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The
Alaska International Peace Choir is home from their two-week tour
of Cuba (November 17-30). The 35 member group traveled by bus from
Havana to Santiago de Cuba where they joined 15 Cuban choirs and
10 from other countries in a weeklong festival of choral music,
cultural exchange, and friendship building.
Here's
how the Cuban Office of Cultural Information announced the festival…
"This project is jointly nurtured by the Ministry of Education,
and Cuba's professional choirs, and boasts of bringing together
a total of 3367 children singing in cantorias throughout the country.
While in the Festival, the participant choirs will have the opportunity
to perform to enthusiastic audiences in the most important concert
halls and choral venues in the city, attending workshops, and exchanging
experiences with Cuban choral directors and each other."
About the Choir:
The roots of this Alaskan choir are in the International Women's
Peace Choir that participated in the 1995 International Women's
Conference in Beijing. The original choir dissolved following the
China conference, but organizers Shirley Mae Staten and Koala Vandruff
revived the spirit and tradition for the festival in Cuba. The choir
that traveled to Cuba is truly Alaskan; there are members from Anchorage,
Soldotna, Talkeetna, Homer, Juneau and one former Alaskan now from
Duluth, Minnesota. The members of the International Peace Choir
of Alaska are professional musicians as well as first time singers;
aged 11 - to 60 something; and men as well as women.
Recent
interview with choir member and accompanist,
Natalie Brooks, in Alaska Star paper: http://www.alaskastar.com/stories/011504/new_20040115003.shtml
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all photographs taken by pamela thompson (SerendipityCreations)
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Cuba photo slideshow coming
soon.
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Please Join Us ~
Wednesday. 7pm. February 11 2004,
St.
Mary's Episcopal Church
(36th, lake otis &
tudor)
for photo slideshow and discussion of the Alaska
International Peace Choir's "TRIP to CUBA".
performing @ Delores Theater, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba Dec. 2003
Program
link and the list of songs performed in Cuba
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