The Chattanooga Girls Choir

Day 9
Saturday, June 14, 2003

Performance day! It got off to a great start because we were allowed to sleep in late if we wanted this morning! (Well, at least the girls could.) We had until 1:00 to sleep/shop/eat/whatever, so it was a relaxing morning for a change. By 1:00, though, we were on our way to Brucknerhaus, one of the premier performance halls in Austria, so that each choir could practice their songs on stage and the combined choirs could rehearse with the orchestra. The rehearsal lasted until almost 5:00, after which we dashed back to the hotel, ate a quick dinner together, changed into performance attire, and returned to Brucknerhaus by 7:00.

At 7:30 the performance began, beginning with constant applause from the audience the whole time the combined choirs filed onto the risers (apparently a standard practice in Europe). The opening piece was Haydn's glorious 'Mass in Time of War,' and it was simply incredible to hear these KIDS sing so maturely and passionately! The four soloists were all college students with ties to LSU (where Dr. Fulton works), and they were wonderful also. The audience loved it, and the applause was loud and sustained at the end of the last movement.

After intermission, our Girls Choir took the stage by themselves and sang selections from Stabat Mater (including a duet by Cari and Alyson), followed by 'See Lovely Day is Dawning,' 'Beautiful Dreamer,' and 'Chattanooga Choo Choo.' The audience was very appreciative, but there were also many comments of concern, because right after the very last note of 'Choo Choo,' one of the Grace Moore Singers fainted on the back row and was eased down by the girls around her. She was determined to finish the song, but that was all she had. She was given aid backstage and was soon better, but she remained backstage the rest of the performance. Meanwhile, the Linn-Mar Chorale (the group from Iowa) performed their pieces, including some songs that sounded really difficult rhythmically. Then both choirs reassembled on stage to sing 'Shenandoah,' 'Death Shall Not Destroy My Comfort,' 'Amazing Grace,' and 'Ride On, King Jesus.' There was very enthusiastic applause for them and Dr. Fulton as they finished -- well-deserved, absolutely -- and the applause continued until the last performer had left the stage.

After group photos on stage and lots of good-byes with Dr. Fulton and members of the other choir, we returned to the hotel to pack to leave for Salzburg early tomorrow morning. It's been quite a day. Believe me, you all would've been so proud of our girls!

The Girls Choir rehearsed their individual songs on stage first in today's rehearsal.

The Linn-Mar Chorale from Iowa practiced their individual songs next.

The choirs rehearsed Haydn's Mass in Time of War with the orchestra.

After a successful concert, the choirs and 4 guest soloists posed for pictures.

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