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As the most frigid temperatures that winter has to offer send us dreaming of those
blissfully sweltering days of summer, we find ourselves reliving a most amazing
eleven day adventure we partook in, with the Durham Girls’ Senior Choir.
Last summer we had the pleasure of being some of the twenty one girls who
spent the beginning of July amid the music, art and history of Austria, Germany
and the Czech Republic.
After a delayed eight hour flight and another wonderful eight hours on the bus,
we arrived, blurry-eyed but excited in Vienna. In a city of music, art, history and
boys, our girls choir found ourselves perfectly at home in a foreign country.
After a day of shopping and sightseeing we got down to business. Our choir had
come to participate in the 35th International Youth and Music Festival in the
‘City of Music’, home of Mozart. WE had entered a city that was alive with the 250th
anniversary of Mozart’s birth. After arriving at the Vienna Centre and sizing up the
competition, we took to the stage. We had been practicing our German and
rehearsing our Canadian Aboriginal calls since we first heard of the competition
back home. Nervous as we were, we gave a performance of a lifetime and left
completely satisfied with our performance. Our work and dedication paid off and
we won third place among several international choirs.
Sadly, after our amazing experience at the competition, we had to say goodbye to all
of the friends that we had made. Throughout the competition we had met people
from Australia, Israel, South Africa and China. We left our new friends with hugs
and even the occasional kiss on the cheek. After saying goodbye, we piled back
onto the bus and continued on our way: next stop….Salzburg.
As we traveled along we stopped to sightsee and sing in many towns and cities.
We stopped in Regensburg, Germany and spent time in Prague. As a choir,
we performed throughout Europe; in the Church of St. Nicholas in Prague and
in the beautiful ‘Stiftskirche’ (abbey) of Geras. We wouldn’t trade this experience
for the world. We formed lasting friendships and had the time of our lives.
Anastasia-Maria Hountalas
Anna Vanderlaan
Stephanie Piersma
Kristi Kearn
Julia Hamilton
Catherine Wright
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