Severna Park Student Selected For Carnegie Hall Concert

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Lily Kraynak, a freshman at Severna Park High School, is preparing for the High School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall in New York City from February 6-10. Lily will perform as a soprano II with the Honors Performance Treble Choir.

The Honors Performance Series was created to showcase accomplished individual student performers on an international level by allowing them to study under master conductors and perform in world renowned venues.

Participation in the honors ensembles is limited to the highest-rated young performers from across the world. Lily auditioned for the Honors Performance Series and was accepted after a review by the honors selection board. Acceptance to the group is a result of the talent, dedication and achievements demonstrated in the performers’ application and audition recording. Lily was nominated last year by her Severna Park Middle School chorus teacher, Arden Titus.

“I nominated Lily because of her work ethic, character and her musicianship,” Titus said. “I believe she'll gain a great deal of performance and real-world experience from going on this trip. She's going to have an amazing time!”

Lily has delighted her family with her singing since she learned how to talk. The “Frozen” soundtrack from 2013 is forever imprinted in their brains as Santa, in his infinite wisdom, decided to gift her with the “Frozen” karaoke machine that year.

She saw her first Broadway play, “Matilda,” when she was 5 years old and knew then that being a singer and performer was what she wanted to do. Just six years later, she played Matilda under Heather Harris’ direction through the Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks.

At age 7, Lily began singing through “Pitch Perfect” at Theater in the Park and has since performed in plays at Severna Park Middle School, Theater in the Park, Stage & Screen Studios, and Recreation and Parks. She has performed for the Anne Arundel all-county chorus and has been selected as a soloist for various choral events. She is currently a member of the honors vocal ensemble at Severna Park High School and was the recipient of the Gaydell Bingham Award for recognition of outstanding citizenship at the 2023 Anne Arundel County Public Schools summer music camp at North Bay. Last summer, Lily ran her own one-week singing summer camp for local children.

“I’m thrilled that a passion I’ve had for so long will result in my performance at Carnegie Hall,” Lily said. “It’s like a dream come true, and my younger self would be very proud of the opportunity. I am so grateful to those who have supported me through the years — Mrs. (Sara) Metcalfe, Ms. (Arden) Titus, Peter Garvey, Heather Harris, Holly Woodard and, of course, my parents, my brother Nick, who is also pursuing music, my grandparents, who I love from the bottom of my heart, my cousins, aunts, uncles and extended family and friends.”

Lily will join performers from all over the world — including Bermuda, Canada, China and South Korea — to perform at Carnegie Hall, a venue that marks the pinnacle of musical achievement. The finalists will come together in New York City, where they will have the opportunity to learn from world-renowned conductors and work with other performers.

“Being selected to the Honors Performance Series is something each finalist should be extremely proud of accomplishing,” said Marion Gomez, music director for the 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 these conductors and performing at these renowned music halls is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that these musicians will never forget.”

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