Riga - Day 3. TCC Competes & Friendship Concert

After another glorious breakfast for TCC's big day, we walked to our shuttle in Riga to head to our sound check for the Children's Choir Competition at the Culture Palace (Ziemelblazma). Appropriately named, the Culture Palace is a 100 year old renovated palace on the outskirts of Riga. The grounds were  beautiful and had lots of space for impormptu rehearsals, fun and games AND beautiful greenery.

While TCC got down to business across town, YC women gathered for another very important rehearsal before thier competition the following day.

After sound check and a few more run-thrus, they collected our belongings and headed back to the building for our big performance! It was so great to have the Youth Chorale cheering us on in the performance. The level of professionalism and focus between your TCC Singers is truly amazing.  AYS performed some of the most complicated repertoire of all of the Children's and Youth Choirs AND executed these pieces with refinement and finesse. While the repertoire only consisted of four pieces, it took the Singers and audience to a world beyond.

After the performance, we headed to WCG Lunch facility and grabbed some Latvian grub. We have had a different soup almost every meal along with another favorable Baltic dish. We meet up with Youth Chorale at the end of our meal and collectively headed back to the center of town via the festival shuttle for our Friendship concert.

The first choir in our Friendship concert was from the Czech Republic, followed by a traditional Latvian Choir consisting of college aged singers in traditional Latvian outfits! A senior choir from Latvia went third, and were decked out in Latvian Amber and sang some native and "foreign" pieces in English :).

While these choirs were performing, the YC and TCC gathered for a quick run through of the program, featuring all 4 ensembles. Even during our run through, we attracted MANY visitors, followed with inquiries about where we were from, etc. After a quick video stop for local media, we then headed to the stage.

The crowd was GINORMOUS! What a great welcome from a beautiful and musical city!

 TCC kicked off the music with Stephen Paulus's "Daybreak". Then, the Young Men's Choir led the crowd to another rousing rendition of "Viva L'Amour". The YC women then sang a beautiful performance of "No Time" (as heard by our TCC Families at Explore Four). YC Folk Ensemble then clogged their way through "Shady Grove", as the entire audience clapped along! Finally, we all joined together for a fun, fast round of "Juba".

After leaving the stage, TCC and YC were greeted by countless strangers, thanking us in Latvian, Russian, Chinese and more. What a wonderful moment, quickly followed by celebratory singing and dancing.

With a small break before dinner, we shopped at the special Latvian Arts and Crafts market in the Vermanes Park, where we were performing. Yes, if you are reading this, you may be getting an authentic Latvian souvenir :) There were so many great vendors and quality goods, from local, handcrafting artisans. The market is only gracing Riga for these long hours during the World Choir Games. This country really wants us to have a great time during our stay!

We then headed to the Meal Facility by way of WCG shuttle. After a hearty dinner, we had some time to exchange songs and goodies with other visiting choirs. We especially had fun with the Russian Choir as TCC taught "Juba" and the hand percussion to our new singing chums. It was so nice to sing, dance and play with one of the many other children's choirs before returning to the hotel to turn in for the night.

Riga - AYS Competitions Begin

The day has finally come! AYS's full year of hard work has come to a head as the Scenic Folklore and Young Men's Choir took the world's stage.

Our day began with a smorgasbord fit for royalty. Cheese for breakfast? Yes, please! After an early start, the AYS Folk Ensemble gathered for a morning rehearsal before heading out into the city donning their handmade folklore skirts (made by one of our own Singers), with gingham and peasant shirts in toe.

After a quick sound check, the Folk Ensemble headed to lunch to grab a bite before the big performance - the first presentation of Atlanta Young Singers at the much awaited World Choir Games.

While the folk ensemble completed their speedy sound check across town, TCC gathered in the hotel for a rehearsal - preparing for thier Children's Choirs Champions Competition tomorrow. Things are sounding great. We cannot wait to show our stuff to the jury and audience tomorrow afternoon.

The TCC Singers then headed to lunch, then to Riga University to see the Scenic Folklore Performance in the Great Hall. The AYS Folk Team danced and sang thier hearts out, and into many audience members with thier performance of Cherokee Morning Song, Idumea, Shady Grove, Juba and Colinda. This is the first time AYS has competing in a full Sing and Dance setting - we hope the judges enjoyed themselves as much as the Singers did!

The boys then left for thier Young Males Choir competition at the Culture Palace (Ziemelblazma). Appropriately named, the Culture Palace is a 100 year old renovated palace on the outskirts of Riga. The ground

We collectively headed back to the Hotel for another round of Rehearsals topped off with a killer TCC pool party! It was great to get some downtime before heading to dinner, then watching the Young Male's Performance.

AYS arrived in perfect time to cheer on our guys. Just one of three performing choirs, our Young Men Nailed it! They guys looked like they were having so much fun on stage, and thier sound was full and focused. We couldn't help but celebrate on the palace grounds post-performance!

Pictures (including many silly group photos and performance snapshots) will be posted first thing tomorrow, so check back soon.

Days to Remember

The Youth Chorale left Prague Saturday morning and headed to the former Terezin concentration camp. It was a somber experience for everyone involved; something that none of the Singers were looking forward to, but needed to be seen and done.

After our day at Terezin, we headed to Dresden where we stayed with home stays. The next morning, a former exchange student who participated in AYS the past season, took the Youth Chorale on a walking tour of his city. 

After a beautiful walk, the Singers had a rehearsal and a joint concert with the BennoSingers Dresden before heading off to Berlin for a flight to Warsaw. Our Singers are super troopers! After lunch and a short nap at the Warsaw Hostel, the Singers rehearsed then took a walking tour of the city, followed by a traditional Polish dinner at a pierogi restaurant. 

The next morning Youth Chorale ate breakfast and hopped on the bus with sack lunches for a long drive to Vilnius. After arriving at the Europa City Hotel, the Singers ate dinner, and took a short walk around the city before getting to bed!

Independence Day in Prague!

This morning the Singers had a great breakfast at the hotel before heading out to Prague Castle. En route, we explored the St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Palace, Golden Lane, and St. George's Basilica with a tour guide.After lunch inside the castle grounds, Youth Chorale headed to the Charles Bridge for shopping and views of the city. Then the Singers visited the Old Jewish Quarter's synagogue - now a Holocaust memorial, containing the names of all known Czech victims of the genocide as well as the drawings of the children from Terezin (where Youth Chorale will be stopping tomorrow). Then, a walk through one of the many Jewish cemeteries - including tombstones dating back to the 14th century. According to Jewish tradition, the remains of the dead are not allowed to be moved after they have been laid to rest, so gravediggers created layers of land on top of one another (about 10 in all) and place all of the tombstones on the top layer to show the names of the deceased. There are about 12,000 tombstones in this relatively small cemetery but believed to be the remains about 85,000 people.

Following the Old Jewish Quarter, the Choir walked to the Old Town Square which contains the Astronomical Clock Tower and numerous musicians playing for change. The group dined at a traditional Czech restaurant where Singers got a taste of New Cuisine!

Finally, the Singers rehearsed for their upcoming concert in Dresden on Sunday. Today, Youth Chorale is off to Terezin concentration camp (about an hour away from Prague) and then to Dresden for a home stay.

Back of St. Vitus Cathedral

Inside St. George's Basilica

View of Prague while descending from the castle (it was on a huge hill!)

Wedding pictures taken next to the Charles Bridge

View from the Charles Bridge

Tyn Church from Old Town Square

Panorama shot from Old Gothic portion of St. Vitus Cathedral

Munich Millings

Before the Singers arrived from Munich to Prague and settled into their hotel, the Kampa Garden Hotel, Youth Chorale were dropped off by our host families again at the Musikschule in Ulm one last time. They the boarded the regional UB train to München (Munich). Munich is in the heart of Bavaria, the typical Lederhosen and Stein region. Look at these sweet pics from the city's trappings of shopping, food and more!

At 5pm YC took the train to Prague where they will be spending their 4th of July!

Hanging out by the fountain in Old Munich

Gorgeous church in the middle of Old Munich

View from the courtyard of the Rathaus (town hall)

By the fountain in Old Munich

A handmade cuckoo clock shop

Just an all-around beautiful city

YC German Adventures!

Two days ago, the Youth Chorale visited the breathtaking Burg Hohenzollern, a Swabian castle & fortress right after arriving in Germany.  After lunch at the castle, the Singers then returned to the bus and began to head out to Ulm. AYS was greeted in front of the Musikschule in the old town by the Ulmer Spatzen Chor families before taken into their kind and hospitable homes for the evening.

View from the interior of Burg Hohenzollern's courtyard

Incredible Alps!

 Currywurst!

 

Yesterday, our Youth Chorale Tour Team we woke up bright and early for a rehearsals followed by pizza for lunch. Giant pizzas for giant post-rehearsal appetites!

The biggest pizza ever!

After lunch YC headed to the Ulmer Münster - home to the largest church tower in the world! While some Singers walked up the ~700 steps to the top, several headed inside for the views of stained glass and and downtime around the central town square.

Then it was time for more rehearsal at the Ulm concert venue, followed by the AYS friendship concert with the Ulmer Spatzen Chor. The Ulm voices were beautiful and pure, singing lots of German pieces and a couple of American selections as well. Dinner was a buffet of traditional food brought by the families of the choir members and was, of course, delicious!

The Singers head to Prague at 8:30am tomorrow by way of a short stop in Munich for lunch explorations.

The spire of the Ulmer Münster

Interior of Ulmer Münster

More from Prague soon!

The ATLANTA YOUNG SINGERS YOUTH CHORALE has Landed!

 AYS Departures - ATL to STR

 After landing in Stuttgart around 9AM, Youth Chorale headed out for a Day Trip to BURG HOHENZOLLERN by bus, then met thier Ulmer Spatzen Chor host families just in time for dinner!

YC will be staying with out Ulmer Spatzen friends for 3 days before heading to Dresden for another choral exchange. We found some promo Den BennoSingers Dresden made for our joint performance - HOW COOL!

 More pics to come soon...