CCS Choral Director Christa Tahere Invited to Conduct at Carnegie Hall in 2027

Chattanooga Christian School Upper School Choral Director Christa Tahere has been selected as a guest conductor for MidAmerica Productions’ 2027 Carnegie Hall Performance Series, an honor that places her among a distinguished group of nationally recognized choral directors.

As part of the invitation, Tahere will lead choirs from across the country — including the CCS Choral Ensemble — in a performance of Sunrise Mass by acclaimed contemporary composer Ola Gjeilo. The concert will feature accompaniment by the New England Symphonic Ensemble and professional vocal soloists at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Tahere said the invitation represents the realization of a longtime dream after years of bringing students to Carnegie Hall to learn from conductors she admires.

“I have taken choirs to Carnegie Hall for years to work with other conductors that I admire and think will have something unique and rich to offer to our students,” Tahere said. “To be on the other side of this and be the conductor who gets the opportunity to work with students is a dream come true.”

Approximately 80 students from across the country will participate in the performance weekend, arriving with their music fully prepared and memorized before rehearsals begin.

“My job will be to help them make something unique out of what's written on the page,” Tahere said. “These weekends involve a great deal of technique and interpretation work, helping students perform their best and communicate the story of the music with intentionality and clarity.”

Tahere selected Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass as the featured work for the concert, citing both its musical depth and its expressive storytelling.

“I chose the Sunrise Mass by Ola Gjeilo, a modern masterwork with beautiful text and orchestral accompaniment that tells the story of sleeping, dreaming, waking and experiencing a sunrise,” Tahere said. “Norwegian choral music features rich and complex harmonies and expressive melodic lines that leave the listener sure that they have actually observed the beauty of Creation for themselves.”

The invitation allows Tahere to select her own repertoire while collaborating with world-class professional musicians through MidAmerica Productions.

“Part of having a solo concert with MidAmerica Productions means you get to choose your own repertoire, knowing you have access to world-class professional musicians,” Tahere said. “The limits for what is possible only lie in the time allotted on stage.”

Before taking the podium in 2027, Tahere returned to Carnegie Hall in May 2026 to sing in a special directors chorus under the direction of internationally renowned composer and conductor Sir John Rutter. The concert included Rutter’s Requiem and the world premiere of his newest work, I’ll Make Me a World.

Tahere has helped build the CCS choral program into one recognized for musical excellence, leadership development and national performance opportunities. Under her direction, CCS choirs have performed at major venues, participated in national competitions and earned recognition for both musicianship and character.

She said opportunities like Carnegie Hall demonstrate the power of collaboration and shared artistry.

“I always tell students that musician math is often 1+1+1=1,000,000,000 because when we attempt to do big music alone we hit resistance,” Tahere said. “But when we add our voices with the voices of others, borrowing each other’s talent and learning from each other, we get a product that exceeds limitations.”