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. tour2006/2007 Performing Arts notesNews from Around the World www.acfea.com Performing at As highlighted in this newsletter, ACFEA arranges a High Level customized performing arts tours throughout the world. The Peninsula Women’s Chorus (Martin From singing in Notre Dame Benvenuto, Artistic Director) returned to Cathedral in Paris to concert California after a rewarding European concert tours through South America, tour, which culminated in its participation ACFEA can make it happen. in the 22nd Béla Bartók International While we were only able Choir Competition in Debrecen, Hungary. to include a few of our This highly regarded competition aims to tours in the newsletter, we bring into focus the relationship between wish to express our sincere contemporary music and the public, and thanks to all of the groups proved a fitting complement to the Peninsula for making 2006 a very Women’s Chorus’ ongoing commitment to successful year. Peninsula Women’s Chorus performing in commissioning, performing and recording St. Matthias Church, Budapest new music. Competing in the top tier 2 category, against formidable Eastern European choirs, the Peninsula Women’s Chorus earned Texas A&M a third place prize with a score of 84.5 points, trailing by one half point the two choirs that Women’s Chorus tied for the second prize. A demanding 95 points is required to earn a first prize, which wasn’t 2 awarded to any choir in this year’s competition. Denver School of the Arts Orchestra Competing in such a high-level competition is always an incredible learning experience for any 4 Peninsula . continued on page 4 Toronto Children’s Chorus 5 Nevada Union High School Band Blame It On Rio 6 Over milkshakes in the Pittsburgh Tour Summaries International Airport, Director John 7 Goldsmith, his brother Ed, their longtime Tour Summaries friend Dave Cameron and ACFEA Tour 8 Manager Amanda Bauman had the Chamber Singers of opportunity to witness the excitement that California State built as the members of the Heinz Chapel University, Fullerton Choir were only moments from boarding 8 their airplane. The quartet watched in Vassar College amusement as all of these University of Women’s Chorus Pittsburgh students sucked down their 9 last cheeseburgers and fries before hitting Mount Royal the road on their very first non-European Youth Choir concert tour. The group had chosen to visit 10 South America, including stops in Argentina, Overseas Staff Uruguay and Brazil. The tour upon which Heinz Chapel Choir at Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro 11 they were embarking was to be one of North American Staff unfathomable scenery, warm and enthusiastic people, fantastic food and incredible 12 musical experiences. Richmond Anniversary After landing in Argentina, Heinz was greeted by its courier, Sylvia Marin. Sylvia had been the 12 courier on HCC’s tour to France and Spain in 1998 and it was a special treat for the group Alaska Choral Cruise Heinz . continued on page 3 Denver School of the Texas A&M Arts Orchestra Amazed Women’s by Russian Culture Chorus Article written by Elinor Phillips, Tour Participant Tours China Last spring break, I participated in an ACFEA-led tour of Russia with the Denver School of the Arts Orchestra. During this trip, we visited the capital city of Interview with Jess Wade, Director Moscow, the small town of Novgorod, and the historic city of St. Petersburg. We had the fantastic opportunity ACFEA has been arranging tours to to not only tour and learn China and Hong Kong for nearly 20 about these beautiful cities, years. We have access to a full range but also become visiting of venues in cities both on and off the artists. Each of the ornate normal routes, and our expertise in concert halls in which our concert promotion produces concerts youth orchestra preformed that are often sold out. had a unique history of its As the interview below exemplifies, own. I valued having truly our groups are usually amazed by the interested audiences, all of value and quality of the travel, hotel whom were drawn there and meal arrangements. by the publicity put out Why did you choose China for the by ACFEA. Women’s Chorus? During our stay in the I had always considered a trip to Denver School of the Arts Orchestra in city of St. Petersburg we China to be cost prohibitive. What Smolny Cathedral, St. Petersburg encountered an unexpected we discovered, with guidance surprise. After checking into from ACFEA, is that it was not only our hotel on the first night, we met a group of Russian high school students reasonable, it was actually cheaper. who happened to be visual artists from an arts school in Moscow. Over the Probably the comment I heard most next few days, we chatted back and forth and learned so much about each often on the trip from students, other’s culture. parents, and former members traveling with us alike, was what an Russia was such a fascinating country to explore. We were awe-inspired at incredible value the trip was. People every corner by the centuries-old buildings, incredibly designed churches and by could not believe the amount and observing the traditional Russian way of quality of the various tour elements life. One Sunday morning in Novgorod, “I think the company far received compared to the cost of the I tagged along with a group of students trip. For the cost of the previous year’s exceeded our expectations. to attend Sunday Mass at a Catholic We truly got all that we trip to Italy, we got China with all church. What a fascinating experience meals and inter-city flights included. paid for and more, as we it was to listen to the Mass in Russian! were very well taken care When I talked to my friend after the How difficult was the pre-planning of throughout the entire service, she said that even though it was (shots, visas, trip preparation, etc.,) compared to planning a trip to other trip. The accommodations, recited in Russian, the entire format was the same as here in America. destinations? concert arrangements, We were pleased to discover that tour guides, and overall The ACFEA-led trip to Russia was truly there were no shots required to go to organization of the trip an amazing trip, and a wonderful and China and the visa application process were all excellent.” fun learning experience. Musically, I was taken care of by ACFEA. Other couldn’t have asked for a more fitting than a little more intense attention to Erica Burkland, Tour Participant place to tour, since our audiences Vassar College language concerns, the preparation Women’s Chorus appreciated listening to classical music for the trip was very similar to that of Poughkeepsie, NY and also because Russia is the birthplace any overseas tour. of many of the world’s most famous classical composers. The ACFEA tour What were your favorite aspects of was extremely informative and well organized in every aspect of the trip. Each your concerts? activity in which we participated was exciting and was what we as a student The audiences were packed and group were eager to do. My spring break tour to Russia with my high school extremely appreciative. It was great orchestra couldn’t have been better! to hear the local choirs in the first and 2 last concerts singing in Warriors, etc. We also their own language and had the opportunity singing English, just as to attend several local we had sung in Chinese. cultural events. The acoustics were The local guides were all very good, but the great about answering concert venue in Xi’an questions and providing was especially wonderful, interesting information both architecturally and without boring the in the sound it allowed students. It was great to us to produce. One of have an ACFEA guide the most exciting parts of and a local guide the trip was conducting with us at all times the piece that combined to make sure the local choir with our Texas A&M Women’s Chorus at the Forbidden City in Beijing arrangements were women on stage. It carried out as planned, but were also willing to tweak the schedule as other was fun for all the singers and the interests became apparent or small problems arose that were quickly solved. audience seemed to really like this The hotels were all above what I am used to having student groups stay in when cooperative effort. traveling to Europe. What comments do you have for other directors about what to expect Heinz . continued from page 1 tool in learning about a culture from performances in China? to have her as its courier again. The intimately. The group members took We had been told that audiences members collected their bags and great advantage of the opportunity in China tend to be a little less headed into the first port of call: to practice their Spanish, and enjoyed attentive than in other places, while Buenos Aires, one of South America’s meeting the residents on a personal still enjoying the concert. But our most cultured and sophisticated cities. level. The concert in this rural town experience was that they were The choir spent the next two days in was completely full of friendly and anxious to hear all kinds of music and Buenos Aires acclimatizing, attending enthusiastic locals. were always very generous in their a welcoming dinner, enjoying a applause. In fact, during intermission Just around the corner lay Brazil, guided sightseeing tour and watching of one concert, one of our non- where the weather is perpetually a tango show.

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