6-20-09
Today Kantorei closed the Nation’s Capital chapter of the tour and opened the one day chapter of the colonial portion of our tour. With our experience in the Civil War history of Gettysburg and Antietam and understanding a little more about our nation today with our visit to Washington, we turned back the clock to our founding fathers as we headed to Philadelphia to join the Philadelphia Boy Choir and Chorale for a joint concert. We also did some sight seeing, of course.
We rolled out of our hotel in Washington at 6:00 am, our earliest departure yet. We had a 10:00 call time in Philadelphia with the Philadelphia Boy Choir and Chorale for a joint workshop. It has a great chance to exchange experiences and techniques with another top tier choir. The Philadelphia choir is made up of about 100 voices of both men and boys. The boys range from age 7 to 12 at which time they are retired because their voices change. The Chorale is made up of adult men who are the tenor, baritone, and base voices. They are former choir members, local music professionals, recording artists, teachers, and fans of music who are rigorously auditioned. The mission of the Chorale is to be the technical, moral, and mentorship support system for the boys. The Choir and Chorale tour internationally every year and the Chorale serves as the chaperones. This year they are going to Argentina and Uruguay.
After the joint workshop we enjoyed lunch together made up of fresh sandwiches, fruit, chips, milk, and water. The boys sat intermixed with each other sharing stories and having a great time.
After lunch we loaded back onto the bus and made our way to the U.S. Constitution Center in Philadelphia, a museum and interactive educational experience about the founding of our Nation and the writing of our Constitution. We gathered in the lobby of the Constitution Center and sang America the Beautiful and the Star Spangled Banner. While very fitting, it gets better.
We spent about 90 minutes learning about our Constitution and the rights guaranteed to all. We left the Constitution Center and walked across the street toward Independence Hall and the display of the Liberty Bell. As we walked thru the displays and around the corner, there it was. The actual Liberty Bell that rang the sounds of freedom and independence some 230 years ago. The boys assembled behind the Liberty Bell and sang the same patriotic songs they sang at the museum. They added a dimension to the experience for the visitors that was much appreciated.
It was time to board the bus and move out to Wayne, PA on the other side of Philadelphia for dinner and our concert at Wayne Presbyterian Church. We ate at Chili’s where our meals were pre-ordered and ready for us when we arrived. The food was good and the conversation was lively. Mrs. Knight took this time to say good-bye to the seniors as she is leaving the tour after the concert tonight.
Wayne Presbyterian is a Civil War era church built in the 1860’s. The high arching ceilings created perfect acoustics for both choirs to maximize their sound. Kantorei performed first with selections from their spiritual set. They were followed by the Philadelphia Boy Choir and Chorale who performed a mixed set of classical opera and two crowd favorites, Disney’s Circle of Life and Beauty and the Beast. Kantorei took the stage after intermission and performed the Lincoln’s Legacy set. Both choirs did a fabulous job.
The Kantorei boys left the church with their home stay families after a very long day. They are looking forward to the long bus ride Sunday to catch up on some sleep. So am I. Until tomorrow…
Today Kantorei closed the Nation’s Capital chapter of the tour and opened the one day chapter of the colonial portion of our tour. With our experience in the Civil War history of Gettysburg and Antietam and understanding a little more about our nation today with our visit to Washington, we turned back the clock to our founding fathers as we headed to Philadelphia to join the Philadelphia Boy Choir and Chorale for a joint concert. We also did some sight seeing, of course.
We rolled out of our hotel in Washington at 6:00 am, our earliest departure yet. We had a 10:00 call time in Philadelphia with the Philadelphia Boy Choir and Chorale for a joint workshop. It has a great chance to exchange experiences and techniques with another top tier choir. The Philadelphia choir is made up of about 100 voices of both men and boys. The boys range from age 7 to 12 at which time they are retired because their voices change. The Chorale is made up of adult men who are the tenor, baritone, and base voices. They are former choir members, local music professionals, recording artists, teachers, and fans of music who are rigorously auditioned. The mission of the Chorale is to be the technical, moral, and mentorship support system for the boys. The Choir and Chorale tour internationally every year and the Chorale serves as the chaperones. This year they are going to Argentina and Uruguay.
After the joint workshop we enjoyed lunch together made up of fresh sandwiches, fruit, chips, milk, and water. The boys sat intermixed with each other sharing stories and having a great time.
After lunch we loaded back onto the bus and made our way to the U.S. Constitution Center in Philadelphia, a museum and interactive educational experience about the founding of our Nation and the writing of our Constitution. We gathered in the lobby of the Constitution Center and sang America the Beautiful and the Star Spangled Banner. While very fitting, it gets better.
We spent about 90 minutes learning about our Constitution and the rights guaranteed to all. We left the Constitution Center and walked across the street toward Independence Hall and the display of the Liberty Bell. As we walked thru the displays and around the corner, there it was. The actual Liberty Bell that rang the sounds of freedom and independence some 230 years ago. The boys assembled behind the Liberty Bell and sang the same patriotic songs they sang at the museum. They added a dimension to the experience for the visitors that was much appreciated.
It was time to board the bus and move out to Wayne, PA on the other side of Philadelphia for dinner and our concert at Wayne Presbyterian Church. We ate at Chili’s where our meals were pre-ordered and ready for us when we arrived. The food was good and the conversation was lively. Mrs. Knight took this time to say good-bye to the seniors as she is leaving the tour after the concert tonight.
Wayne Presbyterian is a Civil War era church built in the 1860’s. The high arching ceilings created perfect acoustics for both choirs to maximize their sound. Kantorei performed first with selections from their spiritual set. They were followed by the Philadelphia Boy Choir and Chorale who performed a mixed set of classical opera and two crowd favorites, Disney’s Circle of Life and Beauty and the Beast. Kantorei took the stage after intermission and performed the Lincoln’s Legacy set. Both choirs did a fabulous job.
The Kantorei boys left the church with their home stay families after a very long day. They are looking forward to the long bus ride Sunday to catch up on some sleep. So am I. Until tomorrow…
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