Two students at Bentonville’s Thaden School have been selected for the 2022 High School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall. Sophomore Bergen Hembree will perform alto 1 this weekend with the Honors High School Concert Choir, while Freshman and Anaïs Rogers will perform soprano 2 with the Honors High School Treble Choir. Participation in one of the five Honors Ensembles is highly selective and limited to the highest-rated high school performers from across the world.
Located on a 30-acre campus in downtown Bentonville, Thaden School is a new independent school that serves students in grades six through 12.
Hembree and Rogers auditioned for the Honors Performance Series earlier this year and were recently accepted after a review by the Honors Selection Board.
“It has been a pleasure working with Bergen and Anaïs throughout the process of preparing for an opportunity of this caliber!” said Shelly O’Dell of Thaden’s music faculty. “They are dedicated musicians and their care and love of performing high-quality choral music shine through in their work. I would also like to thank their families for their support. This is a special experience they will all have the opportunity to enjoy together and cherish the memories forever!”
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. Hembree and Rogers will join students from 47 states as well as Australia, Bermuda, China, Guam and South Korea for the performance.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of this amazing opportunity. It feels like a dream to be able to travel to NYC and share this experience with so many other talented humans,” sayid Hembree. “I worked and trained hard for my place, but I would not be a part of it without the wonderful Ms. O’Dell and the nomination she sent in for me to be in this program. She is a rockstar and I am grateful to work with her.”
Thaden School opened its state-of-the-art performing arts center in 2021, situated on the northwest corner of its West Campus. All Thaden students are required to take courses in the arts that are designed to instill life-long appreciation for the creative process.
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