July 17, 2026 • 10 mins
Greg Breinberg of the PS22 Chorus shares how a surprise visit from Chris Martin turned into an invitation to perform on one of the world's biggest stages.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Today's Daily Highlight from Elvis Duran in the Morning show.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
It's New Music Friday, as you know, so I guess
you have a lot of new music to go over.
Correct correct, Okay, Hey, I gotta tell you here in
New York City and maybe around the world, everyone's heard
of PS twenty two and Staten Island PS twenty two.
The PS twenty two chorus famous, just world famous. I'm
gonna go they're famous around the galaxy. These kids are
(00:27):
just amazing. As a matter of fact, back in I
think twenty eleven, they sang my favorite song for me
as a birthday gift. Do you want to hear what
they sounded like back in twenty eleven? Yeah, yeah, my
favorite song. PS twenty two hit it. Listen to this.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
I love them Pees? Yeah, I know. Wow.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
So those kids that was back in twenty eleven, they're
all I think they're like in their forties now I remember.
But the guy who creates the magic with these kids,
he's an educator, a musician, he's everything. Greg Brinberg's on
the line, and we got to say good morning to you. Greg,
thank you for being on with us today.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
Greg Brimberg in his nineties now I guess you.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Are such a superstar to me and our mutual friend
Matt to tone, he told me to tell you, by
the way, how long have you been teaching chorus at
PS twenty two on Staten Island.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
You know, it's so cool. We are celebrating just this year,
like the end of this year. We just got through
our twenty fifth anniversary. So we started in the fall
of two thousand and which really made the graduating year
of the two thousand and one. So this is twenty
twenty six. This is the this chorus that you'll see
performing in on Sunday. This is there, Yes, this is
(02:19):
this is there. This is our twenty fifth outing as
a as a PS twenty two chorus. So it's crazy, right,
What a way to celebrate, right?
Speaker 2 (02:26):
I know, No, I'm I'm gonna go ahead and tell
everyone exactly what you're talking about in a second. But
I want to talk about these kids. When I see
the videos of these kids under your direction singing and
so they're getting into this music, and I mean they're
each one of them is a little superstar, and you
must agree with that. What is your magic? What is
the magic you're finding in these kids at PS twenty
(02:48):
two and chorus.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
Well, first of all, I mean, I think, what's so
special about our schools with such a multicultural environment and
we just you know, we bring all different you know,
cultures and of people together and you know, we just
become one big family and it's like it's it's a
microcosm of what we hope America could be.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
And we we.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Just try to get them to i suppose, like find
their own individual style or individual interpretations of the music
and then collectively put that all together and they kind
of inspire each other to do their own thing and
find their own methods of expression. And you know, that's
you know, an amazing thing for someone that age. It's
really important that they have that outlet to, you know,
(03:33):
for self discovery. Wow.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
And then of course they eventually graduate and go out
into the real world. Do you still hear from students
from the for the past, from the past twenty five years?
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Oh? Yeah, Now I'm I actually am having lunch with
one of my formers from two thousand and four and
probably about a couple of weeks. Wow, shout out to
my boy Clive.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Wait, do you have any of their kids in your class?
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Now?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Like you talk then and now their kids up.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
I have two chorus members who I had their parents
back in the day. So yes, it's crazy. Wow, some
full circle stuff right there. It's it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Do yourself a favor and do us just to do
a search do us. No, not you, you know how
to find you, but everyone everyone listening, do yourself a favor.
Just do a search for PS. Twenty two chorus. Just
do that and you your on Instagram. You're everywhere, I
mean you. And to watch them perform is it's amazing,
(04:32):
which leads me to this Sunday. I thought the pressure
release was wrong. It said PS. Twenty two Chorus featuring Coldplay,
and I'm thinking, well, wait, should maybe they met Coldplay
featuring PS. Twenty two? No, it's PS twenty two. What
(04:52):
did you invite Coldplay to sing with you? I mean,
please explain this.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
We called. We called up my good buddy Chris. We said, hey, listen,
and you know, we got this big opportunity. We thought
maybe you'd be worthy. No, it didn't quite play out
like that. What happened was Chris, actually his manager contacted
the school. It actually contacted me, emailed me and asked
if Chris could come in to listen to the kids,
(05:17):
and I thought, Okay, I guess they have a new
album coming out. Usually, you know, when artists contact us
they have a new album coming out, they want to like,
you know, do something with the kids, you know, do
one of their new pieces of music with the kids.
He the manager specifically told me, like, he does not
want to sing. He just he just really wants to
listen to these kids. And I had no idea, I
really for it was like, oh I missed opportunity. But
(05:39):
then I was like, oh, you know, kind of how
nice is that that, you know, some guy just wants to,
you know, come down and just listen to the kids.
Some guy. Yeah, And so he comes down to the
school and you know, we start, and you know, you
could see he's getting into it. Little by little, he's
getting more and more into it. And then all of
a sudden, after one song, I think it was Adovias,
(06:02):
he just you know, he started to tear up and
and you could.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Just see he was just he was very touched and
he he just he just busts out and it's like, guys,
I wasn't gonna tell you this. And it was true
because because the manager told me that there was like
some ulterior motive but he couldn't tell me what it
was for the visit, but.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
You know, we're just going with it and enjoying doing
a private concert for Chris Martin. Well, anyway, he gets up,
like in the middle of the rehearsal, he's like, guys,
I wasn't gonna say this. I wasn't ready to tell
you this yet, but I actually here because I stole
your videos on YouTube and I you know, I thought
you guys were amazing, but I really wanted to come
(06:43):
here in person to see if you're as good as
you sound on the videos. And you're even Bessa wow.
And he says, so you guys, He's like, I am
going to I don't know if you know this, but
I am, you know, in charge of putting together the
World Cup halftime show, which is actually going to be
you know, a brand new innovation to the to the
(07:06):
World Cup, and we would love for you guys to
perform with BTS, Shakira, Madonna and you know, and of
course Madonna. I'm freaking out. The kids like, but don't
tell the Queen I said that, But that's really how
(07:27):
it did play out. But you know bts. Of course,
the kids are going crazy Shakira. It was just oh
my god, it was mayhem and sues of course, and
there you have it. So uh, you know, and I
will tell you Elvis, I begged, I beg Chris, I said,
you know, you know, when we were discussing like song
selection and stuff, I said, yo, I got the song.
(07:48):
It's called Clang Clang Clang.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
And.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
I don't.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
I don't know why he didn't go for it because
I thought that was the first But I did try.
I did try. I didn't try. I'm sorry.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I'm lying.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Oh come on, maybe next World Cup. Well, congratulations and
congratulations on everything. And I cannot wait to see the
kids performing Sunday with that superstar lineup, and each one
of them is a little superstar in my book anyway.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
But thank you.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Want that alone and Greg, you know, it's always keep
in mind two things. Number One, we're always out of
here fans of yours and the kids always if there's
anything ever we can do to support you, will let
us know.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Oh my god, you guys have been so amazing throughout
the years. I can't tell you the happiest mornings of
going to work and when I get a frantic phone
call from about seventy five of my s twenty two
colleagues who are like quick, they're talking about twenty two,
they're playing their songs. So thank you guys so much.
We've been feeling in love for you guys for a
(08:58):
long time, and it's just I'm so happy we finally
got a chance to chat.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Well and me too, I'm very happy about that. But
there's a second thing, and uh, and I'm not I'm
not a chorus teacher, but I would say on behalf
of all of the teachers out there who are in
music in the schools, they they are inspired by what
you're doing every day with these kids. And so whatever
you're doing, buddy, keep on doing it. We're so proud
(09:22):
of you and the kids, and we can't wait to
see you Sunday. Congratulations on everything great, Thank you very.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
Much, thank you, and I will let you thank you,
and I will let you know also with regard to
the education factor, they're they're one hundred million dollars is
being donated from Global Citizen who's producing the show, to
like raising money to the artists, so you know, education,
you might imagine it's a close that it's it's a
cause that's that's rather close to my heart, so I
(09:48):
I rather thrilled that my kids are able to help
contribute to that. So thank you guys so much. It's
been such an honor to talk to you.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Oh, Greg brian Burg, Thank you so much. Have a beautiful,
beautiful day. Tell the kids break a leg and we'll see.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
You'll be seeing I'll be seeing them later today to rehearse,
so I will let them know. Thank you so much. Guys.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Thank you Greg, thank you, Thanks again, guys. Awesome, awesome,
Today's Daily Highlight from Elvis Duran in the Morning show.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
It's New Music Friday, as you know, so I guess
you have a lot of new music to go over.
Correct correct, Okay, Hey, I gotta tell you here in
New York City and maybe around the world, everyone's heard
of PS twenty two and Staten Island PS twenty two.
The PS twenty two chorus famous, just world famous. I'm
gonna go they're famous around the galaxy. These kids are
(00:27):
just amazing. As a matter of fact, back in I
think twenty eleven, they sang my favorite song for me
as a birthday gift. Do you want to hear what
they sounded like back in twenty eleven? Yeah, yeah, my
favorite song. PS twenty two hit it. Listen to this.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
I love them Pees? Yeah, I know. Wow.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
So those kids that was back in twenty eleven, they're
all I think they're like in their forties now I remember.
But the guy who creates the magic with these kids,
he's an educator, a musician, he's everything. Greg Brinberg's on
the line, and we got to say good morning to you. Greg,
thank you for being on with us today.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
Greg Brimberg in his nineties now I guess you.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Are such a superstar to me and our mutual friend
Matt to tone, he told me to tell you, by
the way, how long have you been teaching chorus at
PS twenty two on Staten Island.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
You know, it's so cool. We are celebrating just this year,
like the end of this year. We just got through
our twenty fifth anniversary. So we started in the fall
of two thousand and which really made the graduating year
of the two thousand and one. So this is twenty
twenty six. This is the this chorus that you'll see
performing in on Sunday. This is there, Yes, this is
(02:19):
this is there. This is our twenty fifth outing as
a as a PS twenty two chorus. So it's crazy, right,
What a way to celebrate, right?
Speaker 2 (02:26):
I know, No, I'm I'm gonna go ahead and tell
everyone exactly what you're talking about in a second. But
I want to talk about these kids. When I see
the videos of these kids under your direction singing and
so they're getting into this music, and I mean they're
each one of them is a little superstar, and you
must agree with that. What is your magic? What is
the magic you're finding in these kids at PS twenty
(02:48):
two and chorus.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
Well, first of all, I mean, I think, what's so
special about our schools with such a multicultural environment and
we just you know, we bring all different you know,
cultures and of people together and you know, we just
become one big family and it's like it's it's a
microcosm of what we hope America could be.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
And we we.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Just try to get them to i suppose, like find
their own individual style or individual interpretations of the music
and then collectively put that all together and they kind
of inspire each other to do their own thing and
find their own methods of expression. And you know, that's
you know, an amazing thing for someone that age. It's
really important that they have that outlet to, you know,
(03:33):
for self discovery. Wow.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
And then of course they eventually graduate and go out
into the real world. Do you still hear from students
from the for the past, from the past twenty five years?
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Oh? Yeah, Now I'm I actually am having lunch with
one of my formers from two thousand and four and
probably about a couple of weeks. Wow, shout out to
my boy Clive.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Wait, do you have any of their kids in your class?
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Now?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Like you talk then and now their kids up.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
I have two chorus members who I had their parents
back in the day. So yes, it's crazy. Wow, some
full circle stuff right there. It's it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Do yourself a favor and do us just to do
a search do us. No, not you, you know how
to find you, but everyone everyone listening, do yourself a favor.
Just do a search for PS. Twenty two chorus. Just
do that and you your on Instagram. You're everywhere, I
mean you. And to watch them perform is it's amazing,
(04:32):
which leads me to this Sunday. I thought the pressure
release was wrong. It said PS. Twenty two Chorus featuring Coldplay,
and I'm thinking, well, wait, should maybe they met Coldplay
featuring PS. Twenty two? No, it's PS twenty two. What
(04:52):
did you invite Coldplay to sing with you? I mean,
please explain this.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
We called. We called up my good buddy Chris. We said, hey, listen,
and you know, we got this big opportunity. We thought
maybe you'd be worthy. No, it didn't quite play out
like that. What happened was Chris, actually his manager contacted
the school. It actually contacted me, emailed me and asked
if Chris could come in to listen to the kids,
(05:17):
and I thought, Okay, I guess they have a new
album coming out. Usually, you know, when artists contact us
they have a new album coming out, they want to like,
you know, do something with the kids, you know, do
one of their new pieces of music with the kids.
He the manager specifically told me, like, he does not
want to sing. He just he just really wants to
listen to these kids. And I had no idea, I
really for it was like, oh I missed opportunity. But
(05:39):
then I was like, oh, you know, kind of how
nice is that that, you know, some guy just wants to,
you know, come down and just listen to the kids.
Some guy. Yeah, And so he comes down to the
school and you know, we start, and you know, you
could see he's getting into it. Little by little, he's
getting more and more into it. And then all of
a sudden, after one song, I think it was Adovias,
(06:02):
he just you know, he started to tear up and
and you could.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Just see he was just he was very touched and
he he just he just busts out and it's like, guys,
I wasn't gonna tell you this. And it was true
because because the manager told me that there was like
some ulterior motive but he couldn't tell me what it
was for the visit, but.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
You know, we're just going with it and enjoying doing
a private concert for Chris Martin. Well, anyway, he gets up,
like in the middle of the rehearsal, he's like, guys,
I wasn't gonna say this. I wasn't ready to tell
you this yet, but I actually here because I stole
your videos on YouTube and I you know, I thought
you guys were amazing, but I really wanted to come
(06:43):
here in person to see if you're as good as
you sound on the videos. And you're even Bessa wow.
And he says, so you guys, He's like, I am
going to I don't know if you know this, but
I am, you know, in charge of putting together the
World Cup halftime show, which is actually going to be
you know, a brand new innovation to the to the
(07:06):
World Cup, and we would love for you guys to
perform with BTS, Shakira, Madonna and you know, and of
course Madonna. I'm freaking out. The kids like, but don't
tell the Queen I said that, But that's really how
(07:27):
it did play out. But you know bts. Of course,
the kids are going crazy Shakira. It was just oh
my god, it was mayhem and sues of course, and
there you have it. So uh, you know, and I
will tell you Elvis, I begged, I beg Chris, I said,
you know, you know, when we were discussing like song
selection and stuff, I said, yo, I got the song.
(07:48):
It's called Clang Clang Clang.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
And.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
I don't.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
I don't know why he didn't go for it because
I thought that was the first But I did try.
I did try. I didn't try. I'm sorry.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I'm lying.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Oh come on, maybe next World Cup. Well, congratulations and
congratulations on everything. And I cannot wait to see the
kids performing Sunday with that superstar lineup, and each one
of them is a little superstar in my book anyway.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
But thank you.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Want that alone and Greg, you know, it's always keep
in mind two things. Number One, we're always out of
here fans of yours and the kids always if there's
anything ever we can do to support you, will let
us know.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Oh my god, you guys have been so amazing throughout
the years. I can't tell you the happiest mornings of
going to work and when I get a frantic phone
call from about seventy five of my s twenty two
colleagues who are like quick, they're talking about twenty two,
they're playing their songs. So thank you guys so much.
We've been feeling in love for you guys for a
(08:58):
long time, and it's just I'm so happy we finally
got a chance to chat.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Well and me too, I'm very happy about that. But
there's a second thing, and uh, and I'm not I'm
not a chorus teacher, but I would say on behalf
of all of the teachers out there who are in
music in the schools, they they are inspired by what
you're doing every day with these kids. And so whatever
you're doing, buddy, keep on doing it. We're so proud
(09:22):
of you and the kids, and we can't wait to
see you Sunday. Congratulations on everything great, Thank you very.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
Much, thank you, and I will let you thank you,
and I will let you know also with regard to
the education factor, they're they're one hundred million dollars is
being donated from Global Citizen who's producing the show, to
like raising money to the artists, so you know, education,
you might imagine it's a close that it's it's a
cause that's that's rather close to my heart, so I
(09:48):
I rather thrilled that my kids are able to help
contribute to that. So thank you guys so much. It's
been such an honor to talk to you.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Oh, Greg brian Burg, Thank you so much. Have a beautiful,
beautiful day. Tell the kids break a leg and we'll see.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
You'll be seeing I'll be seeing them later today to rehearse,
so I will let them know. Thank you so much. Guys.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Thank you Greg, thank you, Thanks again, guys. Awesome, awesome,
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