Senior Bethany Huang was chosen from a group of gifted young musicians across the country to showcase her musical talent at “Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020.”

Huang accompanied a select group of student singers who formed a virtual choir for “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

“It was so crazy seeing myself on national television for the first time,” Huang said. “This is definitely an awesome experience I’ll never forget.”

“Graduate Together” was an American television special that aired on major American television networks on May 16. It included a large lineup of moving celebrity performances, commencement speeches and inspiring vignettes commemorating high school seniors around the nation who lost their in-person graduation ceremonies due to stay-at- home orders amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Guest appearances included LeBron James as the host, as well as former President Barack Obama, Zendaya, Kevin Hart and Dua Lipa.

“I really liked that all of these celebrities came together to congratulate the senior class,” Huang said. “It was also great that organizers were able to incorporate so many high school seniors into the program.”

The event’s casting company reached out to Huang upon an online review of her recitals, competitions and other accomplishments as a pianist. Upon receiving sheet music for the national anthem, Huang practiced and memorized the piece within two days. She then went on to record her performance in a Burbanks Studio.

“I still can’t believe that President Obama watched me perform,” Huang said. “Being a part of an event of this caliber is encouraging me to work even harder on the piano, and I truly hope I inspired other students to do the same with their own passions.”

You can watch the whole show or enjoy highlights from the show at at https://xqsuperschool.org/rethinktogether/graduate-together-2020/.

“The Star-Spangled Banner” performed by High School Seniors: