For many musicians, Carnegie Hall in New York City marks the peak of the mountaintop.
The legendary theater is widely regarded as the pinnacle of performing arts. The crest of creative expression. The apex of artistic achievement. Some musicians may spend a lifetime honing their craft to a razor’s edge without ever stepping foot on the venue’s fabled Perelman Stage.
Avon’s own Olivia N., on the other hand, is about to cross this item off her bucket list at the ripe old age of 16.
A junior at Avon High School, Olivia, who goes by Liv, was recently selected to perform at the Midtown Manhattan theater as part of the WorldStrides Honors Concert Choir.
“Being selected is something each finalist should be extremely proud of accomplishing,” said Marion Gomez, musical director for WorldStrides’ Honors Performance Series. “We processed nearly 10,000 nominations this year and have selected the most talented student performers from around the world. Working with our conductors and performing at such a renowned music hall is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that these musicians will never forget.”
Liv departs for New York City Feb. 6 and while much of her time will be spent rehearsing for her two performances, she’ll also be taking in the sights and sounds of The Big Apple.
“I’m excited about being able to go there but I’m nervous for all the stuff I’m going to have to do,” said Liv, who’ll be visiting the city for the first time. “Some of the pieces we’re performing are very - not necessarily frightening, but nerve-wracking.”
Rising to the occasion
Liv’s journey from Avon to New York City began this past summer when Kristen Maxfield, Avon's middle-high school vocal music teacher, nominated Liv for the ensemble.
Maxfield said she decided to nominate Liv not only because of her exceptional vocal talent, but for her work ethic and dedication.
“While her vocal agility and range surpass expectations, it's her unwavering drive that truly sets her apart,” Maxfield said. “Liv possesses an unyielding spirit, ready to tackle the immense physical, mental and vocal demands of performing at a landmark venue like Carnegie Hall.”
To audition for the ensemble, Liv had to pick a classical piece, record herself singing it, then submit the recording to WorldStrides for the consideration of its selection board.
Ultimately, she settled on “Caro Mio Ben,” an aria by 18th Century Italian composer Tommaso Giordani she memorized for a local solo-festival audition last year.
“I was glad it was just an audio recording that I had to submit because they didn’t have to see me with my weird facial expressions,” said Liv with a laugh. “Then, a month or two later, I got an email saying ‘Hey, you did good. We want you to be in the group.’”
Shortly thereafter, Liv received the set list for the performances and the sheet music for her alto I voice part. To say she’s been rehearsing feverishly ever since would be “a very huge understatement."
With the sheer volume of things on her plate however, Liv’s had to be intentional about where she’s focusing her attention.
“First I had to focus on ICE,” said Liv, referring to the Interscholastic Competition in English at SUNY Geneseo for which she performed a dramatic monologue. “Then I had auditions for Avon Rotary’s Vocal Music Competition and then I have All-County right before Carnegie Hall, so I’ve been having to focus on one at a time - I can’t focus on them all at once.”
Still, she’s found time to peek at her Carnegie Hall pieces and has the goal of getting all seven fully memorized before heading to New York.
“I don’t have a favorite yet,” said Liv. “There’s a piece called ‘Northern Lights’ we’re doing that’s very repetitive, so that one seems like it’ll be a little easier.”
Another piece that strikes her as a bit harder is titled “Rytmus,” by Slovakian composer Ivan Hrusovsky. The piece is in Latin and is both rhythmically and harmonically challenging, said Liv.
“That one seems quite intense,” she said. “I’ve tried listening to it and tried picking out the harmonies. It’s nice because they blend together and sound nice but it's also hard because I can’t pick out what I'm supposed to be doing.”
Liv will also be performing a version of “Gloria Fanfare” arranged by Jeffrey Ames, the conductor who will be leading her choir at Carnegie Hall.
Ames is the director of choral activities at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. A highly-sought and experienced choral clinician, he’s frequently asked to lead selective ensembles, including the National Youth Choir at Carnegie Hall and high school choirs at the state conventions of both the American Choral Directors Association and National Association for Music Education.
And while the prospect of performing with such an accumulation of talent in a venue as prestigious as Carnegie Hall may have Liv a bit nervous - “I’m just a little bit panicky,” she said - Maxfield isn’t exactly sweating it.
“Liv’s dedication shines through in every aspect - from her preparation beforehand to the way she throws herself into a performance once she gets on stage,” said Maxfield. “She is an artist poised to captivate audiences on the grand Carnegie Hall stage and I have no doubt she will rise to the occasion with grace and brilliance.”
‘Somewhere I was meant to be’
Liv’s first experience performing came in the fourth grade, when she nabbed her first ever stage role - a street urchin in Avon Central Schools’ annual holiday production of “Scrooge”
The following year, she was cast as Gretl - the youngest of the von Trapp children - in the High School Drama Club’s production of “The Sound of Music” following an anxiety-inducing audition process.
“That was kind of an eye-opening moment for me because I was singing ‘Happy Birthday’ with everyone else during the group audition and then Ms. Jenson, who’s now Mrs. Breed, was like ‘OK, you’re going to sing by yourself,’” Liv recalled. “I was terrified and it was the first time I’d ever sang in front of a bunch of other people but I did it and a couple weeks later they were like ‘OK, you’re going to be doing this role. You’re going to be Gretl.’”
It was during that audition Liv realized she was up to the challenge of singing in front of other people - regardless of how nervous or downright nauseous she might feel.
From that point on, she was hooked.
“When I got that role in ‘Sound of Music’ I was like ‘Hey, this is actually pretty cool,’” she recalled. “I had tried a lot of sports when I was young and none of them ever worked out but I got that role and it was like, ‘I found somewhere I was meant to be.’ That was the one spot where I felt like I belonged. With all the other sports, I felt so out of place.”
Since those early theater days, Liv’s gone on to perform in eight separate “Scrooge” productions, five high school shows and a handful of Avon Community Theatre productions including “The Little Mermaid Jr.” and “The Lion King Jr.”
“Lion King was fun - I was adult Nala in that one,” she said. “I had a fun time engaging with everyone because we had a bunch of new people join that year too, so that was fun.”
She’s performed with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in its annual Holiday Pops Festival and has also been selected for multiple all-county choir ensembles through the Genesee Valley School Music Association.
And just last year, Liv was recognized in the excellence in a leading role category in the Rochester Broadway Theatre League’s annual Stars of Tomorrow competition for her portrayal of Marcy Park in the High School Drama Club’s production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”
While still only a junior, Liv said she hopes to pursue a performing arts degree and a career as an actor once she graduates.
“Either a form of theater - I actually do quite like voice acting, so I've been looking into that - or just regular film acting,” she said. “I’ve looked at Alfred University. That’s my dream school right now because they have a really good theater program. And also Nazareth, but I’m scared of the competition there. Mrs. Maxfield also went to Naz, so she really wants me to go.”
Liv will perform twice at Carnegie Hall as a member of WorldStrides’ Honors Concert Choir. The first, on Feb. 9, will be for friends and family while the second on Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. will be open to the public.
Tickets can be purchased through Carnegie Hall’s website by clicking here.
Liv N. is pictured on stage during one of her first ever shows - the Avon High School Drama Club’s 2018 production of “The Sound of Music.” Liv, pictured in the front row, second from left in the standing photo and fourth from left in the photo on the bed, portrayed Gretl, the youngest of the von Trapp children.
Liv N. is pictured during the Avon High School Drama Club’s 2023 production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” In the show, Liv portrayed Marcy Park, a no-nonsense over-achiever who came to the bee to win, not to make friends. The role earned her an excellence in a leading role recognition in the Rochester Broadway Theatre League’s annual Stars of Tomorrow competition.
Liv N. is pictured as Adult Nala in Avon Community Theatre’s summer 2022 production of “The Lion King Jr.”