"Niagara International Music Festival"
July 5-July 10, 2004

The Tampa Bay Children’s Chorus Touring Group returned last week from an international gathering of choirs in the Niagara region of Ontario, Canada. Children’s choruses from 3 Canadian provinces and 6 of the United States met for five days of performing and working with internationally acclaimed composer and conductor Bob Chilcott on the campus of beautiful Ridley College in St.Catharine’s. 

The TBCC group performed a variety of songs by Canadian and American composers. Their repertoire also included folksongs and works by Fauré and Rossini. Singers participating represented many different parts of the Tampa Bay area and ranged in age from 10 to 18. Each of the fourteen choirs presented an individual concert, then joined together to present a massed concert on the final day. 

Outside of their interaction with other singers from North America and working with Mr. Chilcott, highlights of the trip included two trips to Niagara Falls, where they enjoyed the Maid-of-the-Mist boat trip, tunnels underneath the falls, and a new IMAX film about the falls. They also had a side excursion to the beautiful town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Many pen-pal relationships were begun, and singers benefited greatly from hearing other choirs and from working daily with Mr.Chilcott. 

At Niagara Falls

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