When did you start singing?
I don’t think there is one moment I can pinpoint in life as the moment I started singing. I think it was just something that inherently made me happy. Whenever I would be in the car as a little kid, I would sing along to the radio as loudly as I could. Music class in Lower School was the only class I would come home and talk endlessly about to my parents. Performances at my day camp were always the highlight of my summer because I got to sing in front of a crowd of people. I would constantly ask my family to take me to Broadway shows, and then come home from the shows and sing the music nonstop for days. My parents quickly realized that singing was something I was clearly passionate about, and put me in my synagogue’s youth choir which is where I first started to learn how to read and learn music in a structured way. What has been your favorite performance to be a part of?
My favorite performances were, without a doubt, the ones that I performed on the Chamber Chorus tour in South Africa. There, we performed a 90-minute program entitled Sharing Voices at the National Library of South Africa. All the work, that we had spent months preparing in and out of school, had paid off; it was an incredible moment that I will never forget. In addition, we participated in masterclasses with choirs from Stellenbosch and Wits Universities and sang with local communities. Our hosts were visibly moved by the fact that we had prepared songs that were meaningful to them, and they, on multiple occasions, enthusiastically joined in our performances. This ability to bring people together reached a high point when, at the request of our Robben Island tour guide (a former political prisoner himself), we sang a traditional South African song at Nelson Mandela’s former jail cell. It not only brought our guide to tears but resulted in a tourist from Texas calling Mr. Burke to compliment us. It was in South Africa that the true power of music and performing live was driven home for me. Want to see Sabrina in action? Watch her light up the Nightingale-Bamford stage this April ('20) in A Chorus Line as Diana Morales & this May ('20) in the Upper School Spring Concert |
What keeps you engaged?
To me it’s very simple: singing makes me happy. When I’m stressed out or overwhelmed by school work, I take myself to my piano, look up the chords to a song, and just sing and play. It has become my happy place and an escape from the busy nature of everyday life. I also believe that music has a unique way of bringing people together. Everybody loves and listens to music, whether you sing or not. Connecting with an audience and conveying emotions through music is so much easier than speaking. There is also something so special about making music with other people who love what you are doing just as much as you do. Nobody is trying to tear each other down, but you are trying to work together to build each other up. The connections I have made through the singing groups I have been a part of are so strong and hold a special place in my heart. They inspire me to keep singing and hopefully make more of these connections throughout my life. What are some current projects that you are working on?
I am currently teaching music and preparing for Interschool Acappellooza at Spence with Bassless Accusations. We will be singing two songs (“Honeymoon Avenue” by Ariana Grande and “Killing Me Softly With His Song” by Fugees) that are definitely challenging to teach and learn but will be super fun to perform. The group is so good at picking up music quickly and bringing the energy when we need it to perform, so I have no doubts in my mind that we will absolutely crush it at Spence. In addition, I am currently in rehearsals for A Chorus Line. I am playing a role that has been a dream of mine for years, so I am super excited. It’s a super cool show because I get to sing and dance at the same time, which makes me love it even more. I am also in Chorus, Chamber Chorus, and Gospel, where we are preparing for the Spring Concert (which is on my birthday!). In piano lessons, I am currently working on singing and playing “It’s Too Late” by Carole King and “Falling” by Harry Styles, two of my all-time favorite songs. I have been playing piano since first grade and continue to enjoy having lessons once a week. It also helps that I get to choose the songs I play. Finally, I am about to hold auditions for my ISP Musical The Addams Family. This is definitely my biggest project to date, where I am stepping off the stage and onto the other side of the process. I am nervous but super excited to try something new that I have always wanted the experience to try! |