Palatine High School choir performs at White House today
Palatine High School’s choir will be performing at the White House Dec. 21 for the annual Christmas Open House.
After sending a CD of the high school’s choir to a White House contact, music director Steve Sivak waited to hear back for nearly two months, hoping White House staffers would select the his singers for the 2010 festivities. Instead, he was notified this week that his students would be performing this year.
“It’s a little unbelievable,” Sivak said. “We’re all kind of a little numb right now and the reality is going to set in when we leave.”
Sivak said he revamped their Christmas show for the White House.
“The kids are working really hard during class,” he said. “I added three more songs and I just handed out new music on Monday.”
The group will perform two two-hour sets, along with other performances around Washington D.C., giving as many students as possible an opportunity to perform.
Originally, only 20 students were allowed to sing, but Sivak had that number upped to 52. He also got clearance for all students participating in the trip to tour the White House.
The choir is set to perform “Jingle Bells,” “This is That Time of the Year” and “Stars I Shall Find.”
“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,”District 211 spokesman Tom Petersen said. “They worked really hard on this.”
