New Content

Hi Newfies!

Before tour was over I took down the video content from this blog because you'd made SO much musical progress during our time in Canada that it seemed unfair to broadcast where you'd started. I've re-posted the Pre-Tour videos, and I'll be adding more videos from tour time for your enjoyment--scroll to the bottom of the page to see the videos. You'll be able to see for yourself the amazing transformation. I am super busy, but I'll do it for YOU!

I also created an Imagestation photo album of pics from singers and staff (also listed under Tour Photos) that I collected during tour. A little known secret--if you right click a photo you can do "save as" and keep your favorites. Or maybe you knew that already? Anyway, when I have two seconds to myself I'll see about making a disc of photos and/or video if anyone wants them. It might be mid-August before I have time, but if you're interested, please holla! Or email.

So is it just me, or is ending tour like getting off the moving sidewalk? So much momentum and too much to do, then we get home and realize we don't have 97 kazillion things to do that day. Aside from seeing Sean and my cats it's a bit of a letdown to not see you all every day and hear your glorious voices! Now all I have to look forward to is getting ready for camp, school, jobs, life....OH! And Sean and I are buying a house!

Take care, y'all. Let me hear from you!

Brianne, the Graceful

Messages home July 13th

Hey! I can't believe this is my last full day in Canada. It has been sooooo beautiful. For example, today we went to Peggy's Cove. It's a small little fishing village with a lighthouse and a rocky beach with boulders. I had fun climbing the boulders and watching the waves splash up on and against them. Towards the end Liya, Catherine C., Matt and I were standing on a boulder that was a good distance from the water. All of a sudden, a huge wave came up, and I could see big individual drops coming towards us. Catherine was in a good position to run away, so she did. The rest of us could only turn and try not to get hit as much. So my pants ended up getting wet and I had a few big drops on my shirt but it wasn't that bad. Then Cathrine laughed at us because she was dry and we were wet, so we chased after her to try to get her wet. It was a lot of fun.

We also went to see the biggest graveyard for the Titanic. It was weird to be there, but it was interesting too. There were 330 people buried there from the Titanic who were non-Catholic, non-Jewish, or unknown religions because the graveyards were separated by religions.

Yesterday we went on a boat ride. The theme was a pirate ship, which was neat. After a while though, it go cold, then India, Catherine, Liya, Kirill and I got blankets and huddled wrapped up in the blankets while sitting on the rail. We sat and talked and were isolated from the city because it was foggy out. I actually got to hear a fog horn.

Before we went on the boat ride we went to a fort. You'll never guess who we saw when we first walked in. We saw J.D. Washburn! It was crazy and totally random. So he ended up going on the tour with us and hung out with us until we had to go.

So, the tour's almost over, and it'll be sad to go, but I also can't wait to be home again. Ok, I think I've written enough, and Brianne has to type it all out of this because we don't have a chance to get on the computer anymore, so I'll end here. See you TOMORROW! I love you all!

Hannah M.

Thanks to Hannah for keeping up with writing home every day. By the time the staff get finished with a day we are usually so tired we can't put a sentence together, so it's been nice for Hannah (and others) to write and keep folks at home posted on what we've been up to, and to assure you that we're having a great time.

We have had a wonderful, busy, exhausting, successful, and delightful tour. This tour team has been stellar musically, as people, and as travellers. I'm so glad to know these people, and I'm grateful to the families who have shared your kids with us!

--Brianne

Messages home July 12

Hey! Wow, I don't know what to write, even though yesterday was awesome. Well, I guess I'll just start with...the bus ride. We rode on the Cabot Trail, which is a beautiful sceninc route.  We stopped at one place that was by water where boats were docked. So Bill Nittler, Daniel Goldberg, and I and a few others started skipping rocks, or at least tried to.  It was hard because we were above the water, so we had to use a different angle.  It was still fun.  There were also fiddle players that played a few songs. Grandma & Grandpa B. to hlep me because I mess up a lot, especially at promenading.  Since there was a shortage of guys Liya was my partner.  She was the boy along with Ginny, Brianne, Anna, Madeline, Karen, Sarah, and a few others. It was a lot of fun.

After that we performed at at a Ceilidh (or something like that). So there were tons of BAGPIPES and FIDDLES! As well as singing and some awesome Celtic dancing and tap dancing.  This one lady played the fiddle then did awesome tap dancing, then she started playing the fiddle WHILE tap dancing.

The whole time I was there I kept thinking "Man, Michael Chaney would love to be here."

Well, I've already taken up enough space, so I'll sign off.

I love you all!

Hannah M.

PS Oh, and Mom, you would love the food up here. It's basically all seafood: from salmon to mussels to scallops to clam chowder and more.  Too bad I can't stand seafood.  I wish I could bring it home to you! Oh, but I just decided that I am going to try a Halibut for one night.  Wish me luck!

Messages home July 11th

The ferry ride was awesome! It was huge! I slept on one of the bunk beds on the sixth floor, which just goes to show how big sometimes the wind would be so strong that it would either push you or you'd have to walk hard against it Liya said that it felt like we were in one of the scenes from the Matrix.
When we got to shore we went to a fort. In that fort there was a small chapel where we sang. The acoustics were great and it sounded awesome. Paige said she could sing in there for hours.
Someone else said that they would want to come back just to sing in that room.
I have new roommates. They are: Nora, Sarah, and Julia. They are all really nice. We stayed up kinda late talking, but I got to know them better.
Yesterday we drove over the Mira River, so we sang "Song of the Mira". Later we met a woman who taught the composer's kids and whose mother lives next door to him.

I love you all!
Hannah M.

PS can you bring my purple outfit for Uncle David's wedding? Thanks!

Messages Home July 9-10

After a wonderful time in Newfoundland and we had a great last day in the province--sightseeing at Castle Hill, Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve, then to the Argentia Museum of the Atlantic Allies before boarding the ferry for Nova Scotia at 11:30pm.  As you probably figured out, we didn't have internet access on the open ocean which is why we didn't have an update until now (July 10th). 

We've had some great musical experiences and we've met some fantastic people in Newfoundland.  The kindness and friendliness of Newfoundlanders has been amazing.  In Georgia we pride ourselves on being known for our "Southern Hospitiality", but I've been delighted by the stories from our group about nice people they've met. I hope to collect stories from the kids to illustrate the great warmth we've been receiving from these wonderful folks.

One example: Last week we were waiting at a bus stop in a neighborhood of elegant older homes. We were headed to Quiddi Vidi Lake to have a pizza picnic by the St. John's Regatta (the oldest athletic organization in North America). While the 35 Atlantans were waiting at the bus stop a woman  came out of her house to ask if we needed anything, and for us to knock on the door to let her know if we needed anything, even though we were just waiting for a bus. That type of kindness is the standard in Newfoundland. 

Messages Home July 9th

Privet, opyat ne smogla vchera napisat potomu chto delala stirku. Vchera mi utrom peli v odnoi tserkvi gde nas potom ochen vkusno nakormili obedom. Potom mi poehali ha generalnuyu repititsiyu v hokeinom stadeone s orkestrom ih vzroslim horom. Potom mi poeli opyat ih prishli na koncert, na kotorih mi oposdali na 30 minut, ih iza etovo tam gde ya dolzhna bila pet ne bilo mesta. Tak chto mne prishlos pet na kontse samih visokih soprano, ih svoih ya ne slishala sovsem. Potom ya sela v previlnom meste. Koncert shol 3 chasa, potom bila bolishaya party gde mi nauchili bsech nashei lubimoi ugre (the pony game) gde mi poem ih begaem po krugu. Bilo ochen vecelo ih mi igrali so vsemi drugimi horami primerno chas s polovinoi. Ya uzhasno vspotela. Potom priehali domoi ih nachali sobirat veshi. Koroche govori, legli v 3 chasa, a prosnulis k 8mi. Sevodny biezhaim.

Pozovchira u nas bil workshop s irlandskim horom Anuna. Oni sperva nam speli neskoliko pesen, odnu iz kotorih pout nashi malichiki ih kotorui mi vse znaem. Tak chto oni pozvali vseh kto znaet pesnu spet s nimi na stsene. Tak chto ya ih eshe neskoliko nashih poshli ih popeli s nimi. Bilo prekrasno!!!

-Liya

Hey! I’m kinda tired and I’m not too excited about the rain that is outside right now, but other than that, I’m good. Last night we had the final concert. Even though I didn’t like some of the songs that we sang, the concert was amazing. The adult and youth choirs were huge and sounded good. There was also a variety of singers and countries where they came from. There were several choirs from all over Canada, a choir from Finland, a few choirs from England, 3 choirs from USA (including us), a choir from New Zealand, Australia and other places.

After the concert there was an after party. At first it was kinda slow, but then it started to get fun. There was one choir that started singing Ciahumba, so we joined in. Later we started the Pony Game. OMGoodness! It became so big!!! At least 3 people from ever choir played. It was so crowded, but it was still a lot of fun. I have to say that it was the biggest pony game that I have ever seen. Caitlyn said that we had created a monster. So, some people who started the first game started another one so that there would be more room. The only thing about the after party was it ended late. We didn’t get home till after 12 am, and I don’t think that I got to sleep until 2 am. Oh well, we’ll be traveling a lot today, so I’ll be able to sleep on the bus.

Ok, I have to go get ready and load my stuff on the bus. I love you!

Hannah M.

Messages Home July 8th

Hey! I got all of your messages! Malia, who is PW? Oh, last night we were supposed to go whale watching, but the water was too choppy, so we didn’t get to go. But that was ok b/c it was wet and kinda cold and my feet were soaked as well. Instead we went to see the movie Ratatoiulle (or however it’s spelled). It was pretty good. Malia, do you remember who was the voice of Remi, I didn’t have time to check.

We also got to go to a workshop with Anuna, a really good Irish choir. It was really neat b/c they interacted with us and stuff like that. Ok, I have to get off so someone else can write. I love you all!

Hannah M.

Hey Mom, Dad, Irena,

Newfoundland is great! Sometimes it is warm and sometimes it cold and rainy. The food is good. When kayaking we ate the insides of sea urchins. They tasted like cantaloupe. We also saw Ratatouille (movie) I’m having fun.

Kirill

Hello Atlantans, aka Mom, Dad, and Niji. We did sea kayaking the other day! It was quite the excitement...lots of sea creatures and song singing in the ocean. We Saw Ratatouille yesterday, it was so cute! Hope you all are enjoying your time without your annoying teenage daughter! I am enjoying very much here, and for Niji, GOOD LUCK WITH THE START OF LSAT CLASSES!

--meeks (mika)