Parker Biller, a student at Taylor County Middle School, has been selected for the 2022 Middle School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall.
He will perform as a bass in the Honors Junior Ensemble Choir this month. Participation is limited to the highest-rated middle-school performers from across the world.
Biller auditioned for the Honors Performance Series earlier this year and was accepted after a review by the Honors Selection Board. Acceptance to the elite group is a direct result of the talent, dedication and achievements demonstrated in Biller’s application and audition recording.
“We process thousands of nominations annually, selecting only the most talented performers,” said Marion Gomez, program director for the Honors Performance Series. “Being selected to the Honors Performance Series is something each junior finalist should be extremely proud of accomplishing. Working with these conductors and performing at Carnegie Hall is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that these musicians will never forget.”
Biller, 13, has studied music for six years and is a member of Taylor County Middle School Choir, under the direction of teachers Sarah Chiado and Duretha Mayle. He has studied voice with Greg DeVito, at the Fairmont State University Academy of the Arts, and piano with Carla Engle, of Bridgeport. Biller also plays guitar.
“I’m so excited to meet other singers from around the world and to get the opportunity to sing in such a prestigious place as Carnegie Hall,” Biller said. “I know this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I will not take it for granted. I’m so grateful to all my music teachers, and especially Mrs. Chiado, for working with me to prepare for the audition and for the upcoming performance.”
The Junior Finalists will come together in New York City for five days — June 15-19. They will have the opportunity to learn from world-renowned conductors, work with other junior finalists, and get a taste of New York City, including a Broadway show.
The Middle School Honors Performance Series Performance will take place June 18, and is open to the public. Tickets can be purchased through the Carnegie Hall box office.
The Honors Performance Series is presented by WorldStrides, the nation’s leading educational travel organization.
For Biller’s audition, he chose the song “More I Cannot Wish You,” from Guys and Dolls by Bing Crosby.
“I just love his style of music and the song was perfect for my range,” he said.
He was recently awarded the Christine Schulz Memorial Award for Excellence in Taylor County Middle School Choir and the Lynn Smith Memorial Award, by the Taylor County Middle School 8th-grade teachers, for academics, perseverance, leadership, and responsibility.
In addition to music, Biller is also a member of the TCMS cross-country team, plays baseball and was elected freshman class president for next year at Grafton High School.
He is the son of Chad and Jennifer Biller, of Bridgeport.
Carnegie Hall is known as the pinnacle of musical achievements. From classical musicians and composers, such as Tchaikovsky, Yo Yo Ma, and George Gershwin, to artists such as Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Etta James, Louis Armstrong and Patsy Cline, the list of performers is long and esteemed.
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