TO VIEW THIS TOUR BLOG IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER....

.....please scroll to the bottom of all of the postings and move up through the blog. The student journals for a given date are listed immediately above the photos for that day. ENJOY!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT!

Thank you!


The Drake Chamber Choir and co-travelers wish to thank Seminars International, Inc., of Chicago (www.semint.com), its president ,
Ron Rolland, and their London-based partners at :



Sovereign Tourism in the United Kingdom
(several of their great team attended two of our concerts!),

and tour manager Phillip Baker


for orchestrating such a rewarding trip...the itinerary, transportation, concerts, lodging, meals, and all the other invisible details were planned and carried out beautifully, making the trip enjoyable and meaningful for all involved.

Comments from Dr. Eric Saylor

As a British studies scholar, I was delighted to accompany the Drake Chamber Choir on their 2006 tour of England. One of the most difficult obstacles historians contend with is the distance between description and reality. More specifically, what I say can never compare to the experience of actually seeing a document, exploring an historical site, or touring a city. For instance, I can describe singing Evensong in a medieval cathedral-let's say, Salisbury-imagining the choir lined up along the stalls behind the altar, the surprising intimacy of sound in such a large space because of the architectural configuration, the inspiration and exhaltation that comes from being surrounded by soaring vaults and exquisite carvings in wood and stone, and the sense of timelessness you simply cannot get in churches here in the United States. Such descriptions, however vivid, nonetheless lack immediacy and specificity, particularly when delivered at 9 AM in a windowless basement classroom.

But to accompany students to Salisbury Cathedral (or the Lady Chapel at Ely, or the massive Winchester Cathedral, or Christopher Wren's beautifully intimate Church of St. James Piccadilly, or the sumptuous Chapel of St. John's College, Cambridge) and see them perform, sit in the choir stalls, run their fingers over the tombs and memorials, feel the age and the weight of time that rests in such places, well, that's a different ballgame. These experiences make history real and relevant and interesting, and I was inevitably peppered with questions in each new place we went: "Does the fan vaulting here mean that this is a newer part of the church?" "Who crowns the monarch if not the Pope?" "Since most English kings married, why are William and Mary the only couple recognized as joint monarchs?" "Should I eat the black pudding?" (The answers, in order of asking, are yes, the Archbishop of Canterbury, both had a legitimate claim to the throne, and absolutely not.) It's fun to discover that the somewhat arcane knowledge I've gathered over the years could be put to fruitful (even practical) use, and even more enjoyable to see the choir members come alive-intellectually and emotionally-in new and unfamiliar settings.

We travel not only to learn about others, but to learn about ourselves. Given a grueling schedule, challenging music, and high expectations from director and audiences alike, I saw members of the Chamber Choir learn what they were capable of as musicians. I also had the pleasure of seeing them as people (and, I hope, vice versa) who were very much taken with English life and culture from our first day in the country. To see that sense of wonder emerging from them every day on our trip was extremely gratifying. Ultimately, that is what historians like myself want to instill in others: the excitement, the passion, the enthusiasm for a life of discovery that emerges from studying the past; to watch that enthusiasm emerge among my own students is one of the best experiences a teacher can hope for.

--Dr. Eric Saylor, Assistant Professor: Music History, Department of Music, Drake University, Des Moines, IA 50311

"Tunes in my head" from John and Linda Armstrong

Dear Dr. ABC and Drake Chamber Choir,

I'm sorry we didn't get to say a proper "good-bye" in the Detroit airport - we had the chance to hop an earlier flight home to Syracuse to help shorten that long last day! The good news is I will be in Des Moines for almost a week soon, so I may get to say "hello/good-bye" once again!

In the meantime, please accept my congratulations on your England Tour: Your singing was not only beautiful, you got continually better, right up to the last note of the last piece on the last day! You may realize this is not always the case when traveling from concert to concert for days on end - many choirs get "stale" along the way - that never happened for you. Of course, credit is due your fearless leader for sticking to rehearsals and setting such high standards for continual improvement, yet I also detected a special synergy taking place - you grew as individuals and you improved as a choir. You became chamber SINGERS - your faces and your voices drew the listener into the magic within your line of each piece. Within is the key term here, you revealed an intrinsic drive to connect with audience members as well as the desire to please your conductor.

The proof for me is still in my head. My ears have always been my strength, but my memory has never been as strong. This time, however, I have whole sections of your performances playing inside this silver-topped skull, over and over - pleasurably! The intonation, the phrasing, the clarity and precision - what joy to hear such art again and again! I have conducted many of the works you sang, yet never recalled them so well before, so I thank you for bringing them to life with such warm tone and sincere expression. What stands out in your singing is LINE - the linear flow of your delivery is rare and exceptional - you grab the ears and never let go!

I loved the techno-Victoria too!

Also, thanks for being such warm and accepting people. Linda and I felt right at home with you, and we never felt any barriers in age or background pop up. Linda has listened to me brag about Drake choirs and that "heartland" feel. Now she freely admits that - for once - I WAS RIGHT! Thanks, too, for allowing me to work with you a bit. I felt at home, as you were quiet, attentive and focussed - not always the case with singers in rehearsals anywhere, let alone "on the road" in a foreign land.

Best wishes on a fulfilling and rewarding second semester at Drake.

John and Linda Armstrong

January 11, the trip home STUDENT JOURNAL

Meredith Blankenheim, sophomore soprano

Wow! This has been one amazing and exciting whirlwind of a trip. I can see why Dr. ABC stressed that it was not a vacation: nine days, six cities, eight performances (ranging from our own concert repertoire to Anglican evensong), and twenty-three people that all had to bee on the same page to make it work. And yet, despite all the running around, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It is all that moving and changing that defines and is the backbone of a choir tour. But people do not just agree to join choir tours for the backbone, although we do like to perform. People go on choir tour for the heart.
I can truly say that I went on this trip for this group of people and these particular musical experiences it brought because I was lucky enough to go to England on tour with another choir in 2000. I got to know so many people, whether it was better than before or for the first time, and it is those bonds that keep people coming back for more. It was amazing to see the effects of getting to know each other better, especially with respect to how we made music together. I think Mr. Armstrong, who we were incredibly lucky to have on this trip, said it best at the farewell dinner when he said, “You are no longer a chamber choir. You are chamber singers.” Dr. ABC has a saying, although I do not know if she mentioned it on this trip, that we must have our hearts and minds in the same place to reach our full potential. I believe that finally happened on this tour and it felt great! We made some amazing music (including some beat box versions of Renaissance and Romantic choral music) and made special relationships that we will all remember. As I write this article on our plane back to the States, I am able to take a step back and notice this “chicken and the egg” type cycle that occurred through out the trip. The closer we became as a group, the better we became at making music and vice versa, yet I doubt anyone can say what came first.
I know Dr. ABC has constantly said that this trip would change us forever and I figured that she was right (because she usually is) but I wasn’t sure how. Choir tours have made for some great memories for me in the past, but I don’t think they had ever changed my outlook on life or anything to that degree before, so I was skeptical. Well, she was right, of course. It made me so much more appreciative, thankful, and aware. On previous choir tours, I was not financially responsible, so when I paid for a large portion of this tour myself, it immediately meant more to me. I instantly became thankful to my parents for previous experiences of which they footed the bill, the Berens who made this trip much more possible for us all, Dean Burney and Dr. Dougherty who let us use money from the STAR fund, four of our own students (Megan Gibson, Eric Carlson, Matt Podobinski, and Ryan Michel) who worked hard with Student Senate, and Dr. ABC who worked so hard to not only get enough money, but to do everything. I was also very thankful to the non-singers on the trip who provided an assured audience at each of our performances, even though they had heard it all before. Each non-singer brought something unique to the trip and without them it would not have been the same. I am especially grateful for Dr. Saylor’s presence because of his vast knowledge and his program-schlepping abilities. I became so much more aware culturally and of people. I felt like I became a sponge for people’s thoughts and feelings and I finally began relating those things to the big picture. I think isolated events like choir tours make it easier to do that because you can relate it to the tour before you relate it to life.
I do not think I can say “thank you” enough to everyone and everything that made this trip possible. I was going to list everything, but I think that would be longer than this entry because this trip affected so many things and is affected by so many things. I especially want to thank the twenty-two other members of chamber choir. You are the ones who impacted me the most and I will be forever grateful. I hope that you all had as wonderful a time as I did because you all deserved it. I think the only way to finish this entry is the way I started it. Wow!

Homeward bound!

Gatwick International Airport
Photo by Nick Neibergall

Photo by Nick Neibergall

Detroit....almost home!

Des Moines good-byes....

....until next semester

January 10....the last day! STUDENT JOURNAL

Amy Jo Atherton, junior alto

Beep Beep Beep Beep… my 8:00 alarm was going off, meaning one thing; it was my last day in London! Knowing that this UNBELIEVABLE trip was coming to an end made my heart sink, wishing it would last at least a week longer. Yet I still had one more day in this incredible city and I was sure going to make the most of it! We had free time until 4:00, and while many of my friends slept in, I quickly made my way downstairs to join Dr. Saylor, Dr. ABC, Dave Collier, Daniel, and Laura Brill to see the British Library. Since Dr. Saylor did his dissertation research there, we had our own personal tour guide throughout the building. Dr. Saylor took us into the “Room of Treasures,” which was full of original manuscripts of books, musical scores, religious artifacts, and much more! Words could not even describe the rush of adrenaline that was going through me as I saw Handel’s original Messiah manuscript, Da Vinci’s blueprints, and historical Jewish Hagadahs and Torahs. It was also a great feeling when I was able to educate Dr. Saylor on the Hebraic writings which were on display!

After an amazing morning at the British Library, Daniel and I took the tube to the Camden Markets. The market took up at least 3 blocks and was full of food, clothes, shoes, and leather goods. Even more than the shopping, I loved speaking with the locals at the market about politics, America, and religion.

With only three hours left in our free time, Daniel and I headed to Piccadilly Circus for a quick lunch at a sidewalk café and speed sightseeing. I felt like I was in New York with the large fluorescent advertising screens and the streets packed with people! Since it was just the two of us, Daniel and I were able to see so many things in a short amount of time. We even shopped at Harrods and H & M, to name a couple.

After heading back to the hotel, I quickly changed for the final performance of our England tour at the Grosvenor Chapel. We were really excited about this last concert, because we had the opportunity to share it with the American School in London, which is a high school for students from many nations. We even collaborated together on a piece called, “For the Beauty of the Earth.” Meeting high school students who share your same love for music and hearing about their lives in London was such a treat and made for a very memorable last concert. Our last concert was so enjoyable; because we sang the best we had sung the whole trip! Every piece locked in, and I was moved to tears several times throughout the performance and especially during “Coventry Carol”, the song that is performed every year at the madrigal dinner and the only piece that every Chamber Choir member in the history of Drake University has sung! Singing that song reinforced my love for music and how it can take over your emotions.

After the concert, we had the opportunity to meet and greet our audience, which included Marketa Dvorakova, Antonin Dvorak’s great grand-daughter, whom some of us had an opportunity to meet during our Drake Choir 2004 European Tour. (She attended Drake for a year and sang in the University Community Chorus.) We then proceeded to a choir tour tradition; our farewell dinner. I love the traditional farewell dinner because we all stay in our formal wear and go to a nice restaurant. It is also a time where we can all reminisce about our trip and say thanks to everyone who helped us along our way. After our wonderful three course meal, we had our choir tour awards; watched Ron Rolland and our new friend, Jean Neibergall, sing for us “Leaving on a Jet Plane” with new words about our tour, and saw recording superstar Gwen Stefani, lead singer in the rock band No Doubt. Gwen and her husband just so happened to be having dinner at the same restaurant as we were in. Seeing her was so exciting since we were all huge fans! The excitement did die down though, since we realized they probably wanted a quiet evening alone, rather than with a 23 member Chamber Choir. As our choir closed the restaurant after midnight, we all realized the tour was coming to an end, and luckily I was not the only person crying! Besides the amazing venues we were able to sing in, this trip allowed our ensemble to grow close musically and personally. I never will forget the “ah” moments we experienced in every concert and the unbelievable friendships I made on this trip. I cannot even believe how lucky I was to have had this opportunity and to have shared it with people I care so much about!

The Final Concert, at Grosvenor Chapel in Mayfair...

...where then-General Eisenhower attended worship services while in London.

The five seniors after the concert

Singing the "beat box" version of Magi viderunt stellam on the bus on the way to.....

.....the Farewell Dinner

Sisters

The students are "gifted"....

with "throat-warmers from the Berens!

Phillip...our tour manager.....

as well as guide, protector, historian, teacher, and singer ( ? ).

The last serenade....

Ron and Jean perform the traditional tour "finale"....our own version (composed by Ron) of Leaving on a Jet Plane, that summarized the highlights of the week's experiences

"accross the pond."

Monday, January 9 STUDENT JOURNAL

by Laura Dudding, junior alto

I am keeping a journal to describe my experiences in England, but it's almost difficult to do so because everything seems so unreal.
We performed today at St. James's Piccadilly, a famous church designed by Christopher Wren and dedicated in 1684, for an audience that smiled throughout our entire concert. It was amazing to see the number of people who showed up and also to hear their expressions of appreciation afterward. I had the opportunity to chat with a couple outside the church following our performance and they raved about our performance. Music here is highly valued and they were very impressed that a little ole choir from the States performed at such a high calibre!
After our performance we boarded our coach and headed to Westminster Abbey. It was amazing to see the pride the English take in their history, which is something completely different from what I've experienced in the States. To walk through a buliding that has been around since 1065 is something you aren't able to do in America. The one thing that really struck me, although seemingly insignificant, was the pattern of wear on the stone steps throughout Westminster, which are indented in the middle from years of people walking through. Because of this, I finally fully understood Dr. ABC's catch-phrase, "standing on the shoulders of those who went before you" -- that's exactly what I did today. I stood on the shoulders of millions of people who have worked, performed, worshipped in, and viewed Westminster Abbey.
The two most phenomenal moments for me in Westminster Abbey were seeing Henry Purcell's and George Frederic Handel's graves. As corny as this sounds, I almost cried just thinking about what these two people contributed to music. Standing over their graves was very powerful and almost surreal.
After our return to the hotel from Westminster Abbey we had about an hour and a half to eat before we headed for Andrew Lloyd Webber's new show, "The Woman in White." A couple of friends and I decided to try and hit a couple of shops and grab a sandwich on the way. Once we got to the shopping district, we went into a few stores in which we couldn't even dream of purchasing anything so we turned back. Although the walk was long, it was beautiful! We grabbed sandwiches from a tiny shop on the corner of a busy intersection and I finally tasted really English food. Again, it was something I wouldn't have experienced in the States.
After getting ready, the Chamber Choir headed off to "The Woman in White." There wasn't a bad seat in the house. I thoroughly enjoyed the show, but the best part about that experience was the fact that afterwards, everyone boarded the bus and there wasn't a single separate conversation going on. All conversation throughout the entire Chamber Choir was about the show and what everyone liked and/or disliked about it. Although there have been a lot of musical bonding moments on this tour, this was one moment when I found myself talking to people whom I haven't had the chance to talk with about non-musical things. I think we've had a lot of "hearts and minds in the same place" experiences musically on this trip, but I felt that this was a first with our hearts and minds being in the same spot non-musically.
Everyone is tired from running around from performance to guided tour to new hotel, but, I couldn't have asked for a better experience with twenty-two other people. And because of the experiences on this trip, I have twenty-two new friends who will be there for me musically and non-musically for the rest of my life. I couldn't possibly ask for anything else in the entire world.



by Jacqui Colby, junior alto

This morning started out with seven failed attempts at getting up early and exploring the city of London. However, the snooze button was just too tempting. We met at the bus at 10:45 and made our way to St. James Piccadilly Church to give a performance as part of the lunchtime concert series. After an hour of rehearsal and a quick bag lunch, we gave our best concert yet. I have been amazed at the growth of this choir all throughout the tour. I'm so excited to go back to the States and share our newfound sense of ensemble with friends and family. Following the concert, we quickly changed and took a short tour of London's West End. My favorite stop was the short photo op along the Thames, with Big Ben and Parliament in the background. One of our stops was at Westminster Abbey, an amazing church where over 3,000 people are buried, some of whom include Handel, Purcell, Vaughan Williams, and Elizabeth I. It was amazing!
With only an hour left between the panoramic tour and the evening theatre performance, Kristen French and I scrambled to find some quick food and to change. Then we all went to the Palace Theatre to see Andrew Lloyd Webber's, "The Woman in White." We all came away with different reviews of the show. I most enjoyed the orchestra and staging effects. Kristen, Steve Patton, my sister, Laura (who, along with my mother, is traveling with us), Matt Brennan, and I were then guided to a local jazz club by Dr. Saylor. It is so nice to have him with our tour as a huge source of knowledge. The jazz club was pretty good but a little smoky so we decided to leave and come "home" for a good night's rest in anticipation of our free day tomorrow.
Throughout this trip I have been continually grateful that my mom and sister are sharing this experience with me. It is overwhelming to be singing so well in these amazing places and to look out and see them in the audience.

Monday noon concert....

...at St. James Picadilly

In concert, St. James Piccadilly

Face-to-face

Introduction

The proud conductor!

Westminster Abbey with Parliament in the background

Yes, the background is real!

Sunday, January 8 STUDENT JOURNALS

by Megan Gibson, senior alto

It was refreshing to awaken in a home today (that is, instead of a hotel room). And the families who hosted us made their homes seem as if they were our own. I think that some of the nicest people in the whole world live in the Docklands area of London and attend Christ Church (Church of England). We joined the congregation for their morning worship today, as a way of saying thanks for their hospitality. This makes three unique and meaningful experiences we have had in Anglican services. The small parish worshipped with such spirit (celebrating birthdays and an engagement, as well as the feast of the day) that one could not help but feel moved. I've noticed that things here are not as frantic and rushed as our lives at home and Sunday's worship was a fine example. Church started a little late and ran longer than an hour and no one seemed to mind a bit. In fact, I'm not sure they even noticed. Following church, they pulled out the food left over from the night before and treated us to lunch and fellowship. (Have I mentioned how nice these people are?) My last sight of Christ Church and one that will stay with me for a very long time was as we pulled away in our coach. The host families and congregation members gathered on the front steps of the building to wave good-bye. Never have I felt so at home so far away from home.
One might presume that from here the day would have declined but that is not true. From the Docklands we made our way to the heart of London itself, The Tower of London. All faces were aglow as we entered the city and began to pass by such well-known monuments as the Tower Bridge, Westminster Cathedral, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Not even the weather (rainy and very cold) could dampen our spirits. Following a general overview of the Towers provided by our own tour guide, Phillip Baker, we were free to explore the history ourselves. Nearly 1000 years of English history is housed in the Tower of London, which is actually a complex of many towers. Of course we could not see it all but I made certain to visit the Crown Jewels. (Jon, my engagement ring is definitely not big enough!) and the White Tower, the oldest part of the complex, built by William the Conquerer.
At the conclusion of our visit of the towers we were off to our final hotel. We're in a very smart part of the city - right in the middle of the action. No one stayed here very long, though. There's far too mucht to do to squander one's time in a hotel room. I went off with a couple of others in search of dinner. We came upon an Indian restaurant (very prevalent here) and I ate my first Indian food. Thanks to some good suggestions from several people, I really enjoyed it!
It was still rainy and cold after dinner but that didin't slow us a bit. We bundled up, turned up our collars to the wind and took off. We weren't sure for where, but we were going nonetheless. We took the Tube to Piccadilly Circus (no animals or trapeze - Circus is from the Roman designation of a circular area) and walked from there. We didn't quite get where we intended but we found some great things on the way. We saw Trafalgar Square with its looming statue of Lord Nelson, the National Gallery, and the home of the English National Opera. We took the Underground again, this time to Westminster. Exiting the Underground, we looked up and were staring directly at the face of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. They are imposing structures and look like something from a dream when they are all lit up at night. We hung around for another fifteen minutes to hear the clock strike 10:00. Even the sound of the bells is imposing. The low growl of the hour bell feels as though it could shake the earth. By this time were were sufficiently cold and wet and decided to return to the hotel. During the ride back we were much quieter than before. Perhaps there's just not much to say that can compare to the shared experience of discovery and adventure.



by Jonathan Martin, junior tenor

We started off the morning with a breakfast with our host families in the Docklands area, which for me was a particularly special experience because of the family with whom I had the opportunity to stay. We had talked long hours into the night about subjects like Bush, gas prices, and young people, and we discovered that we tended to have a lot of the same opinions on many levels. I managed to obtain a business card with all of my host's contact information and she extended the offer to stay with her any time I'm in London, an offer I may just need to take. A short coach ride took us to the the Tower of London, a site with a rich history of everything from torture to worship. We had the opportunity to go into the White Tower, used as a royal apartment, artillery housing, record keeping, battlement, etc. It really helped me understand the English struggle to maintain both a monarchy and an empire throughout their very long history and it made me respect the country even more. I was amazed at the politeness of the people in general and the welcoming attitudes of the city. The rest of the night was free to do with what we wished and I, along with four other choir members, managed to make it to a jazz club, one of the most famous in the world. We stayed there until the wee hours, talking and listening to amazing music. Overall it was an experience that made me respect London as one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world.

Tower Bridge in the rain

Entering the Tower of London

Tour manager Phillip gives a history lesson

The tour "camera man" shooting at the Tower of London

Photo by Nick Neibergall

Saturday, January 7 JOURNALS

by Steven Patton, sophomore baritone

Saturday was exactly what the Drake Chamber Choir needed. Coming off a Friday full of two rehearsals, performances, and several hours of driving, I think we all just needed some time to relax. The day started off easy with a nice tour of Cambridge, including a pretty brilliant look at King's College Chapel. From there we had a group lunch and a chance to shop around. (I may have been caught in the GAP store, which was a bit embarrassing). After that, it was off to the bus, with a chance to sleep as we made the lengthy trek towards London's Docklands. In arriving at Saturday evening's concert venue (Christ Church) it seemed to lack some of the grandeur and mystique of the massive cathedrals we had sung in Winchester, Salisbury, and Ely. However, the absolutely amazing spirit and welcome of the congregation changed our perception. Not only did the people of the parish welcome us into their homes (showing us what true English life is about), but, following the concert, they were kind enough to throw a great potluck for us as well, in the sanctuary itself. Their attentive ears and warm smiles made this concert in a seemingly acoustically dead space (looks are deceiving - it was a warm and lovely acoustic) come alive as much as our performance in the Lady Chapel in Ely. This was the first venue wthat did not have a huge reverberation. It gave us a true account of the sound we were producing and both choir and audience seemed extremely pleased.


by Jean Neibergall, non-singing tour participant

"Magical is the word I would use to describe the Drake Chamber Choir performances Saturday evening and Sunday morning at Christ Church in the Docklands. The locals arrived Saturday night with their potluck contribution, ready to be filled with beautiful music. The most noticeable thing about the people was their love for their church and each other.
My thirteen year old son, Nick, and I sat by Anna Cooper. She was an elderly lady less than five feet tall but filled with more spirit than a giant. She, like many, had heard the Drake Chamber Choir four years ago when they first visited. Anna’s kids are now adults and live far away. Anna explained that attending the concert was her "taking care of herself." Within five minutes of our introduction to Anna, she had invited Nick and me to her flat, which was three blocks away. Her offering was just an example of the generosity extended by this community.
Aimee’s energy level was high and spilled over to the students. The result was amazing. The encore song ("Nelly Bly" – Stephen Foster) had the congregation humming the melody the remainder of the evening. Wine and fellowship were shared, as well as the potluck meal. What a beautiful gift for a wonderful community!
The students stayed with host families. Their memories and stories will be precious. The magic continued Sunday morning at the worship service, which the choir sang as a thank you to the congregation for their hospitality. The crowd was smaller. The only wine consumed was at communion but the warmth continued. The choir sang a new set of music, including "The Three Kings" by Healey Willan.
Like Anna Cooper, I found myself thinking about how music cleanses my soul. Thanks, Drake Chamber Choir, for allowing Nick and me this opportunity.

Cambridge City Tour

Kings College, Cambridge, from the river Cam

Saturday night concert--Christ Church in the Docklands

All smiles!

Meeting the host families

Friday, January 6 STUDENT JOURNAL

Ely and Cambridge – by Jennie DeMott, senior soprano
Our third day in England began much the same as the others....on the bus. The long ride to Ely this morning was, unfortunately, not quite as fascinating as the drive to Bath. We were primarily on the English motorway (interstate). It was a three hour drive, which left plenty of time for much needed sleep.
This seemed to shorten the time, and we arrived in the cold city of Ely quickly. Luckily, we happened to arrive on a nice day. We even had sunshine!! Ely cathedral loomed in the distance, the main visual attraction of the city. We had quite a hike to the cathedral, though it was worth it being able to see part of the city. I am amazed by these small English cities. They are quaint without being decayed. They make you feel so comfortable, even as a foreigner.
Ely cathedral is the most beautiful we have seen. My breath was taken away as I walked in. Though still in similar architectural styles as the others, the ornamentations present here were so much more advanced. It was stunning. We did not actually sing in the sanctuary, though, but rather the Lady Chapel, a small room off to the side dedicated to Mary. My first impression of the room was that it was very tall and bright. I found this encouraging....maybe it would incorporate those feelings into our singing... and it did. So did the acoustics, which are wonderfully resonant. We had an absolutely wonderful concert here. I feel we have finally found our voice as an ensemble.
The most exciting thing about the concert was the reaction of the choir members. It was wonderful for us to sing in that marvelous space and we reveled in the magic. We were so excited afterwards and it translated into the best of the day.
Our energy continued through the trip into Cambridge. St. John’s College Chapel was just as impressive as anything else we’ve seen, although more warm than the Lady Chapel. It was great to see David Hill again. I’d worked with him when he was at Drake a few years ago and and he was the same as I remembered. Evensong with him was very relaxed, which was nice, since it’s still new to us.
I was very pleased with both performances today. I feel that we’re finally trusting ourselves enough to take risks. I hope this continues for the rest of the tour.

Ely Cathedral

WOW!

The Lady Chapel at Ely Cathedral (unbelievable acoustics!)

Photo by Nick Neibergall

The Concert in the Lady Chapel

Ely Cathedral: On the tour, looking up...

...at the incredible ceiling

Before Evensong, St.John's College Chapel, Cambridge

St. John's College Chapel, Cambridge

After Evensong (1)

After Evensong (2)

Thursday, January 5 STUDENT JOURNAL

by Kristen French, Senior soprano

With the sky still dark and the temperature a chilly three degrees Celsius, we left the comfort of our cozy beds to start day two of our tour. Spirits were running high. After our first good night of sleep and a full English breakfast most of us had beaten our jet lag and were ready to see what England really had to offer. The view from our coach was absolutely captivating as we wound our way through what the English call the down lands. As the sky grew lighter it keps famous gray hue but the green fields seemed to be glowing despite the overcast sky. The road to Bath was lined with charming English cottages ranging from the most humble to those looking more like cottage mansions, but all with thatched roofs. The rolling hills were dotted with sheep and the yards were scattered with chickens. It was a perfect illustration of everything I have ever though of as quintessentially English.

When we arrived in Bath the view out our coach window changed considerably. We slowly descended into a city built entirely of limestone. I could feel the history of the city as soon as I stepped off the bus. We visited the Roman ruins built over the natural hot springs, which treated the ancient Romans to baths of 114 degrees Fahrenheit. Seeing the steam rise from the hot water into the cool January air was stunning and beautiful. It was mind boggling to stand in the same place the Romans had in 100 AD and to enjoy the same view that has been seen for generations.

After a stretch of free time for shopping and lunch we loaded the bus once again, this time bound for Stonehenge, a site most of us had been eagerly anticipating. After reveling in the history of Bath I was blown away by the view at Stonehenge. Each rock weighs in excess of 4 tons and has been standing in the shocking formation for almost 5000 years! I was caught up by the intense sense of mystery that surrounded Stonehenge. No one knows for certain how or why these stones were moved or even who could have done such a thing but to see work of such immense proportions was fascinating.

With the sky already beginning to darken we arrived in Salisbury where we were greeted by the largest spire in England looming overhead. The Salisbury Cathedral was truly a sight to see; the sheer size of the cathedrals is something that most of us are still getting used to and the intricacy is gorgeous! We immediately jumped into our rehearsal with the famous conductor and organist David Halls and tried to mentally switch gears from tourist to musician. Before we could catch our breath we were vested and ready to begin Evensong.

As we sat in the quire, the expanse of the church around us was humbling. We were all unsure of what was ahead of us and somewhat nervous for our first performance. It helped me to remember that although this experience was new to us, it was an every day occurrence for the faithful few that joined us for worship. There was comfort in the formal tradition that was acted out once again in a church that has held an Evensong service every day for the past 700 years. Before the service began, Dr. ABC reminded us that once we sang in the Salisbury Cathedral our voices would remain to mingle with hundreds of years of history. We sat in the places where thousands of worshipers had sat before us and we were able to add our voices among theirs. The feeling of adding our part was truly fulfilling and a great way to make our international debut. After marveling at the history of such an old country for the entire day it felt good to be able to leave our mark.

The Roman Baths in Bath

The many mysteries of Stonehenge

Salisbury Cathedral: Dusk from the Cloister

Rehearsal for Evensong in Salisbury

Salisbury Cathedral: Stunning at night!

Wednesday, January 4 JOURNALS

Wednesday, January 4 – The first full day – by Laura Brill, sophomore soprano

"Coffee, juice, or water?" was the first thing I heard when I officially woke up this morning, about an hour and half outside of the Gatwick-London airport. What seemed like a very short time later, we touched down and unloaded the plane. We took a coach, or what we Americans call a shuttle bus, to the terminal, obtained our English money, and went on our way to lunch and our first destination, Winchester Cathedral. We had an interesting ride there, learning about the historic sites we were going to see. Our guide, Phillip Baker, informed us that Winchester Cathedral is the longest medieval cathedral in Europe. He also told us stories of the people associated with the Cathedral, such as St. Swithun, who wanted to be buried among the poor when he died. However, some years after his death, his grave was moved inside the cathedral to a place of honor. Legend has it that, immediately upon this change of location, it began to rain and continued for 40 days and 40 nights. To this day, Winchester residents maintain that if it rains on St. Swithun’s day (his feast day), it will rain for the 40 days following.
I can’t explain in words the feelings I had when I saw the huge cathedral looming ahead of me. It had to be one of the biggest, oldest, and most mysterious things I’ve ever seen. Honestly, it looked like a scene out of a movie. The inside was even more impressive. The Norman and Romanesque architecture Dr. Saylor and Phillip Baker, our tour manager, taught us about came to life. I thought the ceiling would never end, and I found myself frustrated because I couldn’t take a picture that did justice to this beautiful place. (I guess that’s where Dr. Collier comes in handy!)
We toured most of the Cathedral, seeing many different chapels and graves, including Jane Austen’s. Then we were allowed to go to the gift shop, and came back to observe a spoken evensong service. The process was somewhat familiar to me, coming from a Presbyterian background, but it was still very interesting to me because the pace was much quicker and sometimes I struggled to keep up. At the end of the service, we sang "Coventry Carol," a piece we all love, and one that has a strong tradition in our choir. This was such a neat experience and I had to close my eyes to soak it all in. This was something bigger than I’ve been a part of before, and I’m excited to know that this is just the beginning. There are many wonderful experiences still to come!
English lingo:
face flannel = wash cloth
feeling peckish = grouchy
coach = bus


Wednesday, January 4 – The first day from two non-Chamber Choir members’ perspectives:

1) by LouAnn Burney. (LouAnn and John Burney, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, are traveling with the Chamber Choir, as are Lois and Jim Berens, John and Linda Armstrong, Jean and Nick Neibergall, Lynn Lindell and Laura Colby.)

I must admit that when John called to ask me if I wanted to spend a week in England in January, my first reaction was not positive. I hate to fly, especially long distances, and I hate being cold. But when he told me we would be accompanying the Drake Chamber Choir tour, I immediately changed my tune.
If the impromptu treat of hearing the choir sing "Coventry Carol" in Winchester Cathedral is the only performance we hear, that alone would be worth the long travel time and the damp cold. After a day spent traveling, made even longer by the delay necessary for repair of a broken heating element in the wing of our plane, with no warm-up or rehearsal whatsoever, the Chamber Choir sang so beautifully that they literally brought me to tears. The combination of their incredible voices and the feeling inspired by Westminster Cathedral itself created a powerfully moving experience. That snippet of music-making is all the more cause to anticipate their scheduled performances and to get to know the choir members better.


2) by Lois Berens (Lois is a member of the Drake University/Community Chorus. She and her husband, Jim, are great supporters of the choral program and both are on the tour.)

I’m Lois Berens, one of the fortunate group accompanying the Drake Chamber Choir on its 2006 England tour. I must tell you of the unforgettable experience to which we were treated this afternoon. We were in Winchester Cathedral, in the Lady Chapel, the evening prayer service just completed. The Chamber Choir rose quietly, in perfect unison, and began to sing "Coventry Carol" – Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child…" Softly, in exquisite harmony, their voices raised in that vast space where mankind has been singing and praying for a thousand years. I don’t think the listeners even breathed – it was so breathtakingly beautiful. How proud I was of them! This is going to be a great week.

Our transportation

Our driver, Lee, is a reassuringly safe driver, even though he drives on the wrong side of the road all the time.

Winchester Cathedral ( the structure, not the song!)

"Say cheese"

Winchester Cathedral is HUGE!

After Evensong at Winchester Cathedral

Dinner at the Hotel

Dinner at the Hotel

January 3............ON THE WAY...

Arrival in Detroit


Des Moines International Airport

Preparation

As the Drake Chamber Choir prepares for its trip to England, all that remains is one more day of rehearsing, a concert and luncheon for nearby parents and other choir supporters, and, oh yes, packing. Sunday morning Dr. ABC and the choir shared their repertoire during Mass at St. Ambrose Cathedral in Des Moines. The congregation (and the choir, I think) received a brief foreshadowing of the great acoustics that all on the trip will experience in some of England's most beautiful cathedrals.

As your tour "blogger" and unofficial tour photographer, I (Dave Collier, also known as Mr. ABC) will be posting photos and daily student journals on this site as time and internet connections permit. London is six hours ahead of U.S. Central Standard Time. I believe that by simply clicking on a photo, you'll be able to print, e-mail, or save the image. I'll do my best to keep you current and give you a sense of what we are experiencing.

Please notice that you are welcome to post your comments on the blog as well.