Emmaus High School Chorale in Italy
The Emmaus High School Chorale took part in the American Celebration of Music in Italy, April 18 – 26, 2011. The director, Rita Cortez, had this to say about the experience:
It is difficult for me to put into words just how meaningful our recent choir tour to Italy was. We all kept saying that it was a once-in-a-lifetime trip and we still believe that Music Celebrations International [MCI] did an absolutely fantastic job in organizing our trip. This was my second performance tour abroad with MCI, so I could relax knowing that everything had been taken care of. I am very grateful for their attention to detail. They were more than accommodating in making sure the itinerary included all that I had wanted. Ashley [Hargreaves], especially, went out of her way to try to arrange all of my requests. She returned my calls and e-mails promptly and kept me informed and up-to-date on all the information. The hotels and restaurants were fabulous and most importantly, and our concert venues exceeded my expectations. I am certain that singing at the 9:00 o’clock Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica will remain one of the most profound and moving experiences for my students. It was definitely one of the highlights of my career as a choir director. Our two concerts were well attended and meaningful in different ways. Our first concert at the Church of Dante in Florence was so crowded, people were spilling out onto the street, which was actually one of those quaint narrow cobble stone streets with horses and buggies passing by. In the middle of the concert, one of the buggies stopped outside the door for a while so the people could listen to us. [wpvideo AzLXxbvR] The venue for our second concert was stunningly beautiful. The concert was in an old palace in a small village near Rome. The palace was on the side of a cliff with a beautiful lake in the valley below. The mayor of the town was in the audience and presented us with gifts which included a print of a famous painting of the town. Our tour manager, Helga, was by far the best tour manager I have ever had. She was extremely knowledgeable of art, history, and architecture. She was more than helpful and very gracious with personal requests and problems. She was always calm, always patient, always pleasant. She certainly knew her way around Italy and how she got us seats right up in front for the Easter Mass with the Pope, I will never know! My students all but idolized our bus driver Guiseppe from Naples. He certainly kept us entertained, occasionally even singing Italian folk songs for us while we were riding along. Besides the mass and two concerts, my students were constantly singing on this trip. We sang in the streets and in restaurants. At one restaurant in Rome, the chef came out into the dining room with tears in his eyes, thanking us for the music. Helga got permission for us to sing one quick song at the Pantheon. We stood in a circle beneath the center opening and began to sing Ave Maria. Within seconds, a crowd began to gather, many of them videotaping us. We sang at the Coliseum in Verona, in Piazza San Marco in Venice, and the piazzas in Siena and Lucca. It was incredible. So I would like to say thank you, MCI. Because of your thoughtful and efficient efforts and meticulous planning, my students and I had a great experience…a life-changing experience. I look forward to my next trip with your company. Thanks!
Rita Cortez, Director Emmaus High School Choirs Emmaus, Pennsylvania