Some talented students in New Jersey are starting the holiday season on a high note. Showing off their vocals (with a side of beatboxing), Neptune High School’s Scarlett Sound Choir soaked up the spotlight on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” — where they got the good news that they will be performing on “Christmas at Rockefeller Center.” NBC New York’s Natalie Pasquarella reports.
International music superstar and NBC daytime television host Kelly Clarkson surprised 25 New Jersey high school students during this afternoon’s televised broadcast of “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” Clarkson announced this year’s NBC 4 New York/Telemundo 47 “Star Choir” winner is Neptune High School’s Scarlet Sound A Cappella Choir, hailing from Neptune Township in Monmouth County. The choir will perform during NBC’s broadcast of “Christmas in Rockefeller Center,” airing next Wednesday, December 4 starting at 7pm. Members of the media can click here to access announcement photos and click here to book interviews with choir representatives.
“Scarlet Sound is a remarkable group of young singers who will put us into the holiday spirit. They are exciting, inspiring and deliver a memorable performance. We are thrilled to welcome them to the biggest holiday stage in the world for our ‘Christmas in Rockefeller Center’ broadcast,” said Eric Lerner, President and General Manager of NBC 4 New York.
Entries for the 2024 “Star Choir” competition were accepted for youth singing groups residing within New York City DMA, consisting of New York, New Jersey, Fairfield County, Connecticut and Pike County, Pennsylvania. Entries were accepted between September 18 and October 13. Previous Star Choir winners include P.S. 103 in The Bronx (2021), P.S.14 in Corona, Queens (2022) and High Tech High School of the Hudson County Schools of Technology (2023).
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an incredibly worthy group of student performers. They worked so hard to reach this moment and have made their community proud. We are truly excited for them and cannot wait for their televised performance under the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree,” said Cristina Schwarz, President and General Manager of Telemundo 47.
Led by choir director Erin Radvanski, Neptune High School’s Scarlet Sound’s mission is to achieve the highest level of musicianship and gain performance experience, while being an integral part of their beloved Neptune community. To support the choir’s national performance, Neptune High School will receive a $5,000 donation from “The Kelly Clarkson Show” sponsor Balsam Hill and another $5,000 donation from NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47.
“As Superintendent, I am incredibly proud of these talented students and their dedicated teacher, Ms. Radvanski. Our Scarlet Sound exemplifies the values of excellence, teamwork, and perseverance through hard work and long hours of practice. They also demonstrate a deep passion and joy for music, as evidenced in their every performance. They are truly outstanding representatives of our school district," said Dr. Tami Crader, Neptune Township Schools Superintendent.
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The musical ensemble been accepted as a competitor in the International Competition of High School A Cappella for eight consecutive years, making it to the semi-finals on four occasions. Scarlet Sound has also been nominated to the New Jersey State Teen Arts Festival on seven occasions, each time garnering a "Distinguished" rating. They have also been a featured performer at the NATO Parade of Nations, have twice been chosen to perform at Disney World and have also performed with Grammy nominated American jazz pianist and composer, David Benoit.
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“Seeing our students reach this level is truly a testament to the hard work and dedication they have poured into their passion for music. We are so happy for Ms. Radvanski and the Scarlet Sound being recognized for their talents,” said Thomas Decker, Neptune High School Principal.
NBC 4 New York is the Tri-State’s television home of the “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” airing Monday through Friday at 3 PM.
About NBC 4 New York / WNBC
NBC 4 New York / WNBC is the flagship station of the NBCUniversal Local division of NBCUniversal, serving the New York Tri-State area for more than 75 years and featuring Alfred I. duPont-Columbia, Edward R. Murrow, and Emmy® Award-winning journalists who are among the most accomplished in their field. The station includes the NBC 4 I-Team, New York’s largest televised investigative reporting unit, Better Get Baquero which has recovered more than $15 million for Tri-State consumers and Storm Team 4, certified by WeatheRate for delivering the Tri-State’s most accurate local weather forecast using cutting-edge technology such as Storm Tracker 4, a high-frequency S-Band dual polarization fixed Doppler weather radar. NBC 4 New York’s digital platforms are also among the most read and watched in the New York market and include the NBC 4 App, dedicated Peacock, Roku, Apple TV, Pluto, and Amazon FireTV channels along with unique, out-of-home viewing in local taxis.
About Telemundo 47 New York / WNJU
Telemundo 47 / WNJU is NBCUniversal Local’s Telemundo station with more than 50 years of service to the Spanish-speaking communities of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Featuring Emmy® Award-winning journalists and offering more than 27 hours of locally produced programming each week, the station includes the New York market’s only team of bilingual meteorologists, La Autoridad en El Tiempo who are certified by WeatheRate for delivering the Tri-State’s most accurate Spanish-language television forecast. Their Telemundo Responde investigative unit has recovered more than $5 million to date, with Telemundo 47’s public affairs program Enfoque Nueva York shining a weekly spotlight on the policy issues and local concerns most important to viewers. Telemundo 47 provides news and information across all platforms, including the Telemundo 47 App, dedicated Roku, Apple TV and Amazon FireTV channels, and across social media. The Tri-State’s Spanish-language broadcasting channel for soccer, Telemundo 47 will offer exclusive Spanish-language coverage of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup™ tournament.
About “The Kelly Clarkson Show”
“The Kelly Clarkson Show” is the #1 afternoon talk series, currently in its sixth season. It films in front of a live audience at 30 Rockefeller in New York City. The uplifting daytime destination for humor, heart and connection, featuring Emmy-winning talk show host, Grammy-winning artist and America’s original idol Kelly Clarkson, continues to see viewership growth year after year. “The Kelly Clarkson Show” has earned 22 Daytime Emmy Awards since its launch in September 2019, including multiple wins for ‘Outstanding Daytime Talk Series’ and ‘Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host,’ as well as multiple Gracie Awards and a People’s Choice Award. “The Kelly Clarkson Show” is produced by Universal Television and distributed by NBCUniversal Syndication Studios. It airs in over 200 markets across the country. Alex Duda is executive producer and showrunner. Clarkson also serves as executive producer. For audience seats, visit: TKCS House Seats. For where to watch, visit kellyclarksonshow.com
