Furman Alum Leads Chorus On SNL As It Honors Newtown Shooting Victims

If you caught last weekend's episode of popular sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, you probably caught the New York City Children's Chorus' opening. Fewer people probably know that the performance was directed by a Furman University alum. 

The New York City Children’s Chorus, conducted by Furman alum Mary Huff, performed on SNL  Dec. 15. The group quietly opened the show with a performance of “Silent Night" in honor of the Newtown shooting victims, and then sang with musical guest Paul McCartney later in the program. The chorus also performed “Silent Night” on NBC’s Today Show the following Monday.

Huff, who graduated from Furman in 1999 with a degree in music, is artistic director of the New York City Children’s Chorus. She has also been Director of Children’s Choirs and High School Choir at St. Ignatius Loyola Church in New York City, where she prepared choirs for performances in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall and St. Patrick’s Cathedral to the studios of Nickelodeon.

In addition to her work with the New York City Children’s Chorus, Huff is also the Associate Director of Music at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church. After graduating from Furman, she continued her musical studies on a full scholarship at Yale University where she earned a Master of Music degree.