The world will be the stage for the Princeton-based American Boychoir when it performs with pop diva Beyonce Knowles, during the 77th annual Academy Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 27.##M:[more]## The choir will sing “Look to Your Path” (Vois sur ton chemin) from the soundtrack of “Les Choristes” (The Chorus). Both the song and the film have received Oscar nominations in the categories of Best Song and Best Foreign Film. Beyonce is also performing “Learn to Be Lonely” from “The Phantom of the Opera,” and a duet with Josh Groban in “Believe” from “The Polar Express.”
If practice, practice, practice is the way to get to Carnegie Hall, then practice plus some show business connections helps on the way to Hollywood. In November Miramax Films invited the Boychoir to perform at the United States premiere of “Les Choristes” — a film that had already taken France by storm. Set in a home for troubled boys and orphans in post-World War II France, “Les Choristes” is an inspirational story about the power of redemption through song.
“The Choir sang several selections from the soundtrack at the January premiere party and Miramax officials were so pleased with what they heard that they recommended the Boychoir to the producers of the Academy Awards,” says a Boychoir spokesperson.
The American Boychoir’s 2004-’05 season has been packed with stellar performances, beginning with a guest appearance at the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament with opera superstar Jessye Norman that was televised nationally on CBS. This performance was followed immediately by an appearance at the YouthAIDS Foundation Benefit in New York City. Most recently, the Choir gave three triumphant performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 in Boston and at Carnegie Hall in celebration of James Levine’s inaugural week as the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s new music director. This was followed by a three week-long tour of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, six appearances at Verizon Hall with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and two holiday concerts in Princeton.
Among those making the trip to LA: Roy Bhame, 13, of West Windsor, a student at the school for the past three years. A seventh grade day student who enjoys basketball, football and Boy Scouts, Roy entered ABS after completing fourth grade at the Millstone River School. “I liked the Boychoir School immediately,” says Roy. “I knew I would be expected to work hard as a member of the choir while going to school at the same time, but that I would also be able to travel and make good friends along the way.”
Roy is a day student so his parents drive him back and forth from Princeton when he isn’t on tour. “The majority of the students board there. This year there are students from all the over the United States, Columbia, Switzerland, and Korea,” says his mother, Karen Bhame.
“Sometimes it is hard to do all of our school work independently on the bus,” Roy adds, “but if I focus on a famous place that I will be seeing soon, it makes it easier to stick with it. I like having new trips to look forward to every tour.” Roy has enjoyed going up to the top of St. Louis arch, singing at Carnegie Hall and Avery Fischer Hall, and performing in a week-long residence with the Boston Symphony during the recent Red Sox victories. Traveling to Vicksburg, Mississippi, to the Civil War battlefield was “a thrill because we sang America the Beautiful for veterans there. They came up and thanked us with tears in their eyes afterwards.”
“Each region of our country has its own qualities and I like to meet people from all over,” he says.
Roy has been singing with accuracy since he was 18 months old, says his mother, who plays the piano and enjoys singing as well. “He would learn songs instantly and if I put on any kind of beautiful vocal music including opera, Roy would stop what he was doing and stare into space and listen. I knew he was processing complex music at an early age.”
Karen, an assistant teacher in the kindergarten extension program at Millstone River School for four years, is preparing to return to school to get her masters degree in the education field.
When Roy was 5, his Kindermusic teacher, Linda Fields of West Windsor, recommended the American Boychoir School as an outlet to develop his vocal ability. Her son Mark was a graduate and had many wonderful trips and experiences as well. “From first grade on, Roy wanted to go the annual Boychoir Christmas concert in Princeton,” Karen says. “He kept asking me to audition and when he was finally old enough (in fourth grade), we went over to check out the school. I had no intention of sending him but then I saw the school, met the exceptional staff and realized what he would be able to accomplish there at such a young age. The opportunity was too good to pass up and it was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.”
Roy’s dad, David, sees other benefits of attending the Boychoir School: “I like the idea of Roy becoming confident in who he is as a person and learning responsibility and leadership skills.” David, who works for the Bank of New York in Manhattan, says, “I guess I’m musical, but the kids get most of their talent from Karen.” Roy’s nine-year-old sister, Marlena, also sings. She is a fourth grader at Village Elementary School and is a member of the Princeton Girlchoir.
“The American Boychoir sang recently in the cadet chapel at West Point this weekend,” says Karen. “With grandeur and history all around them and the accompanist playing the largest church organ in the world, it was a majestic performance. David is Class of ’78 and we were very proud to have our son singing at his alma mater!”
Has Roy ever seen the Academy Awards show? “Due to the late hour of that program, our kids have never seen much of the Oscars,” Karen says. “That will change this year!” — Lynn Miller
The Academy Awards, Sunday, February 27, on ABC beginning at 8 p.m. www.oscar.com. For information on the Boychoir School visit www.americanboychoir.org or call 888-BOYCHOIR.
