The Chapel Choir and the Symphonette at Hope College will both be touring during the college's spring break.
The Chapel Choir and the Symphonette at Hope College will both be touring during the college's spring break.
The choir will be performing in Michigan and Ontario, Canada, and the Symphonette will be traveling to the East Coast with performances in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The Chapel Choir will perform in Toronto in Ontario on Friday, March 14; in Sudbury, Ontario on Sunday, March 16; and in Mason on Monday, March 17. The choir will also present its annual post-tour "Home" concert on Monday, March 24, at 7:30 p.m. at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, located at 195 W. 13th St., at 13th Street and Maple Avenue in Holland.
The Symphonette will perform in Flint on Thursday, March 13; in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, March 14; in East Stroudsburg, Pa., on Saturday, March 15; in Colts Neck, N.J., on Sunday, March 16; and in Belmar, N.J., and Sommerville, N.J., on Monday, March 17.
The Chapel Choir was organized in 1929 and began touring annually in 1953. In addition to touring extensively in the United States and Canada, the choir has made a European tour seven times, most recently in May 2005.
The members are selected by audition. The choir is directed by Dr. Brad Richmond, who is associate professor of music and director of choral activities at Hope.
The Symphonette was organized in 1953. The group has toured coast-to-coast in the United States, and has also performed in two provinces in Canada, the British Isles, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The Symphonette last traveled abroad in May 2007, performing in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic.
The Symphonette's members are selected each year from the college symphony orchestra. The Symphonette is directed by Dr. Gabe Southard, assistant professor of music. Sarah Southard, an oboist, will be performing with the group as a guest soloist.
The Chapel Choir and Symphonette each maintain active local performance schedules. Both groups have also made numerous radio and television appearances, including the nationally televised "Hour of Power" from Garden Grove Church in California. Both groups are also featured in Hope's nationally broadcast Christmas Vespers program each December.