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FLC Choirs prepare to take Europe by storm

“Endless internal screaming!” “I’m so excited I’m going to implode!” and “Excited to see the ocean!!!” were some of the comments from Fort Lewis College students about their upcoming cultural and performance tour of Italy, Munich and Salzburg.

After more than a year of planning, fundraising and rehearsing, members of the FLC Choirs are on their way to Rome.

Two years ago, Dr. Charissa Chiaravalloti began speaking with a tour company specializing in musical performance tours. Last spring, she approached the students with the idea, and by this fall, she had commitments from 42 current students and three recent graduates, plus a group of eight adults, five of whom are performing with the choirs.

A poll of the students found that at least seven have never been out of the country, and an additional four have never been out of North America. For a few, this trip will be only their second time on an airplane.

One of the best things about FLC is that whether you are a music major or not, you are welcome in our music department, as proven by the fact that about half of the student travelers are music majors and the rest are from across the curriculum.

Follow their tour at www.facebook.com/musicatflc to read the students’ blogs during the trip.

The Community Concert Hall hosts three wonderful performances this month:

On Tuesday, Ballet Folklorico Quetzalli de Veracruz performs its visual fiesta of culture and folklore featuring regional dances of old Mexico. The music, performed live on authentic stringed instruments, punctuates the meticulous movement, colorful clothing and perfect pulse established by the dancers. Earning standing ovations from Cuba to Malaysia, “Quetzalli” shines as one of Mexico’s most popular exports.

On May 12, internationally renowned modern acrobatic dance company Diavolo Dance Theater brings its newest work, “Architecture in Motion.” Diavolo has earned a reputation for stunning, innovative movement on oversized surrealistic sets and everyday structures. Working together, the Diavolo dancers explore the challenges of relationships, the absurdities of life and the struggles to maintain our humanity. Diavolo is said to make precisely coordinated feats look improvisational, even reckless.

On May 15, one of Durango’s favorites, Natalie MacMaster, returns in a special show, “Visions from Cape Breton and Beyond.” For the first time on stage, MacMaster and Donnell Leahy feature their children alongside dancers and singers performing in the traditions of their hometowns of Cape Breton and Lakefield, Ontario. The evening highlights the unique talents, influences and stories of the first family of traditional fiddlers through dancing, singing and world-class music-making.

Purchase tickets for the Concert Hall performances at the Durango Welcome Center, www.durangoconcerts.com or by calling 247-7657.

blaylock_sl@fortlewis.edu Shauna Blaylock is the publicist/event coordinator for the FLC Music Department.



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