PBA Rocky Mountain Tour 2009

Checking Out Red Rocks Amphitheatre

2009-06-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

Just one last thing before we head home...

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We need a box!

2009-06-28T22:36:00.001-07:00

PARENTS: We need one volunteer to bring
us a box (the size of a banker's box, or larger) when we arrive at Oakland Airport tomorrow. We'll need the box to collect music from the boys before they go home.

If you would be willing to help us out, please email me ASAP. Thanks!

joejazz27@gmail.com

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Celebrate Good Times -

2009-06-28T21:48:00.000-07:00

-Come On!

We're at the after party right now. Hundreds of kids having cupcakes, sodas, and sharing stories, laughter, and lots of honest hugs.

I'll write more about the concert later (it was absolutely fantastic), but for now please enjoy these pics!

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Pics from today's rehearsal

2009-06-28T14:20:00.001-07:00

Wow.

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Festival Day 3 (Sat.)

2009-06-28T06:52:00.001-07:00

After breakfast, we had our first individual rehearsal in the Newman Center For The Performing Arts.

The rehearsal went well, and afterwards we were blessed with some free time. While the boys enjoyed some competitive rounds of hacky sack, I managed to escape the group for a while and take a little hike around the surrounding area of DU (Denver University).

After lunch, the boys had a combined rehearsal with the full festival choir. While they rehearsed, Mr. Kula and I attended a conducting workshop that was taught by the director of choral music here at DU. I forget her name, but she was very good. I was one of the few volunteers to conduct a piece. And she helped me to realize that I definitely have a lot to learn as a conductor! So much so that I've finally decided that it's time to take private lessons from an experienced and well-established conductor. Hopefully I'll find an excellent mentor, because next year I'll be assuming the directing position of Intermezzi (PBA), and I want to be ready to direct choral music at a very high level!

The day ended with a "skit night," which was akin to watching a variety or talent show. Since we're at a choir festival, most of the groups did "skits" that included some singing and dancing. It was a very fun and entertaining night!

Festival Day 2 (Friday)

2009-06-27T07:31:00.001-07:00

The Sing A Mile High Festival in Denver has been a mostly enjoyable experience so far. There are some things I find border line unbearable. For example, everywhere we go there are lines that you have to wait in. And I mean LONG lines.

This is the line for yesterday's lunch in the cafeteria. The pic above is the beginning of the line, and the one below is just before the halfway point. It doesn't help that we (400 kids at the choir festival) are sharing the dorm(s) with other groups (sports camps, etc.), and some meals we have are at the same time.

The rehearsals yesterday were also quite long, but understandably so.

The kids rehearsed for a good hour and a half in the morning (after breakfast), and then they rehearsed for another two and a half hours after lunch. Can you imagine the kind of crowd-control needed for 400 kids rehearsing in the same room for such long periods of time?

After the afternoon rehearsal concluded (and after the rain had subsided!) all the kids at the festival hopped on buses, and headed to a water park. Riding on a bus is a great time to practice some simple hand games, like Chopsticks.

Here are some pics of our boys at the water park.

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More pics from Downtown Denver

2009-06-26T10:10:00.001-07:00

I didn't take many pics at the Denver Zoo - it was raining. Enjoy!

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First Rehearsal @ Sing a Mile High

2009-06-26T07:22:00.001-07:00

400 kids in one room, singing and making beautiful music. Can you believe it?!

Hard to see, but below is a picture of composer, pianist, director, and teacher extrodinaire, Rollo Dilworth.

Yesterday, it was Matthew Little's (Cantori) 13th birthday. All 400 kids sang Happy Birthday to him! (sorry for the blurry picture. I managed to run into the room at the very last minute to snap the photo).

Happy 13th B-day, Matthew!

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Blog and Walk

2009-06-25T11:46:00.000-07:00

We're walking through downtown Denver right now. Let's practice looking tough.

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Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs)

2009-06-25T09:01:00.000-07:00

(Wednesday)

The Chapel at the Air Force Academy was an impressive sight to behold.

Hey, look! Some rare pictures of me directing at the main chapel (Protestant).
Pam took these. If you'd like your own autographed copies of these photos, just let me know. They are $20 a piece. Please make your checks payable to...(just kidding!).

Beneath the Protestant Chapel is the Catholic Chapel

And beneath this chapel is the Jewish Chapel

According to our tour guide, the paintings in the Jewish Chapel were each valued at one million dollars! There were a total of nine of them. Can you believe that?!

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Linda Valenti's Place

2009-06-24T12:30:00.000-07:00

Linda Valenti, one of the founding board members of the PBA, was our (the staff) host in Laramie.

I had never met her until this trip, but during our short stay in Laramie, I quicky discovered just how wonderful of a person she is. She was responsible, I'm sure, for the many people that filled Trinity Lutheran Church last night to hear the boys sing.

After the concert last night, the staff were treated to a party at Linda's house.

Fernando Tarango (PBA) whom we ran into in Utah, was staying at her house (he's doing a singer-songwriter tour). He's also good friends with Linda's daughter, Shannon. Here he is performing some of his material:

Saying goodbye to Linda was a little hard, because to our staff she is family.

Linda also gives the BEST hugs ever!

Goodbye Linda and goodbye Wyoming!
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Some more pics from Wyoming

2009-06-24T07:20:00.001-07:00

We're about to leave Laramie, but before we go, here are some more pics...

More later (hopefully)

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Laramie, Wyoming

2009-06-23T23:34:00.001-07:00

I'm sorry that I haven't updated the blog since we left Utah. I've not had fast enough cellphone service in Wyoming to post things (especially pics).

Well, tonight I finally have access to WiFi at the house that we're staying at! Hooray!! If you're a parent who has been checking our blog regularly, I'm sure you're excited too.

Anway, I took a ton of pics since the last blog. I'll try to post as many of them as possible.

As you can see below, the boys are required to observe a very strict diet while on tour:

Shortly after lunch in Rock Springs (Monday), the boys had some fun at an open school playground area.

Then we stopped by this Hot Springs area before reaching Laramie.

This pic shows some of the boys throwing snowballs at our bus.

Here's our bus driver, Roy, having some fun making a snow angel.

More pics to come tommorow morning. (I'm going to bed now - it's been a very long day). Stay tuned!

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Saying Goodbye (Part 2)

2009-06-22T08:09:00.001-07:00

More of our host families in UT:

Goodbye, Choir School of the Madeleine. We'll miss you!

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Day 5 (Leaving Utah)

2009-06-22T07:55:00.001-07:00

Saying goodbye to some of our host families:

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Recordings from last night

2009-06-22T06:27:00.001-07:00

A couple tracks from our Sunday night concert at the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City:

Brother James's Air

Climbin up the mountain

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Happy Fathers' Day!

2009-06-21T20:44:00.000-07:00

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The Choir Loft

2009-06-21T10:35:00.001-07:00

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Day 4 (Salt Lake City, UT)

2009-06-21T10:15:00.001-07:00

Good morning, and Happy Father's Day! We are now at the Cathedral of the Madeleine warming up.

Our first performance will be to sing at the 11 am service. This is the normal service that the Choir School (Madeleine) sings at, but because they are on summer break, we will be singing alone, in their place.

This is Greg, our organist for today:

Okay, I just found out I'll be playing the organ on one piece. Yikes! I do play the organ at my own church, but I don't really consider myself an organist. I'll be sure to say my prayers!

This the view from the choir lift, where the boys are singing during the service.

More after the service...
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End of Day 3

2009-06-20T21:47:00.001-07:00

Today, in my humble opinion, has been the most enjoyable and rewarding day for the boys. The boys are really starting to bond, and it's truly a joy to not only see and hear the boys perform in a variety of venues, but also to see them develop meaningful friendships with one another, as well as developing their own unique set of life skills that can only be obtained by going on a tour like this.

(We even had a surprise visit from Mr. Tarango!)

It has also been such a rewarding experience for me, too. This is my first official tour in my first year with PBA, and I now feel like I am truly part of the PBA family. It's been great getting to know Pam Weimer and her son, Bryan. Chris (Mr. Kula) and I are never without good conversation when those two are around. And believe me, having Bryan and Pam around also means our tour runs much smoother.

By the way, tomorrow the boys will sing here: Cathedral of the Madeleine

And I'll get to play on this!

This piano is absolutely the most fantastic sounding instrument I've ever played. It's a huge Bosendofer concert grand. The piano action is perfect and the resonance is heavenly. Mr. Kula and I want to bring it back home with us.

Well, I think I'll bring this to a close now. I'm having a hard time believing that my iPhone will even be able to upload this latest blog-this one's pretty long, and there are more than a few pictures. Speaking of which, here's just one last pic. Good night folks!

-- Post From My iPhone

Dinner time!

2009-06-20T18:03:00.001-07:00

Aside from one boy feeling slightly homesick (he's all smiles right now, and playing basketball at the time of this writing), ALL of the boys look like they're having a fantastic time since our arrival in Utah. Mrs. Weimer and I both agree that this is a much more family-oriented atmosphere than Elko. In fact, it feels a little like home in the Bay Area. I suppose this is a main contributing factor in determining the boys now very joyful demeanor.

Julian insisted that I put him on the blog. Ok, here you go, Julian.

Hacky sack circle. Heads up!

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More Day 3 Pics!

2009-06-20T16:37:00.000-07:00

Elijah and Josef eating at a food court in Salt Lake, Utah.

Playing a round of knockout at the Choir School of the Madeline.

Practicing at the Choir School.

Ronan and Pierce listening for instructions from Mr. Kula.

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Can you guess where we are now?

2009-06-20T14:28:00.001-07:00

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Rest Stop in...

2009-06-20T11:08:00.001-07:00

Ok, gotta go now. Bye!

Day 3

2009-06-20T09:08:00.001-07:00

We're about to hit the road again. Our next stop is Salt Lake City, Utah. The weather is dramatically different than yesterday morning: it's cloudy, wet, and feels like it's somewhere in the mid to upper 60s. We've been told that we may be following a storm along the North East.

Actually, one unusual event that occurred during last night's concert: a thunder storm! To be honest, I was a little distracted by it. But according to Mr. Kula, the boys performance wasn't affected.

More later...

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End of Day 2 (Elko)

2009-06-20T00:03:00.001-07:00

These pics below are from earlier today. You can see the boys rehearsing inside of First Presbyterian Church.

After the rehearsal we were treated to a delicious potluck by our Elko host families. Some of the menu items included fruit salad, scalloped potatoes, corn on the cob, and fried chicken. (I'm getting hungry again just thinking about that dinner!). The boys ate well, and our host families were very nice.

After dinner, we put on our first concert. This was our longest performance yet: one hour and forty-five minutes! We did two sets of music, with a brief intermission in between. The boys did really well for such a long concert, but it became clear to us (musical staff) that there is still much perfomance etiquette for the boys to learn (like smiling while taking a bow, or how to hold music folders correctly, and watching the director as much as possible).

All things considered, the boys' first concert was a great success, and our medium to larger-size audience was very appreciative and welcoming.

That's it for day two. Until tomorrow.... Good night, and Day 3 - Here We Come!

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Some pics from Lamoille Canyon

2009-06-19T11:55:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from our first outing today. Couldn't post them earlier due to poor service. Enjoy!

-- Post From My iPhone

Day 2

2009-06-19T10:01:00.001-07:00

Good morning everybody! This morning's blog is coming to you from Coffee Mug restaurant in Elko, NV. I'm about to have my breakfast, and the boys are probably doing the same....

Ok, fast forward to 15 min later. It's now 9:40 and the adults are now on the bus getting ready to pick up the boys. It's absolutely beautiful. Not a single cloud in the sky. In fact, it feels a little like, well, California.

According to Roy, downtown Elko today will be the home of a biker convention. Not Lance Armstrong. Think more Hell's Angels.

Ok, now we're at the church. The boys look excited to start the second day of tour. I'll write more later. Right now, I'm going to check up on how the boys' homestays went.

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End of Day 1

2009-06-18T22:43:00.001-07:00

It's 9:20 as I write this. (I might not be able to post this right away). Pam is reading some guidelines for the boys' homestays.... 9:30 now. We're at the church unloading luggage....9:45. Most of the boys have left with their homestays. Two boys are still waiting for their family to arrive. Some small talk now with our bus driver, Roy. He said he used to work on trains, and was surprised that we arrived ahead of schedule. Roy said he enjoys driving charter buses. Compared to his normal job, driving bay area school buses, this is nice and easy. Weather feels pretty mild still. Last two boys left now.

I'm definitely looking forward to day two - I can't wait to perform, and I'm sure the boys and Mr. Kula are eager to sing as well. Ok, that's it for now. Until tomorrow...good night!

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Dinner

2009-06-18T18:51:00.000-07:00

Suprisingly good food! If only our waiter didn't drop our food the first time around. The boys displayed excellent table-side manners. Both Mr. Kula and I were impressed. And the boys really enjoyed eating in a moving train car with a view of the vast Nevada landscape.

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Are we there yet?

2009-06-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

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Journal Time!

2009-06-18T11:45:00.001-07:00

Mr. Kula asked the boys to put the games away, and to write in their journals for a bit. I suppose I should put my iPhone away and just simply enjoy the ride for a while. More blogging coming your way later this evening.

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Sacramento

2009-06-18T11:15:00.001-07:00

Mr. Kula enjoying a little snack just before we depart from Sacramento. Train ride has been extremely smooth so far. The Weimers are enjoying a movie on Bryan's laptop. Boys are busy playing video games, reading books, and chatting. And me? Well, I'm writing this blog - duh!

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Goodbye!

2009-06-18T09:13:00.001-07:00

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Going over the Tour Booklet

2009-06-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

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Day 1

2009-06-17T16:48:00.000-07:00

We're at Amtrak in Emeryville now. Just waiting for a couple more boys to arrive. Not too much to write about just yet. I'm sure there will be plenty to share in the coming hours on the train.

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Tour Jobs

2009-06-17T08:31:00.000-07:00

Lead Boy & Luggage Lord— DeWit
Lead Boy & Concert Czar— Gilbert
Lead Boy & Bus Minister— Roth-Hawthorne
Chaperone Group Lead Boy & Bus Manager— Battles
Assistant to Mr. Kula & Gifts— Nesbitt
Assistant to Mr. Lim— Levy
Assistant to Mr. Weimer— Polcin
Assistant to Mrs. Weimer & Tower— Nakamura
Luggage Crew— Meier
Food Dudes— Gissler, Plowright
Inspector— DeBare
Concert Crew— Keislar
Dressing Room— J. Presburg
Uniform Case & Tie Guy— Mitchell
TSK/Joey— McDonnell
Sports Authority— Little
PRN bag— Mladjov
Med Kit— Z. Presburg
Gig Bag— Lew

Itinerary

2009-06-16T22:46:00.000-07:00

Thursday, June 18
Choir arrives Elko, NV by Amtrak ~10 p.m.
Dispatch quickly to families (at First Presbyterian?)

Friday, June 19
Provide breakfast and meet at First Pres. ~9:30 a.m.
Tour on bus
Rehearse at church in afternoon
Potluck at church with host families ~5 p.m.
Concert at church ~7 p.m.
Return home with host families after concert

Saturday, June 20
Provide breakfast and meet at First Pres. ~8:30 a.m.
Choir departs by bus from First Presbyterian ~ 9 a.m.
Arrive in Salt Lake City ~1 p.m.
Lunch and walking tour of Temple Square / LDS Museum
4 p.m. Arrive at Madeline Choir School
4:30–5:30 rehearsal in Song School
6 p.m. dinner for PBA served by MCS families
7:30–8:30 p.m. PBA rehearses in Cathedral
8:30 return home with families

Sunday, June 21
9:30 a.m. deliver boys in concert uniform to Cathedral
11 a.m. High Mass at Cathedral
12:30 p.m. host families take boys for afternoon, lunch and dinner
6:30 p.m. boys brought to Cathedral
8 p.m. concert
9 p.m. pick-up

Monday, June 22
9 a.m. drop-off at Cathedral for departure
Day of travel to Laramie
Evening potluck at the home of Linda Valenti (2627 Overland Rd., Laramie)
Hosts meet boys and bring home for evening (~8 p.m.)

Tuesday, June 23
Provide breakfast and bring boys to Trinity Lutheran by 9 a.m.
7 p.m. concert at Trinity Lutheran
take boys home after concert (~8:30 p.m.)

Wednesday, June 24
Provide breakfast and bring boys to Trinity Lutheran by 9 a.m. for departure to Denver, CO