The Gustavus Choir, under the direction of Dr. Brandon Dean, is excitedly anticipating their departure for their upcoming tour of the west coast beginning on Sunday, May 22, 2022.
This year the choir will begin their tour in Seattle and work their way down the coast, eventually arriving in Los Angeles for the final stop of the tour. Throughout the nine-day tour, the choir will be performing in 5 different venues and will have the privilege of working with two local west coast choral ensembles. To begin the tour, the choir will be performing in the beautiful St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle followed by a performance in Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland.
The members of the choir are particularly excited about this year’s tour, as it is their first touring experience since the spring of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To graduating senior Eli McMahon, the people are what make tour most exciting. He says, “Something about riding on a bus for hours on end facilitates getting to know the incredible people in this choir on a deeper level, and that alone would be reason enough to be excited.”
This tour is especially significant for the graduating class of 2022, as this is their last time performing with a Gustavus music ensemble. Eli says “Given that this is likely the last time I will be singing with the Gustavus Choir, I will focus on gratefully reflecting on my experience in my four years here and soaking in every beautiful moment!”
Throughout the last 40 years, the choir has had the high honor of performing in beautiful locations worldwide, from cathedrals, conservatories, and cultural centers in Scandinavia, Russia, Asia, South Africa, and countless European countries. Most recently, the choir toured London, Paris, Vienna, Leipzig, Wittenberg, and Stockholm with performances in iconic locations such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Notre Dame. Most notably, the choir had the high honor of performing for the King and Queen of Sweden in 2012.
“Touring is the backbone of an ensemble like the Gustavus Choir. It deepens bonds between its members, motivates us to create the highest quality music we can, and gives us an opportunity to share that with the world,” says Eli.
The choir’s tour this year will last nine days, beginning on May 22 with the ensemble returning home on May 30.