Accomplished singers from Arkansas State University and the Jonesboro area, both contingents from the ASU Concert Choir and University/Community Choir, will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform next March amidst the glories of Renaissance Florence, Italy, and participate in a celebration of the Mass at the St. Peters Basilica in the Vatican, the largest Christian church in the world.

Under the direction of Dr. Dale Miller, professor of music and director of choral activities at A-State, the choirs will be comprised of only those members who will pay their own way, or who have committed to fundraising to finance the trip. Of the 60 students in the ASU Concert Choir, only 30 will make the trip. Twenty of the 45 members of the University/Community Choir will avail themselves of the unique experience.

The highlight of the musical odyssey will be a celebration of the Mass at the Vatican. The choir will sing the Introit, Offertory, Communion and Final portions of the service. The priest in charge of the service has the right to select which pieces are performed from a list supplied in advance by Miller.

“The repertoire (in Florence) will consist of music of 16th century Italian masters and 20-21st century American composers, with a strong portion of the American music consisting of African-American spirituals – always a favorite in Europe,” Miller said.

He said the entire repertoire will be a cappella (sans instrumental accompaniment) to take advantage of the magnificent acoustics found in many of the Renaissance-era performance venues.

“Most of the repertoire is sacred literature that was written to be performed in the churches where we will sing, with a few secular pieces to be added in the recitals,” Miller said.

“I have no doubt this trip will be one that the students, faculty and community members will remember throughout their lives,” said the renowned director. “I recently had contact with some singers from my first opportunity to lead an international tour in 1990. They vividly remember their almost indescribable feelings of singing Haydn’s music in the castle where Franz Josef Haydn was the court musician; giving an impromptu performance of a Latin motet and choral benediction in a beautiful cathedral where Mozart led the orchestra; and staying in a hotel literally around the corner from the small Viennese church where Franz Schubert first played the organ and conducted his much-loved Mass no. 2 in G Major.”

The group is attempting to raise as much of the $3,000 cost per student as possible. The students have conducted choir-sponsored nights at two Jonesboro restaurants, conducted a silent auction, and held a spring Boston butt sale, with another slated to begin Nov. 2. Miller and his musicians also have performed several of the tour selections for churches in Jonesboro and the area, with additional performances scheduled in the ensuing months.

The two choirs will perform all tour selections at a “Bon Voyage” concert in ASU’s beautiful Riceland Hall on Monday, March 15, with a preview concert on November 5.

Dates for the trip are March 18-26.

Last month, the ASU Concert and Chamber choirs hosted singers from area two-year schools and conducted a silent auction to raise money for the trip to Florence and Rome.

Two-year college choirs that participated in the unprecedented free choral event included the Arkansas Northeastern College Concert Singers, directed by Andrew Jensen; the ASU-Beebe Chamber Singers, directed by Dr. Tim Bartlett; Black River Technical College Kimbrough Choir, directed by Joniece Trammel; and the combined choirs of Three Rivers Community College, directed by Cindy White.
It would be my fondest wish that all of our singers could make the trip to Italy,” Miller said. “Those who will make the trip are in for the thrill of a lifetime, Miller said.

“For ASU’s singers to have the opportunity to see some of the world’s great Renaissance art in Florence and travel to Rome to sing in the Vatican – priceless.”