Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

Aloha!

After the trip home, lost then found luggage, a nap, and a shower I almost feel like a person again. In the coming weeks I'll be going in to the photobucket site to re-post all the photos in chronological order and create some better captions, and I'll be adding videos too! Be sure to check back for the new and improved photo album and videos of our adventures!

Thanks again to the singers for being good travel companions (they were voted "friendliest choir" by our Hawaiian interns), and to my fellow staff members who helped wake up, put to sleep, feed, launder,photograph, and herd the cats from place to place. Greg, Carrie, Colleen, Bill, Ginny, Paige, and I worked hard to help the kids have fun and represent themselves, AYS, you, and Atlanta in a positive way, and Paige worked with them all year to prepare them to shine musically. Big props to Ginny for planning cool activities and experiences--the details of the Ventura visit, the leis at the airport, snorkeling and hiking Diamond Head were not standard parts of the Festival experience--those were planned by Ginny! We were like a finely oiled machine.

Be sure to thank Carrie for serving as the photographer, and be sure to check out her uploads at Aloha Mele, the Pac Rim Festival's blog/photo site. Also, thanks to the kids, Greg, Colleen, and the Lodise family for sharing their photos.

Much mahalo!

-Brianne

PS I'd still like more input from the kids about their experiences and favorite memories. You can email me or use the comment feature on the blog to share them!

Monday, July 21st

Hello friends,

We just got back from snorkeling in Hanauma Bay near Waikiki, and we're resting up a bit before dinner. Our hotel is the Waikiki Beach Mariott, and the beds are AMAZING--soft and heavenly. We're on the 14th & 15th floors, and the view is both stunning and a little dizzying for some.
Tomorrow is Pearl Harbor and the farewell picnic/dance in the evening. I think I can speak for everyone when I say it's been a wonderful trip. Be sure to check back once tour is over for more photos, videos, and memories.

Mahalo,
Brianne


From Jacob:
The view from the balcony [aka lanai] at Turtle Bay was spectacular! The guest artists at the concerts all were amazing!
-Jacob C.

Sunday, July 20th

From Dani:
Hey Mom & Dad!
I miss you! I have been having sooo much fun! I have been making new friends! Sorry I haven't been able to write! I'll tell you all about it in LA! I love you! I miss you!
-Dani

From Amelia:
Hey Mom,
Yeah, I am having a great time. all the choirs here are so nice. We found out a new way to play the pony game. It is really cool =)! I am taking lots of pictures. I miss all of y'all and can't wait to see you Thursday morning bright and early (for me).
Today, 7-20, I got up at 5:30am to watch the sunrise. It was so pretty, and I also saw two gorgeous rainbows. They took my breath away!
Anyways, how is everyone doing? Well, if they ask tell them I am doing fine. Tell everyone that I love them and can't wait to see y'all!!
Hugs and Kisses,
Amelia

P.S. Can't wait to go snorkeling and go to Pearl Harbor, I'll make sure to take lots of pictures! Love ya!!

Saturday, July 19th

From Brianne:
I've been trying to get the kids to write about their experiences so you can read their words instead of mine. Their contributions are trickling in bit by bit. We don't have internet access (or access to coffee at BYU!) during the day, and the chaperons are occupied with getting kids to sleep and ready for the next day once we return to the hotel, so the plans for photo and video uploads have taken a back seat. We also have the PacRim Festival blog and photo album that you can check out while we sift through our pictures to upload. Thanks for your patience!

From Courtney:
Hey everybody! I'm having sooo much fun in Hawaii! Everything is so beautiful! Especially the beach! Henry Leck, our director, is really cool. Today we are having a concert and we will have another one tomorrow. Everything has been so awesome! I can't wait until we go snorkeling!
-Courtney

From Geoff:
I am loving HAWAII. It is so much fun! The hotel and beach are really nice and pretty. The PCC was so awesome! I learned 2 dances and got 2 instruments. The Hawaiian culture is really cool.
See you soon,
Geoff

From Caroline M. (I think--no name on the blog note):
Hey Mom, Dad, and Katy!!
We are so busy! But keeping busy is good because I don't have time to be nearly as homesick. I have so many crazy stories I can't wait to tell you! Hope you guys are doing o.k. without the center of your world!
Love you!!
Care Bear

From Olivia P.:
Aloha!
Dear Mom, dad, and Abby,
I miss you guys so much but I'm having a great time in Hawaii! We've had so much fun!
It's so beautiful here. The sky is always pretty, no matter if it's bright blue or covered with fluffy clouds. It's really the people that you're with that make Hawaii such a great place to stay. Sharing the sunrise with good friends and the sunset with new ones is what makes Hawaii a true paradise. Although the great view can help a little too!
I love and miss you so much!
Olivia

PS I've met so many new friends and have had so much fun! I can't wait to tell you all about it in California!

From Sara:
Hi Dad,
I will really miss you! We will watch the Olympics. Which ones are you filming? I will watch it on the night of the 18th I was homesick. Everyone was asleep except me. I tried to wake up one person but she wouldn't budge so I tried my friend Ellie. She woke up. I told her that I was homesick and she made me feel better. I really miss you and I miss Pogo, too. How are her ears and her head?
Oh Dad, I almost forgot, I got you a birthday present. You are going to love it. My friend Jessica has the same birthday as you. How cool is that?! Well, I have to go. Bye!
Love,
Sara

PS I love you very much!

Friday, July 18th

Message for Sara K's family (from the Ventura leg of tour):

Dear Mom, Dad, and Leah (and animals too),
I miss you very much, but it's okay 'cause I have Jessica as a kinda sister. She is the coolest person ever. Happy Birthday Dad and I really love you. I"m going to get you the best present probably ever. I'm having lots of fun and we are on our way to Hawaii now. Thank you Mom for putting the money in my bank, it's in there now. I have a pretty necklace that has a heart attached to a key. I also got a little crystal that is very pretty. Leah, is Pogo missing me very much? I miss her very much and I haven't seen her for like 3 weeks already. I'm going to get you a present in Hawaii. You're going to like it better than Atlanta's presents. L.A. is awesome! It's the first time I have been here and I already like it. It's amazing and the hotel is awesome. It has a hot tub! Well, gotta go. Love you guys! Bye!
-Sara

P.S. The mountains are VERY pretty over here.

Thursday, July 17th

Aloha blog readers!

It's 11pm Hawai'i time and the kids are tucked in and tuckered out from a long and rewarding day. We arrived at the Polynesian Cultural Center this morning and were divided into villages--Hawai'i, Tahiti, Maori, and Samoa. Each village group did a singing, dancing or instrument playing activity from the village culture then we returned to BYU for more mass choir rehearsals.

After an already music filled day we came back for a little play time during which the kids chose to make leis, learn to hula, swim in the pool or swim at the beach, then we were off for dinner then rehearsal, sound check and the evening concert. We were last on the concert after Hawai'i, Alaska, New York, Illinois, and another New York choir. The kids had a bit of a tough rehearsal (intonation problems and general musical issues) but then they really did a good job on the concert--the Hawai'ians really appreciated "Ahe Lau Makani" and the other selections were a big hit too. I was really proud of everyone--the soloists, Phoebe (who played dulcimer) and Caroline (who played guitar).

Tomorrow is a bit less busy, and I'll remind the kids to write something for the blog and I'll get more pictures up on photobucket. For now I'm hoping to get to bed soon!

Mahalo,
Brianne

Tuesday, July 15th

I'm sure you can imagine how busy we've been! I will be adding kids' comments, notes home, and observations as they come in (as time permits). I did see the comments some of you wrote, and I'll pass along the messages to the kids.

In a nutshell, Ventura was wonderful, as was the VMCCCC, and the concerts went exceedingly well at both the Ventura Center for Spiritual Learning and with the Ventura Choir. I have video that I will put up when I can.
The travel day yesterday began nicely with a tour of LA's sights and lunch at the Santa Monica Pier but then the travelling to Hawaii part was long and exhausting, especially for group 2. But we're here and we had the treat of having the full traditional welcome to Hawaii when we got off the planes, which included a Hawaiian presenting us with fresh flower leis.

Today we hit the ground running and hiked up the Diamond Head Crater (some faster than others) and then we took a catamaran sail around the coast of Waikiki. Everyone had a great time, and we even saw dolphins swimming and jumping!

An aside: The staff got tickled at the fact that one of the things the kids got really excited about was the fancy toilets at our Waikiki hotel (complete with heated seats and bidet!)

Our internet access was patchy during the travel days, but now we're at the Festival I'll be able to give more regular updates and I'll also upload pictures every chance I get. BTW, all the postcards you've seen can't hold a candle to the real thing!

Mahalo!
Brianne


from THENDRAL

7/15
Dear People,
How have you been doing since you wrote on the blog? I have been doing EXTREMELY well in Hawaii. We hiked up the Diamondhead crater this morning, and the view was beautiful. We also went on a catamaran sail. I also had lots of pineapple for lunch! I will try to keep you posted!
Love, Thendral

Saturday, July 12th--Ventura/Oxnard, CA

It's been a long and exhausting but wonderful day of travel, singing, and meeting other singers! We have finally checked in to the hotel and the kids are at the pool doing their swimming test, just to be sure everyone who wishes to swim, snorkel, or do other water activities during tour are competent swimmers. It's 11:56pm Georgia time, but only 8:56pm according to the local time.

Our flights from Atlanta to LA were good and pretty uneventful, then we took a coach up to Ventura College for a workshop with the Ventura Master Chorale's Children's Chorus. They are very nice kids and good singers too! The VMCCC's supporters fed our kids lunch and dinner, then gave us rides back to the hotel after the rehearsals.

Tomorrow we have two performances--a church service in the morning, then a 7pm concert with the VMCCC in the evening. I'll update the blog with messages from the kids and photos that I gather from Carrie (our Tour photographer) and the kids.

The AYSC staff is VERY happy with the great behavior and attitudes of our singers so far! The kids have been great travellers and you should be proud of them!

The More the Merrier!

The More- the Merrier - Atlanta comes to Ventura
from the Ventura County Star

It's a small world, after all! In 2000,in Tuscany, Italy, the directors and singers of the Atlanta Young Singers of Callanwolde and the Children's Concert Choir of the Master Chorale of Ventura County crossed paths at a children's choir fesival. Their paths cross again on the weekend of July 12 and 13 as the Atlanta Singers make a brief stop in Ventura County on their way to the Pacific Rim Children's Chorus Festival in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Paige Mathis, Atlanta's director, came to Ventura County during the 2007 Ojai Festival and discovered the Gold Coast when she performed with the Atlanta Symphony Chamber Chorus. The opportunity to return arose earlier this year when she contacted Marcene Jardine, Ventura's retiring director, to discuss the possibilities of making a stopover en route to the Islands. A joint concert, now titled, "The More, the Merrier!" was discussed and scheduled for Sunday, July 13 at 7:00 pm in the Ventura College Theater.

The Atlanta Young Singers touring group is a Treble Choir of boys and girls, ages 11-15, especially selected to attend the Pacific Rim Festival. Bringing some samples of the Asian and Polynesian repertoire they will perform there, Ms. Mathis and her singers be featured in one part of the program; the Ventura Concert Choir gets the spotlight to sing some of their favorites as well. Then both will assemble for a performance of Canadian composer Imant Raminsh's Missa Brevis, a work commissioned by Henry Leck for children's choirs. It will be conducted by Ms. Mathis who will also lead the same work in Carnegie Hall in 2009.

Instrumental and vocal soloists will be drawn from the Ventura group who come from cities throughout the county. Ventura is represented by oboeist, Addison James and soprano Alexa Constantine; Oxnard soloists are mezzo Hannah Martin, altos Jonathan Ybanez and Claire Winch; Camarillo claims Lori Bell, mezzo, and Melissa Cook, violin/fiddle; James Graham of Fillmore sings alto. Director Marcene Camp Jardine and Mary Canfield come from Oxnard and Camarillo, respectively.

"The More, the Merrier" will be presented at the Ventura College Theater in one performance only on Sunday evening, July 13 at 7:00 pm. Tickets will be available at the door - $10, adults; $5 children/students and a $25 family pack. For additional information, call (805) 654-0995.

This site is for YOU!

This site will be where we link photos, videos, information, and messages home during tour. Please make sure you're familiar with the Pacific Rim Festival's website, and of course be 100% on your notes, rhythms, and WORDS!