How do you get to Carnegie Hall, asks the old joke.

According to Lepha Luttrall, the answer is devotion, sound and the quality of Quitman’s First Methodist Church choir.

Luttrall is choir director at First United Methodist Church of Quitman.

A rare opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York began with a YouTube video of a performance by the choir.

Last Christmas season Quitman’s First United Methodist Church Chancel Choir performed a cantata – a compilation of songs used to bring forth a message – by composer and conductor Joseph Martin.

Church member Sam Scroggins recorded the performance of “Canticles in Candlelight” and uploaded it to YouTube on Jan. 3. (To view the video, click the link here: https://bit.ly/2PjPbvh .)

Martin was preparing to premiere his latest work, “The Winter Rose,” as a part of the Distinguished Concerts International New York City Concert (DCINY) Series at Carnegie Hall on Nov. 26 and Martin’s researchers found the video.

“They found it just by surfing (the internet), looking for choirs that were singing music written by Joseph Martin. They contacted us in January and asked if we would be interested in coming to New York in November to sing with them,” Luttrall said.

Led by Martin, the choir from Quitman will join several others in a ‘choir of distinction’ called the Distinguished Concerts Singers International.

Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for DCINY, Dr. Jonathan Griffith, commended the Quitman choir members for their high quality performance.

“The Quitman First United Methodist Church Chancel Choir received this invitation because of the quality and high level of musicianship demonstrated by the singers as well as the exceptional quality of their audition recording,” Griffith stated in the DCINY press release. “It is quite an honor just to be invited to perform in New York. These wonderful musicians not only represent a high quality of music and education, but they also become ambassadors for the entire community. This is an event of extreme pride for everybody and deserving of the community’s recognition and support.”

Luttrall attributed the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall to the choir members’ quality musicianship.

“I don’t think it’s anything that I did. I think that Joseph Martin’s research group came across the YouTube video and they recognized the strength of the choir members. We have some great singers with very strong voices and they are so willing to help each other learn the parts,” she said. “I just think it was the sound of the choir that grabbed their attention because I just don’t think it was anything I did. I think it’s all about the choir members and their talent.”

Twenty members of the choir will spend five days in New York City rehearsing but also taking time to visit historical and cultural sites. Nine non-singers – mostly family members – will join the group on the trip.

“It’s such a once-in-a-lifetime thing to go to New York and sing at Carnegie Hall. There are several of our choir members that have never been to New York before,” Luttrall said. “And so it’s just the whole experience of going and going with a large group and going to sing at Carnegie Hall. Of course, everything will be decorated for Christmas once we get there. It’s just really going to put us in the holiday spirit.”

The choir will participate in several hours of rehearsals on Saturday and Sunday and a dress rehearsal Monday afternoon in preparation for the concert Monday night.

About 45 to 50 minutes long, the performance will feature a full orchestra and professional soloists.

The group started practicing in May and has continued to rehearse to be at their best in New York.

Choir members have a few ideas of what they want to do in New York, including Broadway shows, the 9/11 memorial, riding the subway, going to Ellis Island to see the Statue of Liberty, top of Rockefeller Center, Empire State Building, Times Square and Wall Street.

“I think they’re pretty excited and a little anxious, not really sure what to expect. For some of them, it’s their first time to go to New York,” Luttrall stated.

“We worked all summer long and we’ve had weekly rehearsals. We’ve had two special rehearsals, where we just worked on sections like the altos and basses,” she said. “They have also had a CD to listen to at home and in the car.”

Two fundraisers helped the choir get to Carnegie Hall: a fish fry in June and a dessert-and-coffee with Broadway songs event in April. A Go Fund Me page was also created to help with travel expenses.

“Both fundraisers were really well-attended and involved people outside of the church,” Luttrall said. “People from the community came out and participated in it.”

FUMC Quitman’s choir has about 33 members, averaging 25 to 27 people on Sundays. Luttrall would have like to have all the choir members experience New York.

“I just wish that all of our choir members were going, but even the ones that chose not to go have been so supportive,” she said. “They came out and helped and participated in the fundraiser. It would have been really special if everyone could have gone, but just not always a possibility. It’s not practical for everyone to come.”

Luttrall, who says she has “always” been a choir member, only began directing in September 2017.

“This is my first experience leading a choir. So it’s been great. I had a steep learning curve but the whole choir and congregation have been so supportive and encouraging since I got here.

They were this good long before I came along,” she said.

The choir will present their New York program in a special performance at FUMS Quitman on Dec. 9. The program will be tweaked for Christmas and will include children of the church in the event.

Carnegie Hall singers are: Annette Simpkins, Cheryl Aspy (sister of Annette Simpkins), Christy Floyd, Kathy Thurman, Vickey Medina, Vickie Smolek, Jan Doerr, Mary Anne Fitzgerald, Joe Fitzgerald, Teresa Dunn, Randy Dunn, Carol Tackett, Stella Lundy, Marti Busbee, Mary Meyer (sister to Pat Kostial), Pat Kostial (sister to Mary Meyer), Sharon Brooks, Becky Owens, Marcia Robinson and Lepha Luttrall.