Touring Ensemble News

Beside the Still Waters - in Vancouver

2011-08-05T23:46:00.002-04:00

The Summit Choral Society's Touring Choir performs Rollo Dilworth's moving interpretation of Psalm 23 at the Coastal Sound Choral Festival in Vancouver, BC, Canada on July 8, 2011 with Dr. Dilworth in the audience.

Western Canada Tour Diary 2011

2011-07-05T04:02:00.012-04:00

Day 1 - Travel to Calgary
After all the planning, rehearsing and packing, we're in western Canada at last!

Fortunately, the weather cooperated across our entire trek, and our flights were all on time and for the most part as comfortable as could be expected. Our departure from Cleveland took us to Houston, where we grabbed a bite of lunch from the many airport eateries before the flight to Calgary. Along the way, our first-time flyers were presented their wings by Mrs. B.

After arriving in Calgary, we were met by our friendly tour director Al, who gave us lots of interesting facts about Calgary (and Canada in general) on the bus ride to the Econolodge, where we unloaded and checked into our rooms. Shortly afterward, we broke into small groups for short walks to local restaurants for dinner. Then it was back to the Econolodge for the evening.

Tomorrow, we'll visit Drumheller to see what promises to be an amazing museum of paleontology, followed by an outdoor concert - our first in Canada!

Day 2 - Calgary and Drumheller
A great second day to our tour!

We started our day with a visit to a fantastic museum of paleontology in Drumheller, where we had a chance to walk through various eras, see some amazing dinosaur bone specimens and models, and climb up for a better view of Alberta's Badlands.

After getting some lunch at the museum, we drove a short distance to a natural amphitheater which is normally used to present a giant Passion play (scheduled for two weekends just a couple of weeks from now). The acoustics were quite incredible, and brought out the purity of the singers' vocal tonality and articulation. In other words, it sounded pretty amazing.

After the concert, we made a quick stop at Horseshoe Canyon for photos and some souvenir shopping, followed by a drive back to Calgary.. Then we had a quick stop at the hotel before heading downtown to explore the shops and restaurants in our chaperone groups.

Our return to the hotel for the evening included a first for the choir - putting the entire ensemble on a single public bus. Needless to say, some music broke out.

Day 3 - Golden and Kamloops
Happy Canada Day from Kamloops!

Although a big part of today was bus travel, the drive was spectacular! We really got to see some amazing views as we crossed the Rockies. Snow-capped mountains, beautiful lakes and rivers with milky glacial runoff and even prairie dogs were on the list of attractions seen today.

At lunchtime, we arrived at St Andrews United Church in Golden, BC and were met by wonderful hosts who provided friendship, snacks and fruit. Then we enjoyed the holiday with the local residents, munching hamburgers grilled for the entire community.

Next on the agenda was a concert at the church, performed for a very appreciative and friendly crowd. They even sent along two large plates of cookies as we left, which were enjoyed by all.

Our travels then took us to a stop at an interpretive center where the guides quizzed us on Canada trivia, and correct answers were rewarded with mini Canada flags and pins. For their efforts, we rewarded them with a couple of our songs, including "O Canada".

One more stop in Revelstoke, BC for dinner in our chaperone groups and then it was on to Kamloops for our hotel check-in. At this point, several singers had a great time swimming and trying out the water slide and whirlpool. Fireworks could also be seen from the hotel, for those who cared to watch them from windows or balconies.

We're really getting into this Canada thing....

Day 4 - Kamloops and Victoria
Three words: Buses, Trains, and Boats.

We covered these modes of transportation today, and had a lot of fun doing so.

After breakfast, our morning started with a ride on the Kamloops Heritage Railway - and it was their inaugural run of this season, complete with local dignitaries and folks in period costumes. We were active participants in the event, singing several songs including that Touring Choir classic, 'Sweet Home Alabama.'

The morning was not without its share of danger, as black-hatted robbers appeared on horseback in search of loot. Thankfully, the choir managers were there to keep the singers safe, and the robbers turned out to be pretty nice after all.

Our bus time together continued through a large portion of British Columbia, again through picturesque mountain ranges, until we arrived at the ferry terminal near Vancouver for a 90 minute ride to Victoria. On board the ferry, we enjoyed dinner and explored the vessel both inside and out.

A short bus ride then took us to our hotel for the night and (hopefully) a good night's sleep thinking about the great experiences of the day.

Day 5 - Victoria
Another fun day today - this time in Victoria. After a good breakfast in the hotel, we headed to Emmanuel Baptist Church to participate in several parts of their worship service.

Then we returned to the bus for a short ride to the food court of a local mall for lunch before meeting other tour guides who showed us around Victoria, filling us with information and making us groan with corny jokes and puns. We were able to stop at the gardens of a mansion occupied by a local official, a marina where we were able to feed seals, and a lookout vista with a panoramic view of the area. For some singers, this was their first time to see the Pacific Ocean (or any ocean).
Later, we returned to Emmanuel and again donned our concert attire for an early evening concert. Mr. M opened by rocking the house with Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, and then the Touring Choir did the same with its performance.

Since this was the last day of 'our' portion of the tour (prior to the 'festival' portion), we treated it like a traditional last day and got dressed up for a nice restaurant meal at Macaroni Grill. We also celebrated the birthdays of three birthday girls - Kait, Lauren B, and Mrs. B.

Tomorrow, we'll take the ferry back to Vancouver and it will be festival time!

Day 6 - Vancouver Festival
Today, our travels took us the other direction on the ferry - this time from Victoria to Vancouver on our way to the Coastal Sound International Choral Festival at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia.

After saying farewell to our excellent bus driver, Paul, we took our luggage up to our single rooms in one of the dorms. Then, after a quick change into our Festival t-shirts, it was off to a lunch of macaroni and cheese, salad, and desserts.

Next, we attended a welcome session, where we met and rehearsed pieces under the direction of Dr. Rollo Dilworth and Henry Leck, and participated in 'ice-breaker' activities with the singers in the other choirs, followed by some brief downtime in the dorm.

Our dinner of sweet and sour chicken with rice was followed by some group pictures with some authentic Royal Canadian Mounted Police (currently dismounted). Some singers managed to snag some hugs before we moved on to the opening ceremonies.

The ceremonies consisted of the procession of each choir, complete with the carrying of a large sign displaying the name of the choir (with ours being carried by Megan). Alex participated in an artistic drama about the symbol of this year's festival, the starfish. The choir was entertained by the Coastal Sound Children and Youth Choirs, and by the City Soul Choir under the direction of Brian Tate. They also took part in two massed choir performances - Kaki Lambe' and 'Amavolovolo'.

With the festival officially opened, we hiked back to the dorm, met to discuss the evening's performance, and headed to our own private rooms (something that we rarely have on tour) to rest up for some fun days ahead with our new friends.

Day 7 - Vancouver Festival
Today was our first full day at the Coastal Sound International Choral Festival at Simon Fraser University, and it was a busy one.

Several rehearsals were held throughout the day with world-renowned conductors/composers/clinicians Henry Leck and Rollo Dilworth. Dr. Dilworth even took some time at the end of the day to meet with the choir and listen to us sing 'Beside the Still Waters' - his own composition (and the personal favorite of at least one choir manager).

The choir managers and chaperones even had a chance to break away and enjoy some bicycling, shopping (and eating) for a few hours while the singers attended rehearsals and clinics.

After a dinner of a large portion of lasagne and salad, we were bused to St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church for this evening's concert, given by the Coastal Sound Children's Choir, the Sarasota Young Voices, and the Green Bay Girl Choir.

We then returned to the dorm for the evening, and after a short meeting we headed to our rooms to rest up for another day of singing and learning. Tomorrow we'll also have the opportunity to perform a lunchtime concert at City Hall.

Day 8 - Vancouver Festival
This was our second day at the Coastal Sound International Choral Festival (the largest choral festival happening this week in North America), and was in many ways similar to our first day, including rehearsals with Henry Leck and Rollo Dilworth.

Today, however, we also had the opportunity to load ourselves and our bag lunches on the bus to perform a lunchtime concert in Burnaby at their City Hall, sharing the program with the San Francisco Boys Choir.

On the way back from City Hall, we made a stop at a local Safeway to allow the singers to replenish their needed (and sometimes unneeded) supplies.

Then it was back for more rehearsals, dinner and a ride to St. Andrew's Wesley Church for the evening concert, featuring performances by the Northland Youth Choir (Fairbanks, Alaska) and the Young Naperville Singers (Naperville, Illinois).

Our return to Simon Fraser gave us views of Vancouver's Harbor (or should I say 'Harbour'?) through Stanley Park.

Our nightly meeting was short, to allow us to get as much rest as possible for what promises to be a fun day tomorrow at Whistler.

Day 9 - Whistler
This was our 'breakout' day to Whistler, where the singers took a much-needed break from rehearsals and traveled by bus along the Sea to Sky Highway to one of the main sites of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

After downing our bag lunches on arrival, we met our guide who taught us some history of the area on a walking tour of this relatively new town.

Next, we arrived at the Squamish Lil'Wat Cultural Centre where we viewed a film about First Nations, performed a concert in the theatre (including the use of a drum from one of the displays), and took a tour to some key parts of the museum. At the last stop in the longhouse, several singers had the opportunity to make bracelets out of cedar bark in the traditional way of the native people of this area.

After that, we rode the cable cars (gondolas), enjoying the breathtaking views experienced on the Peak to Peak portion, which actually goes between Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain. Some were able to ride a car that had a glass bottom, and all were able to experience something that is rare to us-- snow on the ground in July.

We then hit the shops for a while until dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant.

Then it was back to the dorms once again as we said goodbye to our fantastic guide, Al - but not quite goodbye (more later).

Although our bodies were tired, our spirits were invigorated by an amazing day.

Day 10 - Vancouver Festival
Today was a wonderful but emotional day as the choir rehearsed and performed our own concert segment in the evening program, which for the seniors was their final concert performed solely under the Summit Choral name.

The day started with the usual rehearsal of the massed choral pieces, but today this was followed by special 'world music' sessions led by people from across the globe who taught songs, rhythms, and dance from their particular cultures.

The choir then spent some time polishing various sections of pieces for this evening's concert. The choir was then relieved to have a shortened afternoon rehearsal, which allowed time for rest and packing.

After dinner, we again traveled into Vancouver for the concert, which featured our choir, the San Francisco Boys' Choir, and the Coastal Sound Youth Choir. All were quite different and wonderful in their own ways. Our Touring Choir definitely picked this evening to hit their peak performance, drawing rave reviews from the concert-goers, and even inspiring Dr. Rollo Dilworth to pay a visit to our bus to express how moved he was by our performance.

We were also very happy to see our guide Al and his wife in the audience - a very nice gesture by a wonderful, friendly and knowledgeable individual who was so helpful to us during our tour.

Needless to say, the bus ride back was spirited.

The seniors then took off to a campus restaurant to share stories and enjoy snacks with the choir managers and accompanist.

Tomorrow - the Gala Closing Concert.

Day 11 - Vancouver Festival
Well, that time is upon us. Our last full day of Festival activities until our trip home tomorrow.

A large portion of today was used to prepare for this evening's Closing Concert. After breakfast, the singers again loaded the buses for a trip to the Pacific Academy in Surrey where they spent the day rehearsing music and going through the stage logistics.

The concert itself consisted of performances by world music group 'The Shirleys,' selections from the Coastal Sound Youth Choir, massed choir pieces (including our choir, of course), and world music trio TriVo.

Afterward, we returned to Simon Fraser University for a dance held for all of the participating choirs.

Packing for the trip home was a big part of the remainder of the evening, with an early departure tomorrow.

Day 12 - Travel Home
Most of today was spent on buses and planes, and we got an early start for the bus ride to Seattle-Tacoma Airport, bidding farewell to our 'guardian angel' Tania, who provided so much assistance to us during our stay at Simon Fraser University and on our excursions to the various venues. Brown bag breakfasts were eaten along the way, and Alex and Maria presented kind thank-yous to the adult chaperones and staff, which were greatly appreciated. Mrs. J then performed the traditional swearing-in of our newest veterans -- no longer newbies!

After a brief stop at the border for a passport walk-thru, we continued to the airport for our flights to Houston and Cleveland. Our arrival at the baggage claim area was met with applause from our families, and the choir performed a flashmob-like performance for them before we picked up our luggage for the journey to our homes.

Thanks to all of our new Canadian and American friends we met along the way. You've made our lives richer through our time together.

Best wishes to our seniors - you've definitely made your mark and provided a fine example for others to follow. Our thanks to you!

Now let's get ready to welcome our newbies for next year! Where will we go in 2012??

Congratulations, 2011 Touring Graduates!

2011-05-23T06:59:00.006-04:00

Our best wishes to the 2011 seniors of the Summit Choral Society's Touring Ensemble! May your tour through life be filled with the joy of music.

See more celebration pictures, or click on the video link to the Senior Slideshow (bottom image of these three) for more pictures honoring these fantastic individuals!

Thinking About Canada Yet?

2010-08-26T21:35:00.013-04:00

View Canada Tour 2011 in a larger map

It won't be long until we're on our way to beautiful western Canada! If you want to view a larger version of this map (by clicking the 'Canada Tour 2011' link just below the map), you'll be able to see the locations we'll visit and zoom in for a better look.

Some of the places we'll see include:

Calgary
The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology
Banff, including the Banff Upper Hot Springs
Kamloops, including the Kamloops Heritage Railway
Victoria
Vancouver, including the Coastal Sound International Choral Festival
Whistler, including the Olympic Village, Shannon Falls, Peak 2 Peak Gondolas, and Squamish Lil’Wat Cultural Centre

We'll also be singing several concerts and will provide music for a church service in one of Victoria's historic churches.

Canada, we'll be there soon!

The Ensemble Grows with Our Newest Singers

2010-08-25T07:31:00.002-04:00

It's great to have so many new singers joining our ranks for the 2010-2011 season! You're already becoming a part of the rich history and culture of excellence that has given the Touring Ensemble its good reputation. Welcome to the choir, Katherine, Lauren B, Katie, Hannah G, Nicholas, Angela, Tiffany, Hannah K, Lauren M, Sarah, Jillian, Marissa, Sammy, Nina, Da'Nita, Annie, Ally, and Ina!

Southern Tour Diary 2010

2010-07-10T21:09:00.010-04:00

Friday, June 11:
Our travels took us to Charleston, West Virginia, courtesy of our bus driver, Miss Marian, with a stop at Golden Corral (and some music study) along the way.

The evening concert at the Baptist Temple allowed us to perform with the Appalachian Children's Chorus and Chattanooga Boy's Choir, and to meet and greet them at an ice cream social afterward. Then we were matched up with some fantastic families for home stays.

Saturday, June 12:
This was a big driving day, starting in Charleston, West Virginia and ending in Alpharetta, Georgia. There, we enjoyed pizza and wings before getting ready for our concert at the Alpharetta Presbyterian Church. The concert was well-received, and we again were matched with some wonderful host families who made us feel very welcome.

Sunday, June 13:
Sunday morning brought us back to the Alpharetta Presbyterian Church for an amazing brunch prepared by a chef who is a church member. The choir and Mr. Mollard then contributed to musical selections during the worship service.

After changing clothes, we headed to the incredible aquarium in Atlanta, where we spent the early afternoon watching (and touching) the many sea creatures there. After a stop at the mall for some shopping and dinner, we were reunited with our Alpharetta hosts for another evening of friendship-building.

Monday, June 14:
Monday's travels took us up into Tennessee to the Appalachian Museum for lunch and a visit to the many indoor and outdoor displays. This was really an interesting place and several of us agreed that this would be a place that we would like to visit again sometime in the future.

After checking into our hotel in Pigeon Forge, TN, we had a family-style dinner at the Old Mill Restaurant, featuring corn fritters, chicken, pot roast, ham, mashed potatoes, beans, and our choice of peach cobbler, pecan pie or chocolate cake.

Then we headed off to some shopping in the Old Mill Historic Square near the restaurant.

After returning to the hotel, many chose to swim in the hotel pool before turning in for the evening.

Tuesday, June 15:
After having breakfast in the hotel, we loaded up the bus and took a short drive to Dollywood for a very fun day.

Despite the heat and humidity, we enjoyed roller coasters, water rides, shows, food, shopping, and for some of us, a ride on a real steam train. The free ice water at the concession stands was greatly appreciated by all.

Then it was off to Norris, TN for a big potluck dinner and more friend-making at Norris Religious Fellowship. Our concert went quite well (with expressive, energetic faces) even though we had a very full day. The evening was spent with friendly host families in a beautiful town where people are proud of the fact that they still see each other at the post office where they pick up their mail.

Wednesday, June 16:
Today we had breakfast with our host families and reconvened to travel a short distance to the American Museum of Science and Industry in Oak Ridge, TN. We learned about some of the government's current scientific research (the non-secret stuff anyway) and had a chance for some hair-raising experiences with a Van de Graaff generator (see the Photo Album for more about that). There were lots of interesting displays and things to do there, and this was another place where many of the singers would like to return.

After some northerly driving, we arrived at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Oxford, OH for rehearsal time, followed by check-in at the Baymont Inn and dinner at some area fast food restaurants. Our final concert was an emotional one, as our seven seniors donned their vests for the last time. The audience was very appreciative and the music was beautiful, although the last two songs were difficult for many to sing-- not just the seniors.

After the concert, the newbies were officially sworn in as veterans by Mrs. Jacobs on the bus ride back to the hotel.

While the non-seniors enjoyed one last swim at the hotel, the seniors were treated to an evening out at Buffalo Wild Wings via taxi, where we had a great time sharing stories, laughing, and enjoying appetizers and desserts.

Thursday, June 17:
Our last day seems to have come so quickly!

We enjoyed a slightly later start today, with breakfast at the Baymont Inn and a short bus ride to Miami University for a tour given by some friendly student guides. We had the opportunity to see portions of the school of music and music library, a theater, ice rink and (of course) the campus gift shop.

Following a relaxed lunch at Bob Evans, we hit the home stretch and greeted friends and family back at Coventry High School. Although it’s always good to be back home, we’ve had a wonderful tour with lots of great experiences, new friends, and fantastic music.

All the Best to Our 2010 Seniors!

2010-05-21T07:06:00.006-04:00

This year, seven seniors will be moving on to college, and we wish them well! We will certainly miss you, but are excited for the adventures, successes, and musical experiences that await all of you. Keep us posted!

We've made a slideshow to honor these seniors, and it's on-line. The best way to view it is by this Facebook link, which will show the full-length version with sound. However, if you are not on Facebook, you can also view a slightly shorter (and silent) version via this YouTube link.

Welcome, New Singers!

2009-08-25T20:58:00.003-04:00

As our 2009-2010 season begins, we say hello to all of our new singers (nearly one-half of the choir!) Welcome aboard -- there's lots of fun, travel, and great music ahead!

A Note from Mrs. Reichenberger

2009-07-21T21:54:00.004-04:00

Dear '08-'09 Touring Choir,

Thank you so much for the wonderful gift of a weekend at The Inn at Honey Run. This is a very special gift, and Doug and I will think fondly of you all when we make our trip there. I have been blessed beyond measure to have been associated with all of you as we've rehearsed together, traveled together, and best of all - made music together. That trip to Malta and Sicily was a delight, and I could not have hoped to travel with a greater bunch of people than you. I look forward to seeing all of you at the Candlelight Concerts this year, and would love to have some of you as my students at Mount Union someday (hint, hint)! Thanks again -you're the best!!

Mrs. Reichenberger

All the Best to the Class of 2009!

2009-05-09T21:07:00.010-04:00

Our best wishes to the seventeen seniors who will be moving on to college this year.

You can look back on your years in the Summit Choral Society Touring Ensemble with this musical slideshow on YouTube. (If you have a high-speed connection, you'll probably want to click the 'HQ' button on the lower right side of the YouTube screen for higher video quality).

We'll miss you!

Thanks for Visiting, Chlumec Choir!

2009-03-30T22:26:00.011-04:00

We loved your music and we value your friendship!

Here are more pictures of your visit to Akron, and pictures and video from our visit to Chlumec in the Czech Republic. We hope to see you again in the future!

Touring Ensemble, you'll want to have a look at the Chlumec Choir's website (and notice that there's an 'English Page' link on the upper right).

How much do you know about Malta?

2009-03-14T10:37:00.010-04:00

View Larger Map

As we start preparing our music for the tour this summer, we also look forward to the experience of making new friends in another part of the world— but how much do you actually know about the places that we’ll visit? This post will hopefully leave you with at least a small bit of information about the country of Malta. Later, we’ll get a little more familiar with Sicily.

Malta itself is about twice the size and population of the city of Akron. It’s actually a group of islands about 58 miles south of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea. Only the three largest islands- Malta Island, Gozo, and Comino are inhabited.

Malta has a rich history, due especially to its location along important trade routes. Its history includes such inhabitants as its first settlers more than 7000 years ago from Sicily, ancient Greeks and Romans, Arabs, Normans, Knights of Malta, French and British.

The climate of Malta consists of mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. While we’re there, temperatures will range from the low 70s to the upper 80s.

There are more than 360 churches in Malta, Gozo, and Comino, with Roman Catholicism as the state religion. Local villages conduct ‘festas’, which mark the feast day of the patron saint of each parish with marching bands, religious processions, special Masses, fireworks, and other festivities.

English and Maltese are the official languages of Malta, replacing Italian in 1934.

While in Malta, we’ll have some wonderful opportunities, including visiting the capital city of Valletta, making friends with students in the village of Marsaxlokk, seeing some of the world’s heaviest megaliths at the Hagar Qim Temple, visiting medieval Mdina, and enjoying some time on the beach.

Ready to go?

Welcome, Kylie Rose!

2009-02-01T15:56:00.000-05:00

Do these people look like a couple of proud grandparents to you? They are!

Kylie Rose is now one week old and is up to a full four pounds.

Congratulations to parents Carrie and Eric as they begin this new adventure, and to Dr. and Mrs. J as they enjoy all of the privileges of being grandparents!

A Lot Accomplished in Five Months

2009-01-17T22:14:00.000-05:00

... and now we can start preparing for our Sicily/Malta Tour!

Arizona Tour Diary 2008

2008-06-22T17:41:00.021-04:00

Saturday, June 21 - Cleveland to Phoenix, AZ
We arrived safely in Phoenix, and eventually we all were reunited at the hotel around midnight - or 3AM Akron time. Due to the storms around Cleveland, the first group's flight was cancelled and the whole group ended up taking the later (slightly delayed flight) to Chicago. Then the first group moved very quickly through the airport to barely catch their connecting flight to Phoenix - the airline held it for us. (The second group's flight to Phoenix didn't involve as much athletic ability). We were astounded by the 100 degree heat even late at night.

Sunday, June 22 - Phoenix, AZ
We arose to a continental breakfast at the Comfort Inn and headed to the First United Methodist Church where we assisted with two worship services - the first a more contemporary one, and the second service more traditional in format. Between services, we enjoyed a brunch of fresh fruit, breads and muffins, ham, and quiche - with plenty of cold drinks. Then back to the Inn for some relaxation before our evening dinner and concert at the American Lutheran Church in Sun City.

Very good singing and nice acoustics combined to make this a very good first full concert that was appreciated by all present. Air conditioning malfunctions forced the the need for several fans and some dimmed lights, but extra concentration overcame this obstacle. A dinner of sandwiches and chips followed and was provided by our Lutheran hosts.

Afterward, it was back to the Comfort Inn for swimming (and a Wal-Mart excursion for some). A great day that leaves us looking forward to the Grand Canyon tomorrow.

Monday, June 23 - Grand Canyon and Flagstaff, AZ
This was a spectacular day!

In the morning, we headed northward to the Grand Canyon and more tolerable temperatures.

Words and pictures just can't fully convey the beauty of this place, as we walked along the South Rim for about a mile, taking in many breathtaking overlooks - and doing some impromptu songs along the way.

After stopping for some dinner, we drove to the Desert View overlook as the sun began to set and cast impressive shadows and colors onto the cliffs.

Afterward, we moved along to Flagstaff, where we're spending the night. Sedona is on the agenda for tomorrow with home stays tomorrow night.

Tuesday, June 24 - Sedona, AZ
After a quick breakfast at the motel, we hit the trail to Sedona. Partway there, we stopped at a scenic overlook above Oak Creek Canyon, taking in views of rock formations, stone cliffs, blooming prickly pear cactus, ravens and Native American jewelry at several stands lining the walkway.

We arrived in Sedona in the late morning and broke into our chaperone groups for lunch and shopping (and shopping, and shopping). Surrounded by picturesque hills and huge interesting sandstone formations we walked around, sang in a few shops and in case it wasn't already mentioned, went shopping.

Afterward, we headed to the Church of the Red Rocks, where we hiked up a switchback path with our luggage, rehearsed, and enjoyed a dinner of croissant sandwiches, chips and veggies provided the church. At 7PM, we gave a concert in a sanctuary where the wall behind the altar is glass with a beautiful view of the formations in the distance highlighted by the setting sun.

Following the concert, the singers were matched with thier host families for the evening. Tomorrow, we'll be reunited and begin the day with a tour of Montezuma Castle National Monument.

Wednesday, June 25 - Montezuma Castle, Tempe, and Phoenix, AZ
Following the return of the singers from their gracious hosts, we began our journey southward. Our first stop was a beautiful formation named Bell Rock, which we enjoyed for a few minutes before continuing on to Montezuma Castle National Monument.

There, we were met by our guide, a member of the Church of the Red Rocks. He passed along lots of interesting information about the Sinagua culture and the 5-story 20 room cliff dwelling called Montezuma Castle. We also toured the ruins of another dwelling that housed around 100 people. (He was treated to a Touring Ensemble performance of Ave Maria as well, since he was unable to attend last night's concert).

Afterward, we made a lunch stop and then continued on to the Comfort Inn - Phoenix, stopping along the way for some pictures among the Saguaro cacti. Back at the hotel, we rested up for our evening concert in Tempe.

On the way to the concert, we enjoyed the Old West decor of the Big Apple Restaurant, and then continued on to the Tempe Performaing Arts Center. This was the real deal - stage, lights, and dressing room. Although the audience was not large in number, those in attendance were appreciative of the excellent performance.

Afterward, it was back to the Comfort Inn for a swim before turning in for the evening.

Thursday, June 26 - Heard Museum and Phoenix, AZ
After a relaxing morning we traveled to the Heard Museum, an impressive exhibition of Native American art. Our tour guides took us through several galleries that highlighted art from the most recent two centuries, ranging geographically from above the Arctic Circle to the Southwestern US. A lot of history was learned during the tour as well.

After lunch, Janet, our very capable bus driver and tour guide conducted a bus tour of Phoenix that included a stop at Arizona's Capitol building, just across the street from a beautiful and moving veterans' memorial. Most of the chaperone groups opted for the cooler Capitol building to view a museum about the USS Arizona, sunk at Pearl Harbor. One group walked through the veterans' memorial park and viewed the actual anchor and signal tower from the USS Arizona, as well as a number of other memorials from various wars. The outside group was shielded from the sun by a huge plume of smoke in the distance from a remote wildfire - the result of a lightning strike in the dry vegetation of a dry riverbed.

A nice dinner was provided by First Methodist Church of Phoenix, followed by our concert there. Then it was off to our second home stay with lots of friendly people from the church.

Friday, June 27 - Tucson, Kartchner Caverns, and Phoenix, AZ
This was definitely a strong finish to a great tour. After returning from our home stays, we hopped on the bus to travel further south to Tucson, where we performed to an appreciative group of senior citizens at the retirement residence of Kate's grandparents (featuring guest conductor Kate). The group circled the dining room to sing, and generated lots of smiles and applause. After a short 'meet and greet,' we had lunch at a local food court before being taken to Kartchner Caverns.

Kartchner Caverns were discovered relatively recently- in 1974. The discoverers kept the location secret until they were sure that the Arizona park system would put the proper safeguards into place to protect the delicate cave formations. Its location was not made public until 1988. We observed several of the protections, including a series of air locks, humidity replacement, and ample warnings not to touch (or even brush up against) anything. The high humidity and 68-70 degree temperatures inside are perfect for bacteria and algae to form, so great efforts are made to keep this from happening.

We learned about soda straws, shields, and cave bacon in addition to stalactites, columns and stalagmites. A few people were even 'kissed' by the cave (via falling drops of water). The tour finished with music and lights in the giant room in front of a 58 foot column named Kubla Khan, inspired by Coleridge's poem. But the story doesn't end there...

After one group sang Ave Maria in the cave, the tour guide was so impressed that he invited to the entire group to sing for the other employees in the Visitor Center. This was basically an audition to see if the Touring Choir might be able to provide the music that would play in the cave for all of the tour groups, as they enjoy Kubla Khan. We sang Ave Maria and Danny Boy, and they were suitably impressed, so we'll see what happens. Jane suggested that it might be pretty cool to have 'someone' compose a piece to the words of Kubla Khan. Anybody know of any composers familiar with the vocal range and capability of the Summit Touring Ensemble?

After our cavern experience, we drove back north to Phoenix, watching the sunset over the desert (and the column of smoke from near Phoenix), said goodbye to Janet and greatly enjoyed some time for a picnic and swimming at the Comfort Inn. The seniors had a choice of staying to swim or taking an outing to the local iHop for dessert, laughter and conversation with the Choir Managers.

Saturday, June 28 - Phoenix, AZ to Cleveland, OH
After breakfast, the singers and adults were shuttled to the airport in three groups, using vans. The airport experience went smoothly (other than some souvenir hot sauce and cactus jelly being confiscated due to their 'greater than 3 ounce' characteristics). We arrived in Chicago early, were delayed for our connection to Cleveland, but were able to reunite with our welcoming (and supportive) families at around 11PM.

This was truly a wonderful tour, made possible by the efforts of many wonderful people. We will have memories that we can carry with us throughout our lives - from our 2008 Wild West Tour!

Take a Bow, 2008 Touring Seniors!

2008-05-11T21:52:00.005-04:00

All of our best wishes go with this year's twelve graduating seniors as they prepare for one last journey with the Touring Ensemble before moving on to college.

If you'd like to see some of their adventures over the last few years, there is a slideshow online. It's in two parts - Part 1 shows some of the many concerts in which they participated. Part 2 shows a sampling of fun times in MANY different places.

Keep following your dreams, seniors! Here's wishing you lots of success (and music) in the years ahead.

Our 2009 Tour will be...

2008-04-19T15:40:00.014-04:00

... to Malta and Sicily! You'll find them in the center of the map above.

Next year, around June 21, 2009, we'll be leaving for an 11-12 day journey to the sunny Mediterranean to visit the island nation of Malta and the Italian island of Sicily. By our summer reteat, we should have full details and a brochure. If you want a sneak peek of Malta, you may want to have a look at these video clips.

Rumor has it that we'll be greeted on our arrival by the Maltese president!

Lots more info to come...

About Fauré...

2008-03-30T13:33:00.009-04:00

Gabriel Fauré was the foremost French composer of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th century composers (including Maurice Duruflé). The picture above shows Fauré in 1895, about seven years after his Requiem was first performed.

When he was nine-years-old, he was sent to study at the École Niedermeyer, a school which prepared church organists and choir directors in Paris. He later became an organist, choirmaster and composer of several choral works and operas, as well as piano, cello and violin works.

In 1883, Fauré married Marie Fremiet, and had two sons. (Apparently his wife wasn't available to adjust his tie for the photo, however). In order to support his family, Fauré organized daily services at the Église de la Madeleine and taught piano and harmony lessons. He only had time to compose during the summers, and earned almost no money from his compositions.

Fauré claimed that his Requiem was written "for the pleasure of it" rather than for a specific person. However, it was started after the death of his father, and before it was completed his mother died as well. It was first performed in 1888, 120 years before being performed by the Summit Choral Society.

About Duruflé...

2008-02-20T17:20:00.010-05:00

On April 26, 2008, we'll be participating in a concert that features music by Maurice Duruflé, but how much do you know about him? Here's a tiny bit of information for you, gathered from some on-line sources--

The first thing that may interest you is that he lived during the 20th century. In fact, his Requiem was composed in 1947. That same year, Marie-Madeleine Chevalier became his assistant, and they later married in 1953. They were both organists and became a famous and popular organ duo, going on tour together several times throughout the sixties and early seventies.

Very self-critical, Duruflé spent considerable time re-working his compositions until they reached what he felt was the correct level of perfection (even after publication). There are only 14 published Opus numbers to his name.

He lived until age 84, and his Requiem was performed at his memorial service in 1986.

This should be a very beautiful concert. I hope that you're looking forward to it as much as the Masterworks Chorale is!

Feeling Creative?

2008-02-16T16:58:00.004-05:00

Would you like to try your hand at creating a Touring Ensemble web page for the Summit Choral Society website? Do you have a desire to post something to this blog? If so, just ask Mr. C and we'll make it happen!

Remember This?

2008-01-05T12:13:00.000-05:00

I got this in a fortune cookie the other day. Maybe some of you will remember it from the China tour. Here's an audio clip for those who weren't on the tour and for those who need a memory refresher... and of course there are the China pictures as well. Some of us look a little different after a couple of years.

Starting to think about the Arizona tour yet?

A Thank You from Mrs. R

2008-01-02T20:50:00.000-05:00

Dear Members of the Touring Ensemble,

Thank you so much for the lovely Christmas gifts you gave me. At this time of year, you always thank me for everything I do for you, but it is my turn to thank you for all you do for me. All of you are a joy and a delight to work with, and no matter how much we demand of you, you always give it (and more). The result is something special. I doubt we will ever experience anything to compare it with.

You bring me more joy than you can imagine, and I consider you my colleagues. Thank you again for your thoughtfulness -- you're the BEST!

Mrs. R

Thanks, Touring Ensemble!

2007-12-21T20:57:00.001-05:00

The Choir Managers would like to thank all of the singers for the thoughtfulness and generosity shown by the gifts that we received after the Candlelight concerts. They're very much appreciated!

The Top 10 Things that Make Choir Managers Happy

2007-10-03T22:02:00.000-04:00

10. When singers with prearranged absence forms turn them in at the BEGINNING of rehearsal
9. When parents volunteer for Saturday lunches
8. When everyone stays informed by reading the blog regularly
7. When singers are prepared to rehearse
6. Duct tape! Great for emergency repairs... right up there with wire, safety pins, and pliers
5. When singers say hello
4. When choir members bring their Parent Mailboxes
3. Taking tours to interesting places with mature and responsible singers
2. When singers wear neat, correct concert apparel and we can see their expressive faces

...and the number one thing that makes Choir Managers happy:

1. Listening to the Summit Touring Ensemble sing!

Can you name all of these singers?

2007-09-13T19:38:00.000-04:00

New Season, New Singers!

2007-08-28T12:20:00.000-04:00

A great big welcome to our new singers: Emily O, Sarah, Kaylah, Maria, Alex, Rachel, Abigail, Katherine, Emily A, Paul, and Robert (and let's not forget our new Choir Manager, Mrs. D)! We're glad to have you in the Touring Ensemble family. Don't worry... you won't feel like 'newbies' for long. Before you know it, you'll be telling your touring stories!

Paths

2007-07-14T22:15:00.000-04:00

Back in May, when I posted "On the Way to Prague," I included a picture of the Church of St. Havel in Chlumec, Czech Republic and asked if you could picture yourself walking on the path in that picture. Well, here's a picture of ME on that path.

More importantly, though, was where that path took us-- not only to a beautiful church but to new friendships. Paths are like that sometimes.

Tour Pictures and Video

2007-07-03T22:27:00.000-04:00

Do you have online pictures or video from the Central Europe Tour that you'd like to share? Just let me know, and I'll add a link to the Pictures and Video Site. Take a look at what's there now!

Central Europe Tour Diary

2007-07-02T11:02:00.000-04:00

Now that we’re back in our homes after our great Central Europe tour, I wanted to make sure that we have at least a brief record of some of our tour memories for the archives. This may also help the singers to sort out our many activities when describing the tour to their families (or when updating their own journals).

In addition, this diary will give some perspective to the two albums of pictures, which are divided into

Europe Tour 2007 Part 1 (Germany) and

Europe Tour 2007 Part 2 (Czech Rep and Austria)

in the Photo Gallery.
So here we go…

Monday-Tuesday, June 18-19 (Chicago-Heidelberg-Speyer) The bus to Chicago and flight over to Frankfurt were uneventful (other than a late arrival at about 11:50AM, Frankfurt time, and the fact that airline seats don’t make the best places for sleeping).

We met our friendly tour guide, Karolina, and bus driver, Jan at the airport, and they took us over for a short but nice visit to Heidelberg. We walked the cobblestone streets and enjoyed the beautiful architecture of the buildings and churches, and took lots of pictures with the river in the foreground and castle in the background. The weather was very warm and sunny, but we were able to cool off in our air conditioned, new double-decker tour bus.

After that, we headed into Speyer, where we met Sandra and attended a cultural exchange with the Junge Chor Speyer. We were treated to musical exchanges from both choirs, made new friends, and were treated to lots of delicious homemade cakes, soft drinks and ice (which Sandra had some difficulty locating). A picture was taken of the combined choirs, and by dinner, we got to look at the actual copy of the article and picture as they will appear in the newspaper tomorrow.

We checked into our hotel, took long-awaited (and needed) showers, and walked over to the Domhof Restaurant for a real (and filling) German dinner.

Needless to say, we’re really tired but we’re really enjoying ourselves, too.

Wednesday, June 20 (Speyer)
Another VERY warm, sunny day in Speyer. We packed a lot into today.

After breakfast, we walked to the amazing Kaiserdom cathedral. What a fantastic experience for the choir to be able to sing a few songs in this enormous space. The reverb time was incredible – I believe that it’s still echoing there.

We then were graciously received and welcomed by Lord Mayor of Speyer, where the choir sang for him, ate soft pretzels, and took in the view from his balcony.

We then were surprised by a 1462 walking tour of Speyer – The tour was expected, but the costumed tour guides were the surprise. These guides, in true 1462 fashion, were quite puzzled by our strange clothing and ability to get across the ocean in a matter of hours.

After squeezing in some quick shopping and lunch, we prepared for the concert.

The concert really was a high point, with a large, receptive crowd and standing ovation. A special treat was a joint performance of one piece with the Junge Chor Speyer – our friends from yesterday. We were welcomed again by the choir and by the people we met the day before, with some choir members even joining us for our buffet dinner at the hotel. Already there are rumors of a possible choir visit to Akron some time in the future.

Thursday, June 21 (Eisenach-Erfurt)
Cooler today – and wetter, although it was mostly drizzle.

This morning, we headed to Eisenach to visit the Bach museum, after a quick search for some eating places in the area. It was really a thrill to be in this area, known for Martin Luther as well as J. S. Bach. Not so many years ago, this would have been impossible since this is in the former East Germany.

The museum visit was highlighted by a recital of selected Bach pieces on several instruments of his time (and a 2003 dual-manual harpsichord). The rooms of the museum contained not only Bach’s portraits and copies of his music, but lots of other things like room replicas, historic documents and artifacts, a family tree, instruments, and a listening area.

After some very brief shopping time, we headed to our Best Western hotel in Erfurt, an interesting eastern European city where we checked in and then walked to an Italian restaurant for a very good dinner of salad (with lots of ingredients), spaghetti, and probably the best tira misu ever tasted by a choir manager.

Friday, June 22 (Chemnitz)
On the way to Chemnitz, we stopped at the Waldorf School, (primary kids all the way through high school). Since many of the high schoolers were away to Berlin for a field trip, we were more than welcomed by lots of children (and a few high schoolers).

We toured classrooms where Greece was being studied, and the students had their portfolio of work ready for us to admire. This was followed by a musical program where the younger kids sang English-learning songs and played their recorders, and older students sang (very well) a selection from the Magic Flute by Mozart. A staff member sang some original songs, which were greatly enjoyed. The Touring Ensemble sang to enthusiastic applause.

They had many delicious and hand-made chocolate treats for us – arranged with care on plates. They also served us Eis Tee (Iced Tea) and grilled bratwurst. After a little time, some were willing to try their English on us. All in all, many friends were made, as evidenced by their large attendance at the concert the next day.

After checking into the hotel in Chemnitz (and receiving various ‘welcome to Chemnitz’ souvenirs in our rooms from the Lord Mayor Ludwig), we had a chance to tour Chemnitz by bus, stopping to look at a collection of 290 million year old petrified wood from the area that was reassembled into a mini forest in a hotel lobby, and also stopping to view a former Soviet rocket simulator that is being transformed into a play area for children.

Later, we had the opportunity to sing for local dignitaries of both Chemnitz and Akron, including the mayor of Chemnitz, followed by a City Hall and tower tour by a (costumed) town crier. The view of Chemnitz from the tower was spectacular! A German dinner at the Ratskeller restaurant followed, where we were presented with more Chemnitz souvenirs.

Saturday, June 23 (Chemnitz)
Our day started with a castle tour complete with a treasure hunt, where clues were hidden around the grounds until a key was found to unlock the treasure of polished gemstones for everyone. Even a ghost was encountered along the way. This was a fantastic Renaissance castle to visit, and also had an interesting museum.

Lunch and shopping followed, and then we went to the Kraftwerk club for youth, where we were treated to lots of break dancing, foosball, pool, darts, video games, and crafts such as glass etching, basket weaving, and more.

Then it was rehearsal time in the beauty and acoustical resonance of Markuskirche followed by a short break and then the actual concert, which was performed to a capacity audience (many of whom were students and staff of the Waldorf School). Although we’ve heard the program several times now, this one seemed to be special. On departure from the concert, some tears were shed as new friends parted ways – possibly to correspond in the future.
Dinner at the hotel, and then we called it a day.

Sunday, June 24 (Dresden-Prague)
We left Chemnitz on our way to the Czech Republic, stopping for a few hours in Dresden, nearly 75% destroyed in World War II, and rebuilt initially in the Communist mold. Following the end of the Cold War, the city is being gradually remade into the beautiful old city that it once was, and they’re doing a good job – the ‘old style’ buildings in the city are actually the newest. One particular highlight was the Frauenkirche, a church that was a casualty of war, but rebuilt (and completed only last year). Where possible, they used actual stones from the original building.
Then it was on to the Czech border, where we were stopped for a passport check. (Although we were delayed, it allowed us all to collect a passport stamp from Germany and the Czech Republic).

Our first stop was Chlumec, a small Czech town where we initially were given a lunch of schnitzel, French fries, cole slaw and soft drinks, with a very good chocolate cake. Then we participated in a combined concert in St. Havel church, along with the Chlumec youth choir. We all really enjoyed the Chlumec choir’s performance, and spent time after the concert meeting them and learning some Czech as well. There were MANY snacks to sample. Each choir took a turn singing their own national anthem, and we moved outside for a Chlumec battle reenactment (actually a couple of guys in period uniforms who made us all jump by firing their muskets). Lots of laughs and photos were shared as several took turns putting on the hats and standing by the soldiers.

On then to Prague, where we saw some of the city by bus, checked into our hotel and headed to dinner at a restaurant near St. Norbert monastery. Smoked salmon and kabobs with vegetables and a mixed grill of meats were on the menu. We then walked to a scenic overlook for this beautiful city where we enjoyed the view and spontaneously performed a song for some outdoor diners at another nearby restaurant. (A couple of those diners were seen at the concert the next day).

Monday, June 25 (Prague)
This day was spent entirely in Prague. It’s impossible to convey in words or pictures the charm of this city. In every direction, one can see interesting fairytale architecture, European character, and history that dates back through the ages. We toured the Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral – where we were given (rare) permission to perform one song, the Charles Bridge and the Old Prague Square. We shopped in interesting and varied shops.

Our concert was in the afternoon at the spectacular St. Nicholas Church in the old square – again very well received.

The Batramka Museum was an interesting stop, owned by some of Mozart’s friends and affording some creative time for him there. Due to the smaller size of the museum, we took turns visiting it – while half of the group toured the museum, the other half was able to walk the grounds which contained (among other things) an outdoor table where Mozart actually did some composing.

Then we had a traditional Czech dinner and were entertained by live Czech musicians who played not only traditional songs, but ‘You are My Sunshine’ and the ‘Chicken Dance’ as well.

Tuesday, June 26 (Vienna)
Today was spent traveling to Vienna from Prague. Upon arrival, we took a bus tour of the culture center of Europe – Vienna. The tour included the magnificent Schoenbrunn castle with its many ornate rooms. This was followed by a stop at Franz Schubert’s former residence (and museum), where we even had a chance to perform a bit of his version of Psalm 23.

Then it was on to our very nice hotel to check in before heading to a dinner in a castle where Napoleon visited. Afterward, the choir managers (and accompanist) treated the seniors to some ice cream at a nearby outdoor café, where we got a chance to hear some interesting history as well.

Wednesday, June 27 (Vienna)
After sleeping in a little later than usual and a short rehearsal, the choir sang for High Mass at the awe-inspiring Stefansdom, followed immediately by several other concert pieces at the conclusion of the Mass. Having the opportunity to sing in this beautiful place was a very moving experience for all.

Then it was off to do some last-minute shopping and lunch before the next rehearsal at St. Anna’s Church – breathtaking in its own way, with beautiful paintings on the ceiling, and brilliant golden gilded woodwork.

A quick trip back to the hotel to change into concert dress (and eat some pizza), and then it was back to Stefansdom for a group picture. We then made a brisk walk back to St. Anna’s for the highlight concert – actually a benefit concert to raise funds for a local children’s cancer center. The concert was again greeted with much applause, although it was a somewhat bittersweet experience for the seniors (and for Mrs. Walter), since it was their last concert with the Touring Ensemble.

Tears soon changed to smiles as we dressed up and traveled to the Prater amusement park to unwind, take some final group pictures, ride the Ferris wheel, and enjoy Vienna burgers, fries, and ice cream. It was hard to believe that the wonderful Central Europe tour was almost over, as we said goodbye to our great driver, Jan and excellent tour director, Sandra.

Thursday-Friday June 28-29 (Vienna-Chicago-Hammond, Indiana-Akron, Ohio)
We had a very early start to a very long day, with a flight from Vienna to Frankfurt, where we had to part with our excellent and beloved tour guide, Karolina. After a long layover in Frankfurt, we took the long flight back to Chicago and took a bus partway home – to Hammond, Indiana, where we had some more pizza and a good rest. Some actually had enough energy for a swim in the pool.

On Friday, there remained only to get from Indiana to Ohio, which we covered with only one stop, arriving in Akron by about 4:15PM—glad to be home, but enriched by the new friends and experiences gained on this great tour!

Blogging Partner

2007-06-16T11:38:00.000-04:00

Please have a look at a great new blog from our tour managers at Incantato: http://incantato-concerts.blogspot.com/ You'll find out lots of new and interesting information about our journey there.

Speyer is certainly ready for us to arrive! It should be really great!

Summit Choral in the News

2007-06-11T13:18:00.000-04:00

There is a new link (Summit Choral in the News) on the right side of the blog to check out. With the help of Google Alerts, I'll keep an eye open for news stories featuring the SCS choirs and singers.

If you're aware of any recent online stories that I've missed, please let me know!

Notes from the Final Tour Meeting

2007-06-04T22:58:00.000-04:00

As we come down the home stretch, here are some notes from tonight's final tour meeting:

T-shirts, final itineraries and luggage tags were distributed.
Singers will be permitted one checked piece of luggage per person. Try to keep it to 40lbs or less. Remember, you'll be carrying your own luggage throughout the tour.
Euros are available at the AAA downtown, if you want to have cash on hand until you can get to an ATM.
For clothing, remember-- no tank tops or spaghetti straps. Khaki pants (or capris) will be needed. Have at least one set of good clothes - but not formal. For example, ladies: a dress or nice skirt, guys: nice shirt and tie (6/14 update: no sport coat needed).
There is a 3oz limit on any liquids in your carry-on bags, and the containers must be placed in a 1 quart zip-loc bag. Here's the whole list of permitted and prohibited items in carry-on and checked luggage.
If you have problems with the dry air on planes, Jan suggests saline nasal spray and soy face mist.
You MUST turn in a medical form, if you have not done so already.

Appearing Soon in Chemnitz...

2007-05-29T23:51:00.000-04:00

...and lots of other places, too!

Tour map to explore

2007-05-23T14:50:00.000-04:00

Want to see where we'll be going? Here is an interactive tour map that shows all of our destinations. After launching the map, you can click on the city names on the left and the map will automatically bring you to them.

You can zoom the map in and out or drag the map wherever you like.

Try zooming in while you're in the satellite view, and you'll be able to get close enough to see the cars on the streets.

It's also a good way to get to know the 'real' names of the places we'll be visiting. Here are some examples:

Deutschland - Germany
Österreich - Austria
Česká Republika - Czech Republic
Praha - Prague
Wien - Vienna

Have fun exploring...

Congratulations, Seniors!

2007-05-16T21:29:00.000-04:00

The Choir Managers would like to extend our congratulations and best wishes to our TEN graduating seniors. Together, they represent more than 75 years of combined choral experience.

Click here to view a 'small screen' Windows Media version of the senior slideshow that we saw on the big screen on Saturday.

Enjoy your senior activities, Class of 2007!

On the way to Prague

2007-05-15T22:54:00.000-04:00

Karolina, our concert manager in the Czech Republic, has sent this picture of the church in Chlumec, Czech Republic called the Church of St. Havel. It has been around since at least 1358, was baroquised in 1590 and finally rebuilt in the neo-romantic style around 1875.

We'll be performing a concert there after an official welcome at the town hall by the mayor. This is the small town mentioned on Day 7 of the Virtual Tour.

According to Karolina, the town of Chlumec is really little (only 4000 people) but there are a lot of historic monuments. Some important battles were fought here as well.

Can you picture yourself walking on that path?

Pictures of St. Nicholas

2007-05-05T15:21:00.000-04:00

No, we're not talking Christmas here...

Sandra has sent along some pictures of the beautiful St. Nicholas Cathedral in Prague, where the Touring Ensemble will be performing before too long.

Stop by the Photo Gallery and have a look!

Packing for the tour

2007-04-27T12:41:00.000-04:00

Was geht?

As we start thinking ahead, the Choir Managers have prepared a packing list, which you can find here and in the Tour Info on the right side of this page. Take a look, to see if there are things that you should be considering now. Also, a previous post (We really ARE going to Europe!) has some other useful tips.

One of the items mentioned on the packing list is a currency conversion sheet. I brought a bunch of these on our China tour, gave them all away, and wish that I'd brought more. Now you can print a few for your own use. They're very handy for figuring out how much you're actually spending when you're in a restaurant or shop. I made them fairly small to be pocket-sized (with some scissors). By putting the exchange rate into the yellow cell of the Excel spreadsheet, all of the amounts automatically update.

Bis bald

The Virtual Tour

2007-04-20T12:26:00.000-04:00

If you'd like to take a 'virtual tour' to see some of the places we'll be visiting, I've taken Sandra's PowerPoint presentation and separated it into lots of links for easy Internet exploration.

By the way, if you want to look at the PowerPoint presentation, but don't have PowerPoint installed on your computer, you can download a free PowerPoint Viewer from Microsoft.

Days 1&2 (FRANKFURT - SPEYER)

Travel, then arrival in Frankfurt, Germany.

Transfer to Heidelberg for a guided city tour, free time for lunch and shopping.

Continue to nearby Speyer

Musical and cultural exchange for the choir

Free time for strolling and exploring

Welcome dinner at the charming Domhof Restaurant & Beergarden

Italian Ice-Cream for dessert

Stay at Intercity Hotel

Day 3 (SPEYER)

Guided City Tour

Recital at Kaiserdom

Official Reception by the Lord Mayor in the historic town hall at 11 a.m.

Free time for strolling/shopping

Rehearsal

Concert in St. Josef Church at 7 p.m

Day 4 (SPEYER-EISENACH-ERFURT)

Continue to Eisenach & Erfurt

Guided City Tour of Eisenach

Visit to the Bach Museum (Recital)

Free time for lunch, strolling

Continue to Erfurt

Check-in hotel and enjoy town

Rehearsal & Concert at a local venue to be arranged

Stay at Best Western Excelsior

Day 5 (ERFURT-CHEMNITZ “our sister city”)

Morning at leisure in Erfurt

Drive to Chemnitz

Guided City Tour of Chemnitz

Check-in at Hotels

Welcome Reception by the Lord Mayor of Chemnitz

Choir sings in the Town Hall followed by special guided tour

Formal Dinner at the Ratskeller (Historical Cellar Restaurant) hosted by the city of Chemnitz

Stay at Mercure Hotel

Day 6 (CHEMNITZ)

Morning sightseeing tour to the nearby Augustusburg Castle

Treasure Hunt for the Singers at the Fortress of Rochsburg

Free time in Chemnitz and opportunities for cultural exchanges

Begegnungsfest for the choir

Rehearsal

Concert at Markuskirche at 7:30 pm

Day 7 (CHEMNITZ-DRESDEN-PRAGUE)

Drive to Dresden, orientation tour

Choir sings at Sunday Mass or enjoys cultural exchange in a small town en-route to Prague

Choir continues to Prague

Orientation tour upon arrival

Stay at Hotel Merkur

Day 8 (PRAGUE)

Morning sightseeing tour of Prague with visit to the Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral (Recital) and Charles' Bridge

Rehearsal and free time for lunch

Concert at St. Nicholas Church at 2 pm

Visit to Bertramka Museum (Mozart's Prague Residence, Recital)

Free time for strolling

Special Czech Dinner

Day 9 (PRAGUE-VIENNA)

Drive to Vienna

Half-day sightseeing tour of Vienna, entrance to Schubert's House, visit to Schoenbrunn Castle (Recital)

Free time at the famous Prater

Special Dinner

Stay at Hotel Ananas

Day 10 (VIENNA)

Morning at leisure

Rehearsal

Choir sings High Mass at Stefansdom followed by a formal concert

Highlight Concert at St. Anna Church

Farewell Dinner

We really ARE going to Europe!

2007-04-15T19:00:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, April 14, most of the Touring Ensemble and their parents had the opportunity to meet Sandra, our tour director, and the singers enjoyed lots of great German food. Since I was out of town, I enjoyed my great German food today!

Based on my wife Amy's notes, I'll summarize some of the key points. Dr. Jacobs will send me the Powerpoint soon so that I can share it on the blog. I'm looking forward to seeing it myself.

Bringing traveler's checks is not recommended due to extra fees and possibly poor conversion rates. An ATM card (and PIN) is a good way to go, as well as bringing some Euros to get by at the start of the trip before you have a chance to withdraw from a machine.
Since most lunches are not included in the tour price, consider allowing about 10 Euros per required lunch.
Bring some granola bars, trail mix, etc., if you need to supplement for any possible food that you may not like -- but at least try it!
Tipping is 5-10% for a very nice restaurant. No restaurant tipping is expected in the Czech Republic, however.
Expect temperatures in the upper 70's to mid 80's during the day.
All electrical outlets are 220V (2 round plugs). It's a good idea to check the AC input voltages on your camera battery chargers or any other electrical devices that you plan to bring. Many can handle a wide range of voltages (including 220V), but you need to make sure. If you don't need a transformer to change voltages from 220V to 110V, then you can get by with just an adapter to go from our American plugs to the European outlets.
An additional $20 will be needed from each person to cover airport tax and fuel surcharges.
Also, another $20 will be needed from each singer to cover the cost of the four T-shirts that they will receive. For those new to this, we have four tour-specific shirts of different colors. On certain days, certain colors are worn. Other days are free selection (following the rules, of course).
If you want to start looking ahead on the Internet, you can generally find out about a certain German city by typing its name followed by '.de'. For example, for Chemnitz, type www.chemnitz.de. For Austria, use '.at' instead of '.de', and for the Czech Republic, use 'cz'. You will USUALLY have the opportunity to choose English. If you don't, you can go to http://babelfish.altavista.com/ and use it to translate the website from German to English. The translation is usually pretty entertaining.

Well, that's enough for now. Lots more in the coming weeks.

Auf Wiedersehen

A Touring Choir Smoothie

2007-04-10T22:41:00.000-04:00

Just add good music, hard work, some travel, a lot of fun, and be sure to blend well.

Change is Good

2007-04-10T22:04:00.000-04:00

A change of scenery can be good every now and then, so here we are on a new site. Hopefully this will avoid some of the reliability problems with the other website, and will allow for a bit more creativity.

So welcome! This should be a fun journey

... and thanks, Denice for the suggestion and setup.

Welcome to the Touring Ensemble Blog!

2007-04-08T15:45:00.000-04:00