Thank you Korea (Saturday)

Today was the final performance in Korea at the Suncheon Bay Garden Expo. The venue was on an outdoor stage with a grass amphitheater. By now the choirs know each others songs and enjoy dancing and singing along together. Just when the choirs were starting to get to know each other and make friends, it is time to say goodbye. (Not pictured: US, Australia, Phillipines)


Cantabella..

Swiss...

Taiwan..

Korea...

Finale...until we meet again!

Rehearsing at the Suncheon Art Center

Suncheon Performance

Suncheon Performance

Closing Song with all Choirs

Arrived in Suncheon

Hi everyone.  Just want to let you know that we arrived safely in Suncheon.  The bus ride was a time to catch up on sleep for some, and for others a chance to see the beautiful lush landscape.  I have heard that we are near the ocean so we hope to have an opportunity to take the kids to the beach.  All of our children are doing well and are enjoying trying new foods.  Those of us staying at Soonshil University had very limited wireless access so thank you to Sylvia and Rowena who were staying at the hotel for posting!  The kids will be at youth hostels tonight, and the chaperones will be staying at a near-by hotel about a 10-15 minute walk away and hopefully will have internet access and we can send more pictures your way.

Closing Concert and so much more! (Thursday)

So much happens in one day in Korea when on tour. In the morning at breakfast the Swiss came in singing their national Anthem, waving swiss flags and looking adorable in there Swiss Flag baseball hats and matching swiss flag suspenders. It was the Swiss national holiday and they also decorated the dorm halls with Swiss flags.

Then after some down time we moved to the Seoul Arts center to prepare for the Closing concert. We said goodbye to our beloved guide Uni and presented them with gifts. Our other guide Amy will be continuing on with us. To say they have been amazing is a HUGE understatement! All the girls got in line to give them hugs and take individual pictures with them. It was like being in line to see the Disney princesses.

I am including a picture of the rehearsal of the grand finale number with the orchestra and all the choirs, probably over 500 kids. The sound was beautiful. They also had the honor of being led by the former Chief Director of Korea Federation of Choral Music, Hak Won Yoon.

We are now off for a 3 hour bus ride to the Suncheon Arts Center for more concerts.

Seoulland Performance and Fun (Wednesday)

On Wednesday after the Music sharing the was a farewell party as pictured in Rowena's earlier blog. I just wanted to be sure to credit the families of the Korean World Vision choirs. Not only did they open their homes to our girls and the other choirs, they also very generously donated and prepared everything for the party. Many of them cooked the special treats for the kids to experience. Their generosity and kindness has been endless. We are grateful to these wonderful new friends in Korea.

After the party the choirs were bused to Seoulland to perform. They were then treated to a traditional Korean dinner and ride passes. Yes, rides after a full stomach...fun!

More photos from Culture Day (Tuesday)

Painting Fans at the National Museum 

Bluesy Flash Mob in the museum rotunda...

Fun day!

All choirs together for the reading session where we learnt some eachothers songs from a compilation songbook world vision put together

CCC"s turn on stage to teach the group "stand together"

Outside for lunch and party time!

The event was centered around this fountain

First the choir directors were given awards (our Eileen is hidiing behind her award plate!)

All the choirs mixed together for the lunch 

Some made more fans

Helping out with fan making

Ben is the comedian on this trip!

Irene takes orders for food. You want four of those?

Trying new foods!

Our accompanist Velma and daughter Christine dress up in traditional Korean choir costumes!

Sophie is not too happy when her mom makes her try these on too!

Not my most becoming outfit!!

Joy and Bee- holding a drink popular in the Philippines called " hello hello" with fruit and yogurt mixed in

Some photos of Culture Day

Palace visit...

Shopping center...

Learning to bargain...

Day off!

Today was their "day off" and World Vision had laid on a great tour and entertainment for the three choirs that performed last night, so today we travelled with choirs from Switzerland and the Philippines.

Our first stop was Changgyeong palace in the center of town where we saw pagoda-like buildings. There are in fact four palaces in the central park there and the one we visited was the second one built because the king felt the new topography would be more prestigious than his old palace! Cantabella kids ran around and took lots of pictures. It was very hot and humid!

Back on the coach to a street market  where the children bought souvenirs, fresh lemonade, saw honey being stretched to a fine hair-like  candy. And where STARBUCKS is written in Korean lettering above the store.

Then we got in the coach to go to Foodland where they had a traditional Korean lunch. Foodland is the headquarters of CG (?) foods is and the company was founded by the same man who also went on to found Samsung!  

After lunch we went by coach to the National museum of Korea where everyone enjoyed the delightful experience of painting fans! I'm sure others will be posting pictures. It was so calming:  painting , quiet music an d the kids were SO creative. It was a very pleasant way to spend an hour and a half. 

Next; an impromptu performance by all three choirs in the atrium of the national museum! The huge dome meant the voices got lost a bit but other museum goers were delighted by the surprise performance and sat down to watch!

The choir then went back to SAC where they can watch the choirs that did not perform last night, perform tonight. Tomorrow all the choirs (7?) are getting together to teach eachother two songs. A wonderful morning of music sharing is anticipated.

Two members of world vision children"s choir

Rehearsing in the concert hall at the seoul art center

Lunch at the dorm

Songsil University

Choristers have comfortably settled down but with limited/no access.

Monday

IYesterday the children and some of the chaperones moved to their dormitories at the very modern Soongsil university. There are two to a room each with a single bed and a large desk and storage space. There is a private bathroom for each room.

In the afternoon It was back to Seoul Arts ctr (SAC) for more rehearsals and another concert known as the "main concert". I think it is so called because in stead of being outside as the opening night concert had been we were inside at the main concert hall.

This is an extremely impressive venue. There are many concert halls in this new huge building. There is a two story semicircular foyer with a cafe and box office yet and the main concert hall itself probably seats several thousand. Glancing at the high balconies last night not every seat was filed but still an audience of 3-4 thousand I think.

The main concert hall has great acoustic design and a beautiful wood interior and a Steinway piano on stage.

Four of the participating choirs performed last night but unfortunately they did not get to see eachother as the choirs waited backstage in the extensive rehearsal rooms and corridors there.

The opening was our hosts: the World vision Korean children's choir who not only sang but had several members come on in national costumes and ribbons for dance. It was a most impressive opening. 

After their three songs it was Cantabella "s turn where Eileen lead led them through an exquisite performance with delicate harmonies and beautiful tone.

Mendelsohn"s "lift thine eyes " brought tears to my eyes!  Followed by Britten"s Gloria in a nod to his hundredth anniversary which Cantabella have been acknowledging and celebrating all year.

This was followed by Korean composers Paul Shin"s "hope" and Jung Sun Lee"s Blue bird , then Jacobin Pojat and Bluesy. The audience were getting so excited at CCC"s various sound effects that the pieces demanded and the choreography that has been added. Thunderous applause filled the room.

The set closed with I"m gonna sing " which is of course THE most appropriate song for this week! 

I don't know if the students could see the audience from the stage as it usually quite difficult to do so but the lights in the hall were not low so I hope our performers could look out at the thousands and enjoy how much their performance was being appreciated,

Straight after their own performance the choristers were sent back to the university to GET SOME REST! Before a day of sightseeing tomorrow to a Korean palace and the national museum of Korea

The choristers seem very happy and excited and chattery. The atmosphere is one of relaxed professionalism with many enjoyable moments.

-Rowena

Sacred concert Sunday night

Front of program

Cantabella on the program

Oops - this is a photo from the afternoon rehearsal!

In concert!

Solo at the beginning of "I"m gonna sing" up on the big screen

Joyce rockin her fabulous solo lines up on the big screen!

All the choirs up on stage for the finale - a gorgoues up tempo rendition of Korea"s famous song "arirang"