Two years ago, the University of Dayton Chorale began planning a European performance tour. This past May 13-24 that planning reached fruition as thirty-two singers from Chorale and seven parents spent twelve days touring and performing in the United Kingdom and Paris, France. Directed by Dr. Robert Jones, Chorale presented seven concerts and studied repertoire with two well-known English choral directors. The singers worhsipped and experienced performing in several of the revered cathedrals of Christendom.
The English leg of the trip began in Scotland. Arriving in Glasgow, the ensemble motored south to Edinburgh. After a day of sight-seeing including the monumental Edinburgh Castle, Chorale performed a noon concert in St. Giles Cathedral, the seat of Presbyterianism. From the gentle opening moments of Rachmaninov's Ave Maria in Russian to a ringing fortissimo in Michael Horvit's Even When God is Silent, St. Giles' intermediate size produced a clear, warm resonance, ideal for an opening tour concert. Following a performance in St. Andrews, the birthplace of the game of golf, the ensemble journeyed south to York Minster where Chorale experienced a moving Evensong Service featuring music by the Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys, led by Sir Philip Moore. A choral workshop with Mr. Moore followed. It was enhanced by the breathtaking acoustics of the Charter House, a meeting room for church officials and visiting dignitaries, whose high ceiling allowed the sound to reverberate endlessly. The tour of the Cathedral the next day explained its history, dating back to the11th century, its construction, consisting of fan-vaulted ceilings, and the art of the Medieval Glazier involving the making and maintainence of stain-glass windows. Next Chorale headed to London by way of Cambridge, where we visited the famous Kings' College Chapel, home of the famous Men and Boys' Choir whose Service of Nine Lessons and Carols is heard world-wide on radio every Christmas. Our London performance was before some two thousand people in St. Paul's Cathedral. This famous structure was the site of the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer and was designed by the architect Christopher Wren. Its signature dome propelled the choral sound throughout the cathedral drawing listeners to Chorale's performance site. Several Ohioans spoke with the singers after the concert. The day continued with sight-seeing and closed with the ensemble attending a performance of Andrew Lloyd-Webber's Starlight Express. The following day the ensemble moved on to Canterbury near the English coast . At Canterbury Cathedral, they enjoyed a choral workshop with choirmaster David Flood, where they learned about English choral tone and cathedral choral performance. In addition to a cathedral tour, Chorale attended an Evensong Service by the Boys of the Cathedral Choir. The sound and professionalism of these youth, age 8-11, was most impressive.
The final leg of the trip began with a ferry across the English Channel and then on to Paris, the City of Lights. Our first Paris performance was a thirty-minute a cappella concert at the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral. A rope was drawn up around the lighted altar area where Chorale sang before some three thousand people. It was exhilarating to sing in this historical structure before so many where musicians such as Francois Couperin and Louis Dacquin were employed. Our final performance was at the American Church of Paris, located on the banks of the Seine River. The sound of this single-tiered structure was quite pleasing and its English-speaking congregation embraced our music enthusiastically. The standing ovation at the end of the service was a fitting close to the performance as well a moving tribute to the seniors singing their final concert.
It was an extraordinary year for UD Chorale, one which required much planning, many rehearsal hours and donation performances in the region. In addition to being the first UD ensemble to perform abroad, the year began with another first-a collaboration with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus in performing Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky. These ventures enriched the students educationally and spiritually while enhancing the image of the University as one which provides a broad educational perspective for its students.