Director, Camden students to sing for pope

September 21, 2015

CAMDEN Suzzette Ortiz remembers a promise she made to her students before retiring.

"I promised them that any time a possibility comes my way, I will somehow include them."

So when Ortiz, a former concert choir director for The Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy, shows up at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway Saturday for the Festival of Families, she will have two of her former students by her side.

Ortiz and her students will be singing with the Philadelphia Heritage Chorale Singers and Friends during the concert, which will feature performances by Andrea Bocelli, Aretha Franklin and Latino Grammy award winner Juanes.

Pope Francis is to deliver a speech on the parkway before the concert begins Saturday night.

Ortiz said she got involved in the event when she was approached by The Philadelphia Heritage Chorale Singers and Friends to be a part of the audition committee for the selection of Hispanic singers for the choirs. Ortiz was invited to sing in the choir as a section leader.

She also was asked to recommend students from her school to solidify a Latino representation in the choir.

Although the auditions were held this past summer, Ortiz was able to wrangle a few students for an opportunity of a lifetime.

"I feel blessed and fortunate that through my years in the music field as well as the choral world I have been able to meet so many people that always reach out to me," Ortiz said. "I am so proud of my students and feel even more special they have earned these spots."

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Tenth-grader Steven Diaz said the audition process was nerve-racking, but when he learned he was selected to sing with Bocelli, the nervousness turned into excitement.

"I've always loved Bocelli," said Diaz, who added the audition was the first time he sang in front of people by himself.

Steven Diaz, 10th grade student at Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy "The next time I sing, it will be by his side, in front of the pope."

Jorge Acevedo has only been at The Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy for a year, but has been practicing like a pro.

Acevedo, a junior who moved from Puerto Rico last year, said Ortiz had the students prepare hard for the audition and has them pushing even harder during rehearsals.

"At first I didn't think I was going to be selected because everyone else is older and more professional, but I know we've done harder song selections in class with Ms. Ortiz," Acevedo said.

Jorge Acevedo, 11th grade student at Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy in Camden Diaz and Acevedo will be two of the 40 to 50 voices singing in the concert. They will be singing four selections with the choir, singing for Bocelli, Franklin and Juanes in Spanish, English and Italian.

One of Ortiz's former students will be also singing in the Hispanic Choir during Pope Francis' Mass on the parkway Sunday.

Ninth-grader Cierra Irizarry, who will be singing with Coro Hispano de Philadelphia, expects the experience will be phenomenal.

"A lot of kids weren't asked to audition so I was a little nervous," said Irizarry who has been rehearsing every weekend for the past month at Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia to learn more than 30 songs for the Mass.

"It's a true blessing for us all to be a part of the pope's visit," added Irizarry. "We're great representatives of Camden."

Along with the Hispanic choir, Irizarry will be singing 30 selections with the African-American, Hispanic, Vietnamese and children's choir in different languages, including Spanish, Latin, Vietnamese and English. She will be one of 500 voices heard.

Ortiz retired in June after escorting 13 students to an international choir performance.

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Ortiz began her career in education with the San Juan Children’s Choir in Puerto Rico.

“I discovered things in me I never thought I had,” Ortiz said.

In 1987, Ortiz joined the Camden School District as a vocal music teacher and taught at Lanning Square Elementary School and Forest Hill Elementary before landing at Creative Arts.

Cierra Irizarry, 9th grade student at Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy In 2007, Ortiz was named the Walmart Teacher of the Year for New Jersey.

Article by Matt Flowers; (856) 486-2913; mflowers@gannettnj.com