SPRINGFIELD — Effingham County Middle School chorus member Taylor Barnes needs help to her reach a career high note.

Barnes, a seventh grader, has been selected to participate in the five-day 2022 Middle School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall in New York City. It will cost her approximately $3,000 to attend the June event that will feature exceptional students from 39 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.

“I had to be nominated by someone and, for me, it was my chorus teacher (Krystin Kicklighter),” Taylor said. “I had to have certain musical  achievements and (series officials) had to approve for me to audition in the first place.”

Barnes’ audition consisted of a video of her singing for about two minutes. She also had to write an essay explaining why she wanted to be in the series choir.

“After about a month, they got back to me and told me I got it. I was very, very happy,” Barnes said. “I was constantly going up to my mom saying, ‘Hey! Have those people emailed me back yet?’ ”

Barnes received help picking the tune for her audition.

“I kind of got to pick what I wanted but, technically, my chorus teacher picked what I wanted,” she said. “I feel like she really helped me get to where I am now.”

Barnes auditioned as a soprano by will serve in the series choir as an alto.

“They told me, to be a soprano, I need to work on my breath support when I get into the higher range so that the notes will come out cleaner and maybe I can be used as a soprano for different choirs that I audition for,” she said.

Singing is not a sideline for Barnes. She is enthralled by it.

“I do everything music,” she said. “I do musical theatre, I do band and I obviously do chorus.”

Barnes is certain her career will involve music. She sings Broadway tunes for her own enjoyment and practices playing flute about almost as frequently.

“My family is probably pretty annoyed with me at this point,” she said. “I just had my flute out and annoyed my mom.”

Barnes’ favorite musical group is AJR, a trio of multiinstrumentalist brothers named Adam, Jack and Ryan Met.

“I’d say they are pop or pop alternative,” Barnes said. “I think they are pretty good. My friends don’t agree with me, though.”

Barnes’ friends and family are in total accord about her participation in the Middle School Honors Performance Series. In addition to honing her singing skills, her involvement will afford her the chance to see a Broadway show, a few famous sites and the excitement of the Big Apple.

“It’s a really big deal for her so we are super proud,” said Stefanie Barnes, Taylor’s mother.

Contributions should be sent to Taylor Barnes, 606 Tradewinds Loop, Rincon, Ga. 31326. or directly to the program at Honors Performance Series by WorldStrides, Attn: Enrollment Department, 1919 Gallows Road Suite 700, Vienna, Va. 22182.

Barnes will also post videos of her singing requested songs on Facebook for $10 donations. The address is https://www.facebook.com/Taylor-is-Singing-Her-Way-to-the-Big-Apple-110845564891598/.