Student Blog: On Tour with the Catawba Singers

Day 5: Chicago Pt. 2

by Kara Procell '13

Day 5 - March 7th, 2011
Chicago, Illinois

We were up early for a rehearsal that started at nine this morning. For the morning portion of the rehearsal, we were in the ballrooms in the hotel where we are staying. The acoustics were not ideal, but there were a lot of us and it was probably the only room they had that could hold all of us ... and our enthusiasm. As a conductor, Eric Whitacre is very encouraging and you can tell he's really excited about the music.

After a lunch break, the choirs went to the Auditorium Theatre on Michigan Street. The Auditorium Theatre is a part of Roosevelt University in Chicago and is beautiful on the inside! We were led through the backstage maze by a wonderful stage management team, and then taken onto the stage. Our breath was taken away when we saw the incredible space where we will be performing tomorrow. I'm no architecture connoisseur, but the ornate interior decoration is reminiscent of the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York, which I believe was built in the early 1900s? Don't quote me on that.

Not only were we surrounded by gorgeous architecture, we were surrounded by gorgeous people! We got to meet the leads this afternoon, the most talented group of people I know I have ever had the opportunity to meet, much less work with. Seeing them tell the story and getting to interact with them and help them tell that story was absolutely amazing! (I'm going to run out of praiseful adjectives.) I think standing on that stage then was the moment we all realized that we were part of something so much bigger than ourselves. Truly incredible.

Our second night free in Chicago found most of us on the town again, eating, shopping and seeing the sights that the windy city had to offer. We love it here! We're so excited for the performance tomorrow afternoon!!

Honest to blog,

Kara Procell