4449 Camp Bowie Boulevard * Fort Worth * TX * 76107 * USA
Telephone 817-732-8161 * Fax 817-732-4774
4449 Camp Bowie Boulevard * Fort Worth * TX * 76107 * USA
Telephone 817-732-8161 * Fax 817-732-4774
Wednesday,
August 9, 2000
(Pictures Below Updates)
Sharon Grassi wrote:
"We made it through customs slowly, but without a hitch and
went straight to our buses (after dragging coats out of our luggage).
It was approx. 37 degrees outside! We were met at the terminal by
our hosts: Alfredo Calvo Gaete - director of the Ninos Cantores Del Vina
Del Mar and Alejandro Scarpetta - director of the Canta Pueblo foundation
By now we were all bright and cheery and ready for the day, NOT!
We jumped on the bus with visions of beds in the near future but about
1 hour into the drive realized that the hotel was not quite as close as
we were hoping. After driving though tiny tunnels with cars seeming
way to close and everyone saying there was no way they could fall asleep
in the bouncy, noisy uncomfortable bus a great silence fell. We were
almost all asleep!
We finally arrived at our hotel in Vina Del Mar at about 9
AM local time, 6 AM LA time. Everyone found their beds and crashed
for about 3 hours. We were up by 1 PM to eat and hit the streets
of Chile to do some shopping. Our tour guide, Alejandro, took us
on a long walk around the city. We walked on the beach of the South
Pacific, some of us even got a little too close and a little too wet!
Then to a pier where local merchants were selling their crafts. We
then set out to the mall to do some real shopping. Total mileage
of our little hike must have been about 5 miles. We passed an ocean
side casino, Castillo Wulff, gardens, fountains and lots of local architecture.
As this message is coming to you the choristers are practicing for tomorrow's
concert. ...Parents, you can be sure that your children will sleep well
tonight!
Until our next update,
Sharon Grassi
(your local Chile reporter)"
Julian Ackerley wrote:
"Dear family and friends of the American Youth Choir:
Here we are in Vina del Mar, Chile…..the first leg of our
tour. What an incredible experience we are having, and it is only
our second day. The choristers are enjoying getting to know each
other as they develop friendships that will undoubtedly last a lifetime.
After our mid-morning arrival from an overnight flight from the US, we
spent a couple of hours resting. At least I tried to rest, most of
the singers were having a great time right outside my room. Oh well,
I'm happy to see the camaraderie develop. We spent the afternoon
walking through town on a beautiful day…..clear and cool. The ocean
was a favorite spot, second to the shopping mall, of course. Prior
to dinner I had an opportunity to have a short rehearsal fine tuning the
choir on a couple of rough edges we experienced in the Tucson performance.
It is a pleasure working with these young people. They are so responsive
to my direction and are very excited about the music we are collectively
making. The level of musical artistry increases every time they sing.
Tomorrow we will have our first major performance and I am confident it
will be an outstanding effort. All of the country can be proud of
the American Youth Choir. I’ll keep in touch as much as possible
the next several weeks. Thank you for your confidence in me and my
work with these wonderful musicians.
Warmest Regards,
Julian Ackerley"
The Choir Rehearses in Chile
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| We need YOUR help to identify the children in the pictures. To name a picture, right click on it and select properties. Then E-mail us with the name of the picture, the names of the children in the picture, and the choir name. We will then update the web site with captions, which will include the childrens' names, etc. We appreciate your help! |
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