SANDIA PREP STUDENT TO SING AT CARNEGIE HALL

High School football players dream of one day stepping onto the field at the Super Bowl.  Many high school swimmers turn laps in the hopes of one day making the Olympics.  For Sofia Chalamidas, her aspiration is to one day sing on New York’s biggest stage and that dream is coming true.  The Sandia Prep junior will get the opportunity to showcase her talents at the famous Carnegie Hall in New York City.

“I was honestly totally flabbergasted,” said Chalamidas about hearing the news she would get the opportunity to perform there.  “Carnegie Hall, that is kind of out of my league, that’s what it seemed like.  That was a crazy idea to think of.”

Chalamidas was selected for the 2022 High School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall.  She was nominated by a panel of New Mexico music teachers and then Chalamidas submitted an application, combined with a recording submission for the audition.  She says singing in New York City has always been a dream of hers. “I went to the Metropolitan Opera House a few years ago and saw a performance and we also got to see Carnegie Hall when we were there,” she said.  “I thought it was such an incredible place.”

Chalamidas says she’s been singing since she was young.  “When I was 7 years old, my grandma used to play used to play Phantom of the Opera CD and I memorized it as a little kid and I started singing it.  That’s when my parents realized that I could sing.”

Chalamidas will travel to New York from February 3-7 and join 500 high school students from all over the world for a special performance at Carnegie Hall.  After her performance in February, Chalamidas plans to be on stage with Sandia Prep in their school performance of Beauty and the Beast. Her advice to others pursuing their dreams is to never doubt yourself.  “A lot of people tend to doubt how far they can actually go with their dreams and passions.  Practice a ton and don’t ever doubt yourself and practice to the point where you can’t get it wrong.”