The magazine of Montclair State University Fall/Winter 2020

Practicing in a parking garage turned out to be one of the best things to ever happen to the Montclair State University Singers.

First, they were discovered by a producer while singing the Hallelujah chorus from Handel’s Messiah in the Red Hawk Deck, which led to them being featured on both The Today Show and CBS Evening News in September. There, they caught the attention of NBC’s The Kelly Clarkson Show.

On October 29, millions of viewers saw Clarkson interview John J. Cali School of Music Director Anthony Mazzocchi, flanked by Chorale Director Heather Buchanan and Accompanist Steven Ryan, followed by a performance by the Singers of the spiritual “Ain’t No Grave” from the Amphitheater.

“This was the apogee of the semester for these kids,” says Mazzocchi. Indeed, as freshman bass singer Christian Collazo adds, “It’s amazing when someone you grew up listening to recognizes your work and congratulates you on your accomplishments.”