Saturday, February 28, 2026
As a courtesy to the artists and for the uninterrupted enjoyment of your fellow patrons, please turn off all electronic devices. No portion of this performance may be photographed, recorded, filmed, taped, broadcast or mechanically reproduced without the written consent of the Artist and/or the Presenter. Mayo Performing Arts Center is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Program subject to change.
Since its inception in 2009, the Ndlovu Youth Choir has become one of the world’s most treasured groups. Their unique musical arrangements, powerhouse vocals, irresistibly combined with mesmerizing choreography and infectious energy have inspired millions across the globe.
An eleven-year journey has seen an after-school program for orphaned and vulnerable children, started by the Ndlovu Care Group, transform into an international recording and touring career. Participation does not only instill values of togetherness, a work ethic and a sense of responsibility, but it develops self-discipline, self-confidence, and leadership. Through the choir, choristers gain a global perspective that offers an early pathway to artistic and professional achievement. The choir uses their talents to share their inspirational story with the world through song and dance.
The choir’s repertoire is an exciting mix of traditional South African genres with pop, rock, jazz, and EDM. Their intention to create a fresh and original sound is evident in their ability to take internationally well-known songs— Toto’s “Africa,” Kygo’s “Higher Love,” U2’s “Beautiful Day,” and Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You”—and move them into an exciting new territory.
The Ndlovu Youth Choirʼs incredible run on Americaʼs Got Talent (Season 14 made them the first choir in the history of either Americaʼs Got Talent or Britainʼs Got Talent to reach the final. Their soul-stirring performances won hearts and minds around the world. After their final AGT performance, legendary music producer and record executive Simon Cowell labeled the performance “The best final I have ever sat on in my life.” He went on to sign the choir, and
together with SYCO and Sony Music they released their first album, which debuted at number one on iTunes.
Since AGT, the choir has undertaken two European tours, sold out every public performance and performed on numerous local and international television and radio shows. Performance highlights include a performance to over 115,000 people in Cape Town and The Match in Africa which featured Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Bill Gates and Trevor Noah.
During the Coronavirus crisis the choir continued to offer hope and inspiration with their enthusiastic COVID-19 musical public service messages which were shared by the WHO and the United Nations. They joined many of the world’s top A-list performers on a virtual stage where they were featured during the Global Citizens One World: Together at Home virtual concert.
As the Ndlovu Youth Choirʼs meteoric rise continues, they strive to push the creative boundaries of song and dance to reach and touch audiences of all ages across the globe. Their high energy performances have not only thrilled audiences around the world. but have shared a message of hope, love and togetherness.
The following Morristown High School students have been nominated by Christine Scott.
Cole Bartlett
Cole has demonstrated remarkable growth over the years, overcoming intense performance anxiety that once left him overwhelmed to become a singer who now performs with poise, confidence, and a calm, steady presence. His rich contralto tone and impressive versatility allow him to sing tenor in one Honors ensemble and alto in another, adapting easily to whatever the ensemble needs. Cole is also skilled at selecting repertoire that showcases his tone and range. As one of our section leaders—responsible for guiding a spirited group of freshmen tenors—he remains supportive, encouraging, and patient. Additionally, Cole spent one year with the touring rock a cappella group, the RockNRoll Chorus, and is a strong, reliable ensemble performer in our spring musicals.
Allison Crean
Allison is one of the most detail-oriented, meticulous and quality-focused students I have ever taught. She never settles for anything less than her absolute best. Allison is a 3-year member of the Morris Area Honor Choir, NJSMA Region I Choir, and NJ All-State Choir and is consistently one of the top-scoring singers on her voice part. I have especially enjoyed working with Allison on solo materials over the years, watching her grow from a singer who once concentrated mainly on perfect notes and rhythms into a performer with genuine personality, warmth, and an appealing stage presence. This was most evident in her recent in-class solo performance of “Youʼll Be Back” from Hamilton - a performance we won’t soon forget!
Helene Gringeri
From the moment I met her, Heleneʼs self-discipline, thoughtful self-correction, and strong work ethic has set her apart. A confident, expressive performer and powerhouse alto, Helene approaches every musical challenge with fearless curiosity and true growth mindset. She approaches challenges with professionalism, models learning from mistakes, and inspires her peers to embrace risk and innovation in music. As a two-year section leader and now Co-President of the Mixed Chorale, she empowers others through strong sight-reading skills and supportive leadership, helping her section grow in both confidence and independence. Helene demonstrates remarkable versatility as a member of the ensemble in our Spring Musicals, with a vocal range and intuitive performance skills that allow her to convincingly sing both male and female roles.
Kara Matlins
Our very own resident “Glinda,” Kara has a light, sweet soprano voice and brings her warm, bubbly spirit to every rehearsal and performance. She is adept at navigating Soprano 2 lines (which can be notoriously challenging) with expert intuition. A responsible leader, Kara always thinks ahead, supporting the needs of the ensemble while maintaining her own high level of musicianship. She also has keen ensemble assessment skills, and uses them to run full ensemble rehearsals, even (& especially!) when I am not present. As a second-year section leader and Co-President of the Treble Chorale, Kara regularly learns, teaches, and performs across multiple voice parts with confidence and skill. Kara has become an exceptional sightreader, and students in any section know they can rely on her for help with pitch and rhythmic accuracy.
Jackson Miller
Jackson is a 3-year member of the Morris Area Honor Choir and NJSMA Region I Choir. He is a dependable, robust baritone - often approached for participation in student-led groups because
The 2025-2026 Music Student of the Month program is supported by The Walter F. and Alice Gorham Foundation, Inc.
he is a quick learner and reliable participant. As a sophomore, Jackson played George Banks in our production of Mary Poppins and last year, her received BergenPAC’s award for “Best Actor in a MaleIdentified Supporting Role” for his performance as Javert in Les Misérables. His performance of “Stars” in that production resulted in show-stopping ovations at every performance of the run. Jackson is a fiercely self-aware performer—unafraid to speak his mind, yet grounded enough to listen and grow from the perspectives of others.
Tessa Niznik
Tessa is one of my hardest-working and most dependable musicians. She is professional, humble, intrinsically motivated and strives for precision in all of her performances. Few students are as disciplined in their practice as Tessa, and her efforts have paid off: Tessa has been selected for the Morris Area Honor Choir several times, and this year she ranked 3rd in the county on her voice part. As a section leader in the Mixed Chorale, she guides her peers with patience and encouragement, balancing technical excellence with supportive mentorship. Tessa is often approached for participation in student-led groups because she is a quick learner and reliable participant. Notably, last year Tessa independently planned and executed a performance of Stabat Mater with our student-run string quartet for the Solo & Small Ensemble showcase.
Zion Pearson
Zion is a heartfelt, joyful singer whose natural talent and expressiveness make him a standout student in our music program. Zion is a two-year member of our Mixed Chorale and Glee Club and is often featured as a soloist because his natural vocal flexibility allows him to convey emotion with ease. While he learns extraordinarily quickly by ear, he has also demonstrated strong commitment and growth in his sight-reading skills. Zion regularly performs with MPAC’s Performing Arts Company and gave a heartwarming performance as Crutchy in last year’s MPAC production of Newsies. In his first year as a section leader in Mixed Chorale, Zion balances warmth with firmness, serving as an excellent vocal model and encouraging a sense of community in the ensemble.
Brooks Seibold
I have encountered few students as dedicated to our choir program as Brooks. She participates in every opportunity the choir program has to offer, down to the smallest student-led ensembles. Last year, she delivered a show-stopping solo in the Treble Chorale’s Spring Concert performance of “Children Go Where I Send Thee.” As a second-year section leader and Co-President of the Treble Chorale, Brooks often learns, teaches, and performs on multiple voice parts. She has become an exceptional sightreader, and students on any voice part know they can turn to her for help with pitch and rhythmic accuracy. The Jazz Choir has been under her co-direction for the past two years. I have particularly enjoyed watching her discover her love for music from the Golden Age of Hollywood, a repertoire that perfectly suits her voice and style.
Ryan Snyder
Ryan is a talented bass, a fast learner and confident performer who has grown into a well-rounded and skilled musician. He gave a particularly commanding performance as Enjolras in our production of Les Misérables last year, and was also featured in MPAC’s production of Newsies as Morris Delancey. Ryan’s areas of specialty include teaching ensemble harmonies - both as co-director of our student-run Jazz Choir, and as vocal captain for the spring musicals - and creating original compositions for vocal ensembles. Ryan has directed several small chamber ensembles during his time at MHS, including a group that performed one of his original works. As a second-year section leader in both Mixed Chorale and the Men’s Choir, Ryan is a consistent and reliable role model.
Persephone Wetcher
As a freshman, Persephone auditioned for and was selected to perform with the ACDA Jr. High All-State Choir. Now, she is a 4-year member of the Morris Area Honor Choir and NJSMA Region I Choir, a 2-year member of the NJ All-State Choir and this past year was also selected to perform with the 2025 NAfME Eastern Division All-Eastern Choir. Persephone has a natural talent for singing but, more importantly, she behaves like a professional musician. She is attentive to detail, makes notes in her music, strives for consistency and assists others on her voice part as a section leader. Her effortless leadership style, reliability, and approachability led to her being elected Co-President of the Mixed Chorale this year. She has coordinated and performed in several student-led ensembles, including a bluegrass trio.