Central H.S.’s chorus shines outside the district

Valley Stream’s proximity to Manhattan is something that one Central High School chorus teacher sees as an advantage for the district’s music programs, and she’s looking to capitalize on it.

“I really feel like it makes them see the bigger world,” said Amy Neuner, who organized trips to New York City for two separate music programs in the Valley Stream Central High School District this fall. A district-wide musical theatre group attended a performance at the Park Avenue Armory on Sept. 21, while Central’s chorus was invited to perform at a fundraiser for formerly incarcerated individuals on Oct. 1.

Neuner is a founding director of the Youth Ensemble at the Park Avenue Armory. The performance on Sept. 21 was by Tree of Codes, a dance and music collaboration between electronic music group the XX, the Paris Opera Ballet and Company Wayne McGregor. Neuner said the experience showed students what kind of possibilities are within reach.

“We’re so close to the city, so we have all these opportunities,” said Neuner, who said she hopes to continue to bring her students to events at the Armory, the nation’s largest unobstructed performance space.

The chorus performance on Oct. 1 celebrated the launch of ReFoundry, an organization that trains people who have been incarcerated to refurbish and repurpose discarded materials into home furnishings. The event was held at Deepak HomeBase, a learning space hosted by Deepak Chopra at ABC Carpet and Home in Manhattan. The organization trains people who have been incarcerated to refurbish and repurpose discarded materials into home furnishings. It’s not a typical venue for a high school chorus concert, Neuner said. Former inmates gave powerful speeches on serious topics, she said, and her students’ performance added a degree of flair. “Our kids brought that entertainment and personal touch to it,” she said. “The kids were treated like royalty.”

Central has a long history of performing for nonprofits, Neuner said, but the styles of music and focus of the chorus is constantly changing.

“Certain years, we’ve had more classical choirs,” she said. “It really depends on the kids.”

Central’s chorus will perform mostly in Valley Stream this holiday season, but Neuner is eager to continue to coordinate events in the city with the district’s support. “All of the events we’ve done in the city have been done to elevate our mission,” she said.