ARLINGTON, Texas — The Mansfield Timberview varsity chorale has enough trophies to fill a concert hall. Despite the accolades, surprisingly, there’s one thing this choir has yet to accomplish.
“Yeah, it’s very surprising,” said senior Madison Palacios.
“It kind of does [blow my mind],” senior Ashlyn Henson said. “Cause we’re kind of good.”
“It’s like we should be able to,” James Britton, a senior tenor, said.
Of all their great performances, no performance has ever happened outside of Texas. Director Jason Forte says that’s largely because it’s a Title I school and there often aren’t enough resources for big trips.
It’s something he wanted to change when he was hired last year.
“I saw the potential and I knew that we needed to show the beauty of our campus and the diversity of our campus,” Forte said.
That’s why, earlier this year, he applied to perform at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Many choirs apply but only a handful earn an invitation.
“I was confident,” he said. “They were really talented.”
It only took a week to get the answer Forte anticipated. The Timberview choir will perform at Carnegie in March 2024.
For some students, it’ll be their first time leaving the state.
“I’ve seen it in movies and TV shows, so now it’s like I’m actually going to this place,” Britton said.
“Carnegie, it’s Carnegie,” Henson said. “People dream about that and it never happens.”
Although they hope to sing well, this is about more than their performance. It’s about proving that every possibility is within reach.
“It just shows that we can express ourselves and there’s more to us than what people think,” Britton said.
“It’s definitely like you’re leaving a legacy behind, helping the future generations,” said Palacios.
“I think it shows that we can come together as a team and it doesn’t matter where you come from, it doesn’t matter how much money you have, doesn’t matter what you identify as, you can truly do what you put your mind to,” said Forte.
Because you can go anywhere once you find your voice.