Long Beach's Jordan High School orchestra and choir fundraise ahead of performance at Carnegie Hall

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Members of Jordan High School's symphonic orchestra and choir in Long Beach are preparing to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York next year.

The road to get there includes hours of practice and tens of thousands of dollars.

Trombone player Maylyn Mojita said she felt "excited and nervous, but it's a dream come true to be able to play at Carnegie Hall."

Saxophone player David Valdez said: "When I first heard about it, I was like super excited because I've never been to such a large-scale visit in my life."

Eighty students from the school's symphonic orchestra and choir will travel to the prestigious New York concert hall in March, joining just three other ensembles from across the nation that have also been invited to the event.

But it's an expensive trip.

The students and their supporters are holding fundraisers. They will need around $100,000 dollars to cover expenses.

Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson is offering help -- hosting a holiday benefit concert Thursday evening at the Beverly O'Neill Theater in Long Beach.

"I think those young people have just tremendous potential to really become artists," Richardson said. "We have a rich music history in Long Beach."

Some of the students are planning to pursue careers in music, and the trip to New York is certain to be an experience that none of them will ever forget.

"We're around here locally doing stuff in the community," said clarinet player Emely Guzman, "but in New York ... it was unbelievable to have been invited to this place to perform."

Tickets to this week's benefit concert in Long Beach are available for purchase online.