Scotland, Ireland Welcome BVU Choirs
Forty-two members of the BVU Choir enjoy performances while experiencing historical sites during May Term
Forty-two members of the Buena Vista Choir performed in Scotland and Ireland this spring in an experiential learning trek that marked the first BVU tour of its kind since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In Meeting We Are Blessed: An American Celebration of Music in Scotland and Ireland” saw BVU students deliver five planned performances and many more impromptu efforts at various stops along the way.
Venues included St. Giles’ Cathedral of Edinburgh, Scotland; The Chapel Royal of Stirling Castle in Stirling, Scotland; St. Mark’s Church in Dundela, Belfast, Northern Ireland; St. Patrick’s Cathedral (the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland) in Dublin, Ireland; St. Kevin’s ‘Kitchen’ in the monastic ruins of Glendalough, Ireland; the Dunluce Castle, of Northern Ireland; and St. George’s Church of Ireland at Dublin, Ireland.
“We had wonderful audiences at every venue,” says Christopher Phalen, Director of Choral Activities at BVU. “Audiences were incredibly generous with their praise of our ensembles and many audience members were moved to tears during some of our performances. Seeing the impact our music making had on others is an emotional and rewarding experience.”
Phalen said he and students remained in awe of the beautiful spaces that boasted stunning acoustics.
“The first time you hear your voice reverberate off the walls of these grand cathedrals, it feels like you are sending your voice through time,” Phalen says. “I also loved watching the choir members come together as a family and support each other through new discoveries; be that musical growth, experiencing exciting history and culture, or simply learning how to exchange currency. Travel changes you. It adds chapters to the book of your life.”
“It was truly the experience of a lifetime for me to be able to perform and conduct in such beautiful churches and cathedrals,” says Ashley Stueven, a senior music education major from George. “I am incredibly proud of the work the whole choir did during the entire tour, but especially on ‘Si Si Ni Moja,’ the piece I taught and conducted.”
Phalen said he and his students are ever grateful for the alumni and friends of BVU who helped fund the experience for students, many of whom traveled abroad for the first time.
“This experience was only possible because of the generous support of our benefactors,” he says. “Every one of our students traveling received some level of financial support to aid them in this incredible experience. I cannot wait to take our BVU choirs on the road again.”
“I am so thankful for the opportunity,” Stueven continues. “It has greatly expanded my horizons and made me a better musician and teacher.”
In addition to performing, students enjoyed the RMS Titanic Museum in Belfast, learning more about the ship’s origin, its fateful voyage, and the advances in maritime safety following the tragedy. The BVU contingent also studied the beauty of the Scottish and Irish countryside, particularly Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, often called “The Eighth Wonder of the World.”
More than 70 BVU students are registered for choir in the fall, a number that establishes a recent enrollment high in choir for the fifth semester in a row.