Calhoun’s Pulse Vocal Group performs at Radio City

Pulse, a choral group at Sanford H. Calhoun High School in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District, performed at Radio City Music Hall on Dec. 3, opening ahead of the long-running seasonal show, “Christmas Spectacular.”

After Director Jeanette Pincus submitted an audition tape, the group was invited to perform ahead of the Radio City Rockettes. The show required a program of Christmas tunes, so the group had to add two songs to their concert repertoire late in the rehearsal process.

More than 100 guests traveled into New York City to see the 22 students perform as they belted out renditions of “Linus and Lucy” and “Carol of the Bells.”

“I tried to pick unique songs,” Pincus noted. “Since Vince Guaraldi’s ‘Linus and Lucy’ is all instrumental, the vocal music was very creatively written with syllables and extremely difficult rhythms. Then we performed a swing version of the timeless ‘Carol of the Bells.’

Senior Lana Guber has been a member of Pulse for the last two years.

“Performing at Radio City felt like a dream come true,” she recalled. “It was a memory I’ll never forget.”

“We are so proud of our students,” added Cheryl Fontana, the district’s director of the fine & performing arts. “Their hard work and commitment to this ensemble truly shines through in each performance they give, and we are so grateful to Ms. Pincus for seeking out these types of experiences for the group.”

Pulse is a select, audition-only choir specializing mostly in a cappella popular music of multiple genres. They perform at many school and community functions throughout the year.