PHS choir performs in capital

The Princeton High School Chamber Choir sing carols to passers-by at the White House.

By: Jessica Beym
   On a three-hour bus trip to Washington on Monday, a group of 22 Princeton High School students weren’t passing the time by singing "99 Bottles of Beer."
   Instead, they were warming up their voices with a Ukrainian Christmas carol.
   The Princeton High School Chamber Choir, a select group of seniors and juniors from the PHS Choir, was one of 43 national groups invited to perform at the White House this month.
   The Chamber Choir, including Cranbury residents Caitlin McCarville and Colin Sarafin, spent an hour and a half singing carols on the steps of the Grand Foyer on Monday night.
   "It was a lot more exciting than I thought it would be," said Caitlin of Bergen Drive. "It was thrilling to be in the main entrance with all those people passing by. Not all teens get to sing at the White House."
   Caitlin, who has been in the Chamber Choir for two years, said the group sang a list of traditional songs such as "Winter Wonderland," but also included a few Spanish carols, old English pieces and a new arrangement of "Deck the Halls."
   "Our adrenaline level was very high the entire time," said Caitlin.
   Colin Sarafin, a junior at PHS and a resident of Jefferson Drive, said he doesn’t usually get nervous during performances, but this time, he did.
   "Getting to go there and sing — it was such a great honor. I was nervous up until I started to sing. Then I was able to relax," said Colin.
   Even though President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush were not at the White House to hear the caroling, the group performed for hundreds of visitors who passed through the main entrance of the White House.
   Princeton High School Choir Director Charles Sundquist said the Chamber Choir last performed at the White House in 1997.
   The PHS Chamber Choir is a select group of students from the 82 member PHS Choir, which is comprised of mostly upperclassmen. The students must audition for each choir separately. The Chamber Choir practices at least two hours a week, but in the weeks leading up to the performance, they worked harder and often found time outside of school to practice.
   The Chamber Choir has performed at many local venues and has traveled to Prague and Dresden to sing. Saturday the Chamber Choir performed at a private party at Morven Museum and Garden, the former New Jersey governor’s mansion in Princeton.
   Today (Friday) they will be performing at the Bristol Myers-Squibb annual luncheon. On Saturday they will perform with the Princeton Symphony at Princeton University’s Richardson Auditorium at 4 p.m.
   "The people in Chamber Choir really want to be there. We work hard. It’s a pretty serious atmosphere," said Caitlin.