An award-winning Mezzo-Soprano vocalist from northern Manitoba was recently asked to perform at Carnegie Hall and she's bringing some special guests with her.
Rhonda Head, who has won 41 awards, performed with the Flin Flon choir at Carnegie Hall last year. The Maestro loved it so much, that he asked her to return. This time she is bringing four youths from the Arts for Manitoba Indigenous Youth Choir.
"One of my goals was to get them to go and perform on stage in Carnegie Hall, but I didn't think it would happen so fast," said Head.
The youth, between 10 and 13 years of age, were thrilled to be chosen to be a part of something this big.
"I allowed the parents to tell their kids," said Head. "They were very, very excited."
Head says it's important for these youth to have an experience like this.
"When I was young, I always loved classical music. I eventually got into singing and there was really nobody there to mentor me, in that style of genre," she explained. "I'm being given the opportunity to mentor them, and it really means a lot for me because I can see them going further than what I've done."
Rhonda and the Indigenous youth chorus will be performing Handel's Messiah on Dec.1, 2024.
To make the trip more affordable for the youth, a fundraiser has been planned for Sunday, Sept. 22 from 6-9 p.m. at Hermano's.
"All proceeds will go to our travel expenses such as meals and transportation.
Tickets can be purchased at the door or online. A GoFundMe page has also been set up to help with expenses.
"It's the best venue to perform in because the acoustics there are amazing, and just being in a building where other amazing artists have performed, the two of their energies in there, it's just an amazing place to perform."