Clayton News Daily

By Kathy Jefcoats

kjefcoats@news-daily.com

JONESBORO — Brandi McIntyre knows how to get to Carnegie Hall — practice, practice, practice.

The Luella High School senior will be performing inside the prestigious New York City landmark in February as part of the American High School Honors Performance Series. McIntyre and other select students will perform Feb. 10 under the direction of renowned conductors Dr. Eph Ehly, Jeffrey Grogan, Sharon Lavery and H. Robert Reynolds.

McIntyre, 17, is the daughter of Mike and Vicki McIntyre, owner of Nu~Dawn Beauty and Day Spa at 242 Stockbridge Road in Jonesboro. The salon will be holding a bake sale Jan. 31 and Feb. 1-2 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. to raise money to pay for the trip. A cookbook with recipes contributed by McIntyre’s customers will also be sold.

Brandi McIntyre said the performance is the opportunity of a lifetime.

“Going to Carnegie Hall is such a special and amazing opportunity for me,” she said. “It’s a major steppingstone toward starting my career in music. I feel blessed to have been given this chance to work with other aspiring musicians and be able to learn from renowned conductors.”

Vicki McIntyre said she is proud of her daughter’s achievement.

“I’m so proud of Brandi for following her dreams,” she said. “I feel blessed to have such a wonderful family and friends who have supported her in her music career.”

Brandi McIntyre also plays the piano and plans to study music therapy in college.

To get to Carnegie Hall, McIntyre was nominated by her teacher and she had to provide a demo tape. She will perform with other select students from all over.

“It’s such an honor,” said Vicki McIntyre. “This program brings kids together to work with the cream of the crop, to have a firsthand experience of working with the best.”

McIntyre said her daughter is a Christian and she has dreams of her own for her.

“My dream is to see her on stage in church,” she said. “And that’s coming. That’s next.”

Vicki McIntyre will be in NYC to see her daughter achieve what so many outstanding performers never do. Brandi McIntyre has also performed with the Spivey Honor Choir at Clayton State University.

For now, Brandi McIntyre has her eyes on the future.

“I’m excited to build my performing résumé for college,” she said.