Twin Hopes
I have two hopes for ways my students are changed in the wake of a concert tour.
Travel
Tour Program ’25
We’re back from a concert tour of Croatia and Italy! Here’s what we sang.
Best Way To Travel
The best way to travel is with a choir.
Take The Risk
As often as possible.
You Can’t Always Be On Tour
The magic of tour! It’s experiencing new cultures. It’s performing in new venues. It’s moving at breakneck speed, because you know it’ll be over soon. It’s getting away from the routine. (I didn’t wash a single dish in Spain.) But you can’t always be on tour. And as much as […]
Jet Lag
The end of the trip comes with jet lag…that peculiarly modern condition of your body not being in the same time zone as the place it’s inhabiting. Jet lag comes with its own problems. I, for example, was up for the day at 4am today; by the end of the […]
When To Tour?
When do you schedule your choir travel? I’ve taken tours during two distinct parts of my yearly calendar. Several times, we have toured after the school year ended. May in college, July for high school. Other times, I have traveled during Spring Break, or thereabouts. This includes international tours over […]
Programming For A Tour
How do you plan a tour program? Tour programming comes with some special challenges. These might include: Programming more sacred repertoire than usual, to meet requirements of religious performance venues. (You want to perform in these venues!) Programming for limited rehearsal time. (My touring choirs have almost always been ad […]
Why Travel #7
Choirs should travel. This week, I’m making a list of the reasons why. The memories. You won’t remember today’s rehearsal. You might not even remember next week’s concert. In the context of a choir life, the sheer number of rehearsals and choir concerts means you can’t create lifelong memories from […]
Why Travel #6
Choirs should travel. This week, I’m making a list of the reasons why. It’s good for your program. A choir tour is great for the whole choir program – including the singers who go on the tour and those who don’t. Why? Here are just some of the reasons. Publicity. […]