How do you get to Carnegie Hall? As the saying goes, “Practice, practice, practice.”

Well, the 35-student varsity orchestra at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts practiced plenty, and they received an invitation to perform at Carnegie Hall in May 2012.

Sign up for our newsletter!

* indicates required

What they need to get to Carnegie Hall now is money, money, money. The whole trip is expected to cost about $70,000.

To raise funds for airfare, hotel rooms and other costs, orchestra members are gigging. Their first performance will be at the Kessler Theater Friday, Nov. 4, when a string quartet opens for Edie Brickell and Heavy Make Up. Brickell is from Oak Cliff and an arts magnet graduate.

The students have several other gigs scheduled, including playing the lobby of the Myerson Symphony Center on Saturday, Nov. 12.

Donations can be made online to the school’s music guild or by snail mail to BTW Music Guild, P.O. Box 130831, Dallas, Texas 75313.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp8wxRiv3Ts[/youtube]