In addition to overnight run outs to Rochester in 1982 (the Berlioz Requiem with the Rochester Symphony Orchestra and Chorus) and Duluth in 2014 (Verdi Requiem the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and the University of MN-Duluth Chorus) the Chorale did several extended tours.
Puerto Rico - 1985
In June 1985 the Chorale traveled via JFK to San Juan, Puerto Rico to perform “The Damnation of Faust” by Hector Berlioz as part of the Pablo Casals Festival. Joining the Chorale were members of the University of Puerto Rico Choir and the Children’s Choir of San Juan along with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, all conducted by Jorge Mester.
The Chorale walked most mornings from their hotel to the University to rehearse, but had plenty of free time to explore the attractions of the island including Old San Juan, the Baccardi rum factory, el Moro fort, El Junqúe Rain Forest National Park and various beaches. Some singers were even ablek to indulge in a notorious hot tub party.
The performance, on June 15, 1985 was held at the Sala de Festivales in San Juan’s Centro de Bellas Artes. It was well-received by the large audience. In addition to the singing, it was memorable to Chorale members for the bleacher risers that shook every time they stood and the paper Pepsi cups with the bottoms removed that were used as mini-megaphones during the demon chorus.
The Chorale walked most mornings from their hotel to the University to rehearse, but had plenty of free time to explore the attractions of the island including Old San Juan, the Baccardi rum factory, el Moro fort, El Junqúe Rain Forest National Park and various beaches. Some singers were even ablek to indulge in a notorious hot tub party.
The performance, on June 15, 1985 was held at the Sala de Festivales in San Juan’s Centro de Bellas Artes. It was well-received by the large audience. In addition to the singing, it was memorable to Chorale members for the bleacher risers that shook every time they stood and the paper Pepsi cups with the bottoms removed that were used as mini-megaphones during the demon chorus.
Aspen Music Festivals - 1989, 1990, 1991
For the summers of 1989, 1990 and 1991 the Chorale was invited sing at the Aspen Music Festival where Joel Revzen was on the faculty. The Festival provided housing while Chorale members were responsible for airfare to and from Denver and meals. The Chorale paid for artistic staff expenses and also those of any contracted singers who attended. In 1989 and 1991 the Chorale provided bus transportation from the Denver airport to Aspen. 1991 season Chorale members were responsible for their own transportation from the airport to Aspen. Singers were housed at Snowmass Village and commuted to rehearsals and performances in Aspen proper using either public transportation or chartered buses.
Within the rehearsal schedules for these tours the singers had numerous opportunities to explore Aspen and its environs with excursions up the ski lift and to Maroon Bells. Other entertainment options included hiking and as always, exploring the restaurants and shops in downtown.
Rehearsals were held in various venues. Performances were all held in the Festival “Tent,” a semi-permanent canvas roof-and-sided structure.
Performances for those 3 summers included:
7/26/89 – The Creation; Joseph Haydn, conducted by Joel Revzen. The Chorale was joined by the Aspen Chamber Choir with the Aspen Sinfonia performing the orchestral duties.
7/18/90 – Mass in C Minor K.417a (427) The Great; Wolfgang Mozart, with the Aspen Sinfornia, conducted by Joel Revzen.
7/21/90 – Alexander Nevsky, the Film; Sergei Prokofiev/Eisenstein with the Aspen Festival Orchestra conducted by Jorge Mester. The Chorale was joined by the Aspen Chamber Choir.
8/23/91 – Mass in C Major,K. 317 Coronation; Wolfang Mozart with the Mozart Marathon Orchestra conducted by Joel Revzen.
8/25/91 – Requiem in D minor K. 626; Wolfgang Mozart with the Mozart Marathon Orchestra conducted by Lawrence Foster. The Chorale was joined by the Vocal Chamber Music Fellowsip students.
Within the rehearsal schedules for these tours the singers had numerous opportunities to explore Aspen and its environs with excursions up the ski lift and to Maroon Bells. Other entertainment options included hiking and as always, exploring the restaurants and shops in downtown.
Rehearsals were held in various venues. Performances were all held in the Festival “Tent,” a semi-permanent canvas roof-and-sided structure.
Performances for those 3 summers included:
7/26/89 – The Creation; Joseph Haydn, conducted by Joel Revzen. The Chorale was joined by the Aspen Chamber Choir with the Aspen Sinfonia performing the orchestral duties.
7/18/90 – Mass in C Minor K.417a (427) The Great; Wolfgang Mozart, with the Aspen Sinfornia, conducted by Joel Revzen.
7/21/90 – Alexander Nevsky, the Film; Sergei Prokofiev/Eisenstein with the Aspen Festival Orchestra conducted by Jorge Mester. The Chorale was joined by the Aspen Chamber Choir.
8/23/91 – Mass in C Major,K. 317 Coronation; Wolfang Mozart with the Mozart Marathon Orchestra conducted by Joel Revzen.
8/25/91 – Requiem in D minor K. 626; Wolfgang Mozart with the Mozart Marathon Orchestra conducted by Lawrence Foster. The Chorale was joined by the Vocal Chamber Music Fellowsip students.
Mexico City - 1991
The Chorale was invited to sing Mahler’s Symphony #8 in E-flat Major – with the Orquesta Sinfonia National in Mexico City in February, 1991. Joining the Chorale were singers from Los Niños de la Escuela Nacional de Musica. There were 2 performances – 2/8/91 & 2/10/91 - conducted by Enrique Arturo Diemecke in Mexico City’s Palace of Fine Arts. The performances were well-attended and enthusiastically received.
Travel costs and housing for Chorale members were paid by the Orquesta. Unfortunately many Chorale members were too adventurous in their gastronomical pursuits and many had to leave the performance halls to use the facilities. Also unfortunate was a singular lack of toilet paper.
Travel costs and housing for Chorale members were paid by the Orquesta. Unfortunately many Chorale members were too adventurous in their gastronomical pursuits and many had to leave the performance halls to use the facilities. Also unfortunate was a singular lack of toilet paper.
Caracas, Venezuela - 2000
In April 2000 the Chorale was invited, as the only adult choir from the United States, to participate in the America Cantat III, held in Caracas, Venezuela. The Cantat, a 9-day festival of choral music, meets every 3 to 4 years in various cities, composed of a variety of choirs from the Americas and a few from other continents.
40 Chorale singers traveled to Caracas to participate. The “main event” for the Chorale was performing the “Chichester Psalms” with the Coral Vincio Adames de la Facultade de Ingenieria de la ULA from Venezuela and the Coro Universitario de La Plata from Argentina. Several joint rehearsals were scheduled over the course of the 7 days that the Chorale was at the festival. A typical day started with breakfast in the Festival’s food court for which singers were given vouchers – a different food booth every day - a “Common Sing” where different choirs got together to sing songs representative of various countries, followed by rehearsals, a lunch break, another rehearsal, a dinner break and then performances – some that Chorale members simply attended and others where they sang.
Chorale members were housed in apartments located in a large high-rise building that was close to being a self-contained community with shops, grocery stores and restaurants. This building was a short walk away from the main performance and rehearsal venues.
Caracas is located in a valley surrounded by hills. The hills were covered with “ranchos,” substandard housing built without organized planning and inadequate materials. “Old Caracas” retains the character of the Spanish colonial period with a more modern financial district near the Teatro Teresa Carreño where the Festival was held. That area was patrolled by Army officers armed with machine guns. (An unusual sight for Americans in 2000, but by 2003 similar guards were present in major American cities.)
Rehearsals for the combined choirs were directed by Kathy. These went well with one major difference. Most of the South American choir members had cell phones at a time when most of the US contingent didn’t. Kathy was constantly reminding the singers to turn off their phones.
The Chorale performed 4 independent concerts. One of these was in the main hall of the Centro and 2 were in smaller venues in other parts of the city. The 4th was in the small village of El Consejo, about an hour and a half southwest of Caracas. It seemed as if the whole town had shown up to greet the Chorale. After a dance demonstration in the town cultural center the singers went to an elaborate set up in the main town square where the mayor greeted the Chorale and gave Kathy the key to the city. Then everyone trooped up the parkway to the local church which looked like it had been built in the 1800s. The Chorale gave a concert there to a standing-room-only crowd. Afterwards the audience members were generous in their appreciation. It seemed a bit surprising that a concert of songs that reflected the culture of the United States moved this audience of mostly Spanish-only speakers to express such gratitude and graciousness to individual singers.
After the concert the Chorale bused to a old sugar cane plantation where an elaborate buffet lunch was served. That finished the Chorale headed toward the bus to return to Caracas only to be stopped by one of the organizers. The villagers had prepared entertainment for the Chorale and would be disappointed if we left then. So, back to the plantation where a fascinating performance of dances and songs commenced. It was amazing and emotional.
The final performance for the Chorale was “Chichester Psalms” with the South American choirs and the Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional Infantil de Venezuela – an orchestra of mostly middle-school age musicians who were a product of the Venezuelan government’s music education program. The Orquesta was directed by the (then) teen-aged Gustavo Dudamel in one number and then Kathy directed it for “Chichester.”
The Orquesta blew the Chorale away. “Chichester” has a lot of complicated percussion parts – the bass drummer was literally lying on top of the drum because he was so small – but the performance was perfect. The emotional impact of that Orchestra playing the “Star-Spangled Banner” at the beginning of the concert was overwhelming.
The Chorale flew out of Venezuela the next morning. The power of music to transcend economic and cultural differences was most definitely in evidence during this trip.
40 Chorale singers traveled to Caracas to participate. The “main event” for the Chorale was performing the “Chichester Psalms” with the Coral Vincio Adames de la Facultade de Ingenieria de la ULA from Venezuela and the Coro Universitario de La Plata from Argentina. Several joint rehearsals were scheduled over the course of the 7 days that the Chorale was at the festival. A typical day started with breakfast in the Festival’s food court for which singers were given vouchers – a different food booth every day - a “Common Sing” where different choirs got together to sing songs representative of various countries, followed by rehearsals, a lunch break, another rehearsal, a dinner break and then performances – some that Chorale members simply attended and others where they sang.
Chorale members were housed in apartments located in a large high-rise building that was close to being a self-contained community with shops, grocery stores and restaurants. This building was a short walk away from the main performance and rehearsal venues.
Caracas is located in a valley surrounded by hills. The hills were covered with “ranchos,” substandard housing built without organized planning and inadequate materials. “Old Caracas” retains the character of the Spanish colonial period with a more modern financial district near the Teatro Teresa Carreño where the Festival was held. That area was patrolled by Army officers armed with machine guns. (An unusual sight for Americans in 2000, but by 2003 similar guards were present in major American cities.)
Rehearsals for the combined choirs were directed by Kathy. These went well with one major difference. Most of the South American choir members had cell phones at a time when most of the US contingent didn’t. Kathy was constantly reminding the singers to turn off their phones.
The Chorale performed 4 independent concerts. One of these was in the main hall of the Centro and 2 were in smaller venues in other parts of the city. The 4th was in the small village of El Consejo, about an hour and a half southwest of Caracas. It seemed as if the whole town had shown up to greet the Chorale. After a dance demonstration in the town cultural center the singers went to an elaborate set up in the main town square where the mayor greeted the Chorale and gave Kathy the key to the city. Then everyone trooped up the parkway to the local church which looked like it had been built in the 1800s. The Chorale gave a concert there to a standing-room-only crowd. Afterwards the audience members were generous in their appreciation. It seemed a bit surprising that a concert of songs that reflected the culture of the United States moved this audience of mostly Spanish-only speakers to express such gratitude and graciousness to individual singers.
After the concert the Chorale bused to a old sugar cane plantation where an elaborate buffet lunch was served. That finished the Chorale headed toward the bus to return to Caracas only to be stopped by one of the organizers. The villagers had prepared entertainment for the Chorale and would be disappointed if we left then. So, back to the plantation where a fascinating performance of dances and songs commenced. It was amazing and emotional.
The final performance for the Chorale was “Chichester Psalms” with the South American choirs and the Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional Infantil de Venezuela – an orchestra of mostly middle-school age musicians who were a product of the Venezuelan government’s music education program. The Orquesta was directed by the (then) teen-aged Gustavo Dudamel in one number and then Kathy directed it for “Chichester.”
The Orquesta blew the Chorale away. “Chichester” has a lot of complicated percussion parts – the bass drummer was literally lying on top of the drum because he was so small – but the performance was perfect. The emotional impact of that Orchestra playing the “Star-Spangled Banner” at the beginning of the concert was overwhelming.
The Chorale flew out of Venezuela the next morning. The power of music to transcend economic and cultural differences was most definitely in evidence during this trip.
South Africa - 2018
In August of 2018 a group of Chorale singers joined the Minnesota Orchestra’s historic tour of South Africa. While the Orchestra toured and held workshops in many parts of the country, the Chorale flew into Johannesburg for two performances of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. Joining the Chorale were 29:11, a choir of young people from Capetown who had sung with the Chorale back in Minnesota earlier in the summer, and the Gauteng Choristers, a local choir of singers from across the Johannesburg metro area.
The Chorale stayed in the Radisson Blu hotel in the district of Sandton, a Johannesburg suburb considered by some the “richest square mile in all of Africa.” Banks, a huge shopping center, swanky hotels and corporate headquarters all had impressive buildings in the area.
The first Beethoven rehearsal with the Gauteng Singers (at a school in Johannesburg) was enlightening – the sound of these voices was amazingly full and rich. They were concerned, for no reason, that their German wasn’t up to snuff, but it was much better than the Chorale’s attempt at the several languages in the South African National Anthem! Singing with this group was a lot of fun.
In between rehearsals the Chorale spent a lot of time sight-seeing as a group. They visited the Apartheid Museum, Nelson Mandela’s home, the Voortrekker Monument and Freedom Park and toured the shanties of Soweto. And of course there was the souvenir shopping and restaurant explorations.
The Chorale also had a chance to sing at the University of Pretoria in Pretoria as part of a University-sponsored choral festival. Somehow after the University of Pretoria mixed choir and a group of singers in traditional tribal dress singing and dancing to traditional African songs, The Chorale’s “It’s a Grand Night for Singing” seemed a little anti-climactic.
The two Beethoven performances were exciting. The first was at the Regina Mundi Catholic Church in Soweto, site of one of the first armed conflicts in 1976 that began the gradual dissolution of apartheid, with the bullet holes still visible in the walls. The church was packed; the reaction to the Beethoven was overwhelming and the reaction when the Orchestra and singers launched into some African songs the room was electric! The audience was on its feet and singing, clapping and dancing. That’s when the Chorale found that the Gauteng Choristers ended performances with an “exit encore,” a song and movement routine that had two steps forward and one back and went on and on even after everyone had left the stage and were outside the church!
The final concert in Johannesburg City Hall, a large room complete with a huge pipe organ, was more formal but nonetheless exciting. So many people packed the halls that all of the chairs in the choirs’ warm-up area were taken away to provide seats. Again the response to the performance was overwhelming.
After an evening of celebration with the singers and the Orchestra, the Chorale left the next morning for a game reserve and then a “rustic” resort. Free-ranging zebras, giraffes, impalas and monkeys roamed the area and a few lucky people got to see rhinos.
The last day of the tour was more sight-seeing – the Cradle of Humankind museum and then a last fling at souvenir buying in Chameleon Village, a large marketplace.
Another Chorale tour where lasting impressions and friendships were formed across different cultures and life experiences through the power of music and the love of singing.
The Chorale stayed in the Radisson Blu hotel in the district of Sandton, a Johannesburg suburb considered by some the “richest square mile in all of Africa.” Banks, a huge shopping center, swanky hotels and corporate headquarters all had impressive buildings in the area.
The first Beethoven rehearsal with the Gauteng Singers (at a school in Johannesburg) was enlightening – the sound of these voices was amazingly full and rich. They were concerned, for no reason, that their German wasn’t up to snuff, but it was much better than the Chorale’s attempt at the several languages in the South African National Anthem! Singing with this group was a lot of fun.
In between rehearsals the Chorale spent a lot of time sight-seeing as a group. They visited the Apartheid Museum, Nelson Mandela’s home, the Voortrekker Monument and Freedom Park and toured the shanties of Soweto. And of course there was the souvenir shopping and restaurant explorations.
The Chorale also had a chance to sing at the University of Pretoria in Pretoria as part of a University-sponsored choral festival. Somehow after the University of Pretoria mixed choir and a group of singers in traditional tribal dress singing and dancing to traditional African songs, The Chorale’s “It’s a Grand Night for Singing” seemed a little anti-climactic.
The two Beethoven performances were exciting. The first was at the Regina Mundi Catholic Church in Soweto, site of one of the first armed conflicts in 1976 that began the gradual dissolution of apartheid, with the bullet holes still visible in the walls. The church was packed; the reaction to the Beethoven was overwhelming and the reaction when the Orchestra and singers launched into some African songs the room was electric! The audience was on its feet and singing, clapping and dancing. That’s when the Chorale found that the Gauteng Choristers ended performances with an “exit encore,” a song and movement routine that had two steps forward and one back and went on and on even after everyone had left the stage and were outside the church!
The final concert in Johannesburg City Hall, a large room complete with a huge pipe organ, was more formal but nonetheless exciting. So many people packed the halls that all of the chairs in the choirs’ warm-up area were taken away to provide seats. Again the response to the performance was overwhelming.
After an evening of celebration with the singers and the Orchestra, the Chorale left the next morning for a game reserve and then a “rustic” resort. Free-ranging zebras, giraffes, impalas and monkeys roamed the area and a few lucky people got to see rhinos.
The last day of the tour was more sight-seeing – the Cradle of Humankind museum and then a last fling at souvenir buying in Chameleon Village, a large marketplace.
Another Chorale tour where lasting impressions and friendships were formed across different cultures and life experiences through the power of music and the love of singing.