackie Kass, scroll to the top of this article, and click on SUBSCRIBE. Do you have a story idea? I'd love to hear from you! E-mail your ideas to me at jackiekass@bellsouth.net.
Comments