74 Missoula Sentinel High School musicians will be jetting off to New York City later this month for the spring break trip of a lifetime, to perform at New York City’s Carnegie Hall.

Band Director Lewis Nelson said he sent in a tape last year, and the Sentinel band was chosen to perform.

“This particular festival is called the New York Sound of Spring Festival,” said Nelson. “It’s at Carnegie Hall and lands during our spring break, so I thought that was a great match for us. There are only four high school bands performing and we’re really excited to be a part of this festival.”

The itinerary, needless to say, is quite full for the 72 band members, parents and school personnel for a total of 84 who will be making the trip.

“After we get to the hotel and change, we’re going to the Blue Note Jazz Club for dinner and hear a professional jazz quartet,” he said. “During the next few days we’ll check out some museums, go to a Pops concert where we’ll perform at the Liberty Science Center, we’ll have a sound check and then we’re taking a cruise around the Statue of Liberty, in addition to a matinee performance of the musical ‘Kiss Me Kate’.”

Nelson said the students have been fundraising nonstop for over a year and nearly all the students have raised enough to make the trip.

“We just need to lock up a few more sponsors and we’re good to go,” he said.

After the five day trip, the students will fly to Bozeman where they have arranged for their own transportation back to Missoula.

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