To qualify for the 2014 High School Honors Performance Repertoire Series at Carnegie Hall in February, she had to choose an art song, one called Danza, Danza Fanciulla, a Baroque piece that sealed her upcoming trip to New York City.

For Rachel, the daughter of Darryl and Amy Pair, it's an opportunity that could help open musical doors for the Roanoke Rapids High School junior, who seeks a professional career, but plans to also fall back on an educational career in music.

(Rachel will be performing at the first Saturday monthly concert series at Becker Village Mall. The event begins at 7 p.m. To listen to Rachel sing Danza, Danza Fanciulla scroll down to the bottom of this story for the MP3 attachment)

Music producers and talent scouts will be at the performance of the honors choir, which will be led by Lynne Gackle of Baylor University.

The road to Carnegie can be traced back to when Rachel was a little girl, her mother said. “She was always singing in the car, little radio blips, always anything, commercials, cartoons.”

The first song Rachel remembers fully singing was the Shirley Temple standard On the Good Ship Lollipop.

Roanoke Rapids High School Chorus Director Denise Hackenberg nominated Rachel for the performance series. “It will be an excellent experience. She'll meet singers her age from around the country.”

Hackenberg nominated three students. Rachel took advantage of the opportunity, learning the song and then making a CD. That she will be performing with the honors choir at Carnegie, will be to her advantage when she begins applying to colleges to further her music education. “I'm so proud of her. That puts her at the forefront. It definitely will be a big positive,” Hackenberg said.

Striking about Rachel, Hackenberg said, is her posture and her enunciation of vowels when she sings. “It's the purity. She's got a sweet voice.”

Rachel rehearsed the song two times a week for three week with Hackenberg and also at home, not sure if she would get the invitation. “I kept telling myself I wasn't going to make it.”

She did, however, and the opportunity to sing on a national stage looms ahead, where she and the chorus will sing six songs, that include devotionals as well as the American folk standard Skip to My Lou.

Rachel sees the opportunity for what it is. “It's furthering my education in music. If I can't further it professionally, I want to teach it. Some schools are are taking it out and that bothers me.”

Music is her passion. “I love a variety of music. It's like an escape.”

Her father believes it's a defining moment for his daughter. “It makes me proud. It opens a big door for her and I hope she goes far with it.”