Hello Readers,

Last weekend University Choir embarked on our Choir Tour!!!! Not only did we perform 3 nights in a row, we went to 4 different High Schools and sang at the Iowa State Capitol.

Drake University

We started our tour on April 17th in Des Moines by singing in the Iowa Choral Showcase. It is a performance where schools all over Iowa send their school’s choir groups from middle school-college and they select very few choirs to perform that evening at Drake University. It was such an honor for us to perform. That evening we performed 5 songs. After the Showcase we headed back to the Hotel for the first night’s rest.

Des Moines Day 2

We got up at the bright and early 6:00 to make it to breakfast and bus by 8:45 On our way to the first High School. We went to Winterset High School and sang two songs and they sang two songs. Not only did we get to see

each other sing we also go to show how diverse our Choir is. Majors in medicine, English, Music and so much more. I will say I truly enjoyed watching these students who are only a year or two younger show love and appreciation for music as much as we all do. Next, we ended up at  Indianola High School where we did the same thing as before switched off singing songs to each other, and then spoke about our choir experience.

We then took a little time to go to the Iowa State Capitol Building and Sang a few songs in the building. After we got to explore East Village. I will say it was nice to finally take a little breather having been singing and sitting on the bus pretty continuously. We went to the cutest coffee shop and then walked around downtown. I also went with my friends and explored the Capitol Library. It was truly beautiful and classic.

A few hours later we went straight to Plymouth Congregational to get ready for the Concert that we would have with  Urbandale High School. I will say there is a joy to standing with all my fellow choir group and singing songs we have put months of work into and seeing everyone’s faces. My favorite song we sang was Ain’t No Grave. It is one of the fastest songs I have learned but it is definitely a fun one. We also got to sing with the High School the song Antiphon which is a big song with an Organ and with both choirs it sounds amazing.

Day 3 On Our Way To Omaha 
After a long night, we woke up and got on the bus to go to our 3rd high school Dallas Center-Grimes High School. I will say the Clinics are so fun. The appreciation these High Schoolers have for music and the work they put into their songs. We drove a few hours and after a quick lunch, we had our last Clinic at Glenwood High School. Both groups sang a few songs.  one of the high school group songs our pianist Kyle played their music for. Shout out to our rockstar pianist Kyle!!!!

Then we drove to Omaha (most of us slept on the bus.)  They dropped us off at the mall for an hour or so. We all decided to kill time with widow shopping and walking around I will say it is totally fun to just walk around with your choir besties and look at all the stores even though half of us are on a college budget. (Hahaha)

After we made our way to First Central Congregational and started to practice and warm up. By our warmups, some

of our voices were a bit tired so we took it easy on them. That night Omaha Central High School joined us to perform. We enjoyed our last concert and went out with a bang. Singing our set one more time was quite fun. We got to the hotel and spent the rest of the evening winding down. (personally, I was listening to Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department double albums and colored.)

Omaha and Home

That morning we got to sleep in and met at 8:45 instead of 8:00. We all then got to explore downtown Omaha. the group I was with started our morning in the cutest coffee shop. We went to a record store where some of us spent time looking through the $2 records I got a Helen Ready and an old musical. We looked at a few antique stores before our last stop the coolest and most random candy, antique, and pinball, place. We also got lunch there and just enjoyed our free day. It was a blast to hang out with people who I spend my time with in class every day but they are on the opposite side of the room. I got to know my peers so much better on this trip. I will say it was truly enjoyable.

We then went home on our bus and I will say quiet bus ride on the entire trip. Napping and headphones in I spent the entire ride home just enjoying the joy of having done something so fun and remarkable, Not only does it give you a chance to hang out with people with like-minded love for music. I truly feel we are a big community that truly has fun. We got back to Iowa City and all left the bus now I am back in Iowa City and still ask myself if was it a fever dream or real. It was so much fun.

If you are looking for a fun group to join and go to cool places and sing then I would totally recommend you audition for University Choir at IOWA. GO HAWKS

Cheers
Rose