In this week's episode, we share a story about a college choir from MN taking an unusual tour that lead to life-changing experiences.
When I think about the perfect location for a choir tour, I would probably lean towards a trip to Europe or Australia. Dr. Angela Broeker, the Director of Choral Studies at the University of Saint Thomas, decided to take her students to Peru. Once they returned, I called to ask Dr. Broeker about the trip and she was practically in tears sharing some of the experiences they had.
"It was one of those shared musical moments that you couldn't plan for, but happened spontaneously, that I believe changed the lives and singing in both of those choirs." recounted Dr. Broeker about a musical exchange with the University of Saint Thomas Festival Choir and one of the Peruvian choirs.
Immediately, I knew that this was the perfect way to open up the new season of Sing to Inspire. One of the most respected college choirs in the United States, intentionally deciding not to partake in that fancy European tour, so they can build community through choral music in South America...yeah, that's pretty powerful stuff. Sometimes, because of various circumstances, choir directors can lose sight of the "why" we do it aspect of music-making. I am guilty of this ALL the time. Hopefully, stories from the University of Saint Thomas' Peruvian Tour and similar stories can help us find our way back to the "why" and allow us to continue to help transform lives through this powerful medium.
To hear the complete story about The University of Saint Thomas' Peruvian Tour in this week's episode of Sing to Inspire, click the audio player above.
#SingToInspire Performance of the Week
Amazing Grace - Will Todd
The University of Saint Thomas Chamber Singers
Greg Theisen, piano
Steve Cole, saxophone
Altamir Coelho, bass
Angela Broeker, conductor
Special shout-out goes to Karen Thomas and Seattle Pro Musica for their fabulous performance of Hanacpachap! Thank you for listening to this week's episode and please join us again next week! If you have an inspiring story or choral performance, tweet at @tesfawon using the hashtag #SingToInspire. We absolutely LOVE hearing from our listeners!
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