CARBONDALE - It takes more than "practice, practice, practice" to get to Carnegie Hall - it takes community support, too.

Members of the Southern Illinois Children's Choir (SICC), an ensemble affiliated with Southern Illinois University Carbondale, will perform at Carnegie Hall as part of the National Children's Choir in April. Until then, there will be plenty of practice time, but plenty of fundraising time, too.

This will be the local choir's first Carnegie Hall experience. Director Alice Berry said she sent an audition CD that highlighted public performances from the more advanced sections of the choir, which includes members in grades four through nine. She read the acceptance letter to the children during one of their rehearsals.

"This is a really fantastic opportunity for the children," Berry said. "And they will be singing ambassadors of our Southern Illinois and our University community."

Berry said SICC joins nine other children's choirs from around the country to make up the Carnegie Hall festival choir. The performance includes six foreign language songs the children must learn before their mid-April debut.

Participation in the festival includes side-trips to the Statue of Liberty and to a Broadway show. The children will also each receive a professional group photograph and a souvenir T-shirt. Besides the fun stuff, the fee also covers a rehearsal CD, accompanist fee, lodging and some of the in-city travel costs.

Berry said the children are working on fundraisers to raise the money they need to get to Carnegie Hall. Berry said she knows there are urgent needs in the Southern Illinois community, but she hopes people will want to support the melodious dreams of these young singers.

"When children sing, people listen," she said.

Berry noted that alternate choirs are in the wings and will take the place of SICC if the choir is unable to pay the necessary fees. The trip is set for April 17-20.

To contribute to the Carnegie Hall trip for the Southern Illinois Children's Choir, contact Alice Berry at joyousinging@yahoo.com.

The members of the choir going to Carnegie Hall are (by hometown):

Benton

Katie Childers (Kyle and Deidre Childers)

Nicholas Hoffman (Michael and Anita Hoffman)

Amelia Richey (Denny and Shay Richey)

Campbell Hill

Elizabeth Kuhlman (Bill and Sharon Kuhlman)

Carbondale

Marlie Bruns (Bill and Debbie Bruns)

Chris Lee (Junghae Lee)

Judy Li (Jimmy Li and Yanna Liang)

Ife Ojewuyi (Segun and Theresa Ojewuyi)

Zoe Yeshayahu (Shai Yeshayahu and Maria del C. Vera)

Carterville

Jodi McCann (Russell and Gina McCann)

Du Quoin

Victoria Cavitt (Bryan and Lisa Cavitt)

Caleb Gomes (Jesse and Jackie Gomes)

Grace Gomes (Jesse and Jackie Gomes)

Eldorado

Madeline Rogers (Keith and Lucinda Rogers)

Harrisburg

Kristin Doty (Rob and Julianne Doty)

Lebanon

Olivia Berry (Carl and Jodi Berry)

Macedonia

Emma Webster (Kevin and Jenny Webster)

Marion

Arielle Fulk (Robert and Sydell Fulk)

Skyler Imhoff (Jim and April Imhoff)

Murphysboro

Hevan Leon (Kilby Osborn and Tamara Holt)

Kimberly Lopez (Felipe Lopez and Cecilia Sangurima)

Megan O'Leary (Michael and Sally O'Leary)

Tara O'Leary (Michael and Sally O'Leary)

Nikki Provoe (Jason Royer and Zonna Provoe)

Shae Robinson (Edmond Robinson and Sylvia Frazier-Robinson)

Sylvond Robinson (Edmond Robinson and Sylvia Frazier-Robinson)

Pinckneyville

Emily Schmidt (Don and Lori Schmidt)