On Thursday, July 3, the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Music will present the UAB Concert Choir in a bon voyage concert as the choir heads to Riga, Latvia, to represent the United States in the “Olympics of choirs,” the Interkultur Eighth World Choir Games from July 5-15.
The Concert Choir, conducted by Brian Kittredge, DMA, will perform at 7 p.m. at UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. The choir will perform all of the music selected for the competition performance, including works by composers Mendelssohn, Burchard, Hogan, Dawson, Gretchaninoff, Mawby and more. Admission is free. Call 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Nearly 60 UAB students are set for the trip, which also includes performances at St. Nicholas Church in Prague, Czech Republic, and Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin, Germany. More than 450 choirs, with 57 countries represented, will perform at the World Choir Games.
| Nearly 60 UAB students are set for the trip, which also includes performances at St. Nicholas Church in Prague, Czech Republic, and Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin, Germany. More than 450 choirs, with 57 countries represented, will perform at the World Choir Games. |
Once the games have ended, a group of 37 from UAB will extend the trip for 12 days for a tour in Austria, Italy and Germany, in conjunction with Christian Youth Exchange. The UAB group will perform in Kappl, at St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, at the Duomo di Milano in Milan, and in Verona, Munich and Münster. The group will visit historic sites at all stops, including tours of the cities, castles, cathedrals, basilicas, museums and more.
Christian Youth Exchange was founded and is operated by former UAB student and choir member Martin Schulz. A native German, Schulz manages exchange programs for German and American high school students. Being closely connected to the music community in Europe, Schulz was able to arrange performances for the UAB Choir in outstanding venues, Kittredge says.