Members of the Lawrence Children's Choir rehearse at West Junior High School. The choir has been invited to perform in April at Carnegie Hall in New York City with other choirs from around the country.

Janeal Krehbiel, the Lawrence Children's Choir artistic director, leads the group in a rehearsal. The LCC has been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City with other choirs from around the country in April. The LCC is made of 75 singers ranging in age from fifth to ninth grades.

The Lawrence Children’s Choir wants to get some practice before it takes the stage at Carnegie Hall.

Field Studies International in New York City selected the choir to perform at its National Children’s Choir concert April 15 at the coveted venue, where the likes of Antonin Dvorak, Duke Ellington and The Beatles have graced the stage.

“It’s a nice experience,” says the choir’s artistic director, Janeal Krehbiel, who has taken young vocalists to Carnegie before. “The kids in 2000 said it was a highlight of their life, singing in Carnegie.”

To warm up for the trip, the group will give a preview concert at 5 p.m. Saturday at Lawrence High School, 1901 La. The program will include pieces on the Carnegie roster, such as “Shenandoah” and a German romantic work titled “Still wie die Nacht.”

LCC’s preparatory choir, the Choristers, also will perform, under the direction of Pam Bushouse.

The 75-member choir, which consists of children in fifth through ninth grades, rehearses once a week with occasional extra practices. Members started preparing pieces in January for their New York performance.

“The process of working on pieces give us the ability to perfect something,” Krehbiel says.

She last took a choir to Carnegie in 2000 to be part of the National Children’s Choir, which includes vocal groups hand-picked from across the country. This year, Krehbiel will direct the national choir. LCC also will give a spotlight performance during the program, singing five pieces alone.

While in New York, the group will visit tourist attractions like the Statue of Liberty and see the musical “Wicked” during its trip.

Nolan Frank, West Junior High eighth-grader, is looking forward to the musical opportunity and is excited to see “Wicked.” Others, like Alita Joseph, Sunset Hill School fifth-grader, and Hannah Foerschler, West Junior High eighth-grader, can hardly wait to perform at Carnegie Hall.

LCC had six different fundraising opportunities this year to help choir members pay for the trip.

Tickets for the preview concert can be purchased for $6 at Hume Music, 711 W. 23rd St., or $8 at the door.