A student choir from Franklin High School in Somerset will take center stage at the Rockefeller Center Christmas broadcast after winning the annual Star Choir competition.
The GoldN’Blues choir will perform “Joy to the World” during NBC’s “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” broadcast, which airs Dec. 3 at 7 p.m.
Kelly Clarkson, along with NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47, selected the winning choir.
Clarkson joined NBC 4 New York News Anchor Natalie Pasquarella and Telemundo 47 News Anchor Rosarina Breton to surprise the students with the news.
“This year’s ‘Star Choir’ competition we saw a record number of entries from our community, but Franklin High School’s GoldN’Blues Choir stood out,” said Eric Lerner, president and general manager of NBC 4 New York. “They got us all into the holiday spirit right away and shined.”
The competition received over 100 entries from local choirs across the New York City area, including New York, New Jersey, Fairfield County, Connecticut, and Pike County, Pennsylvania. Previous winners include schools from The Bronx, Queens, Hudson County, and Neptune.
Choir director Kiera Radvanski, a Franklin High School alumna who has taught in the district since 2015, leads the group. The choir performs contemporary pop a cappella as the GoldN’Blues and traditional Renaissance Madrigal music under the name Madrigals. The group regularly performs at local events and visits senior living facilities.
“For many of these students, this will be the first time they are seeing the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in-person, and for them to get to perform under this iconic tree, in New York City, for a national audience, is truly beyond their wildest dreams,” Radvanski said.
Franklin High School will receive $5,000 from NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47, plus an additional $5,000 from sponsor Bulova. Each student will also receive a watch from Bulova.