24 Truths and 6 Lies About Our 2024 Tours

Test your Classical Movements Knowledge with 2024 Season Questions to Celebrate The Holidays!

Reply to this email with your best guesses,

and you'll be entered to win a *camel ride!

*Camel Not Included

4 Truths and A Lie

Orchestra Edition

1. Benjamin Zander and the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra performed to sold out houses at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the Philharmonie in Berlin, the Rudolfinum in Prague, and the Musikverein in Vienna.

2. Vice President of Operations, Alessandra D'Ovidio, gave an in depth exclusive to NPR to discuss the Pikachu Youth Symphony tour.

3. The oldest consecutively-running youth orchestra in the country, the Portland Youth Philharmonic, performed with Grammy Award-winning Imani Winds to celebrate their centennial anniversary.

4. The Groton Orchestra went on a six country tour through Europe, traveling to Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Germany.

5. Our 35th tour with the National Symphony Orchestra was the largest tour of the year, encompassing 9 cities, 10 concerts, involving over 180 musicians, families, and staff. It required accommodations in 1,700+ hotel rooms, travel through 2,000+ plane and train tickets, and the transportation of over 10,000 pounds of luggage and 16,000 pounds of cargo.

4 Truths and A Lie

Culture & Collaboration Edition

6. The entire MET Orchestra, including Yannick Nézet-Séguin, wore Hanboks and visited a palace in Seoul Korea.

7. The Washington Chorus, The Michigan Chamber Choir, and Eugene Rogers received a major invitation to perform a double concert of Mendelssohn's Elijah in Buenos Aires at the Centro Cultural Kirchner - the nation's leading orchestra hall. This collaboration with La Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil Nacional and the Argentinean National Children's Choir was broadcast live on radio and television, making this a major event.

8. University of Michigan Men's Glee Club's tour to South America was 5 years in the making, spanning 19 days across Brazil, Argentina, and Peru.

9. The Harvard Radcliffe Orchestra gave three memorable concerts in South Korea and visited a women's Buddhist temple for a gourmet lunch, a tea ceremony, and meditation.

10. The Philadelphia Boys' Choir & Chorale on tour in India learned songs in Hindi and Tamil, collaborated with schools, adult ensembles, youth ensembles, and were welcomed at a Mumbai high school with Bindis, flower garlands, and drumming.

4 Truths and A Lie

Choir Edition

11. The Hopkins School, established in 1660, sang at 4 concerts, including St. Stephan's Cathedral in Vienna.

12. The Wellesley College Choir enjoyed a snow day at Red Rock Canyon while on their Western tour in January.

13. South Africa's National Girls' Choir, Sing in Harmony, was our first tour of 2024, traveling to Spain, France, and Italy. They also collaborated with the oldest boy choir in the world.

14. The Michigan Tech Concert Choir visited Hobbiton in New Zealand - a significant location used for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films.

15. Musyca Children's Choir went on a tour to the United Kingdom, including a stop where they "searched" for the Loch Ness monster at Loch Ness in Scotland.

4 Truths and A Lie

Staff Edition

16. Page La Fountain, Vice President of Operations, has been working for Classical Movements for 20 Years.

17. As a company we've worked in many lesser-traveled areas, including Syria, Malawi, Serbia, and Paraguay, among others.

18. Our staff has a wide variety of skills unrelated to our typical work load, including competitive dance experience, costume design, and bomb diffusion training.

19. The company was founded in 1994.

20. We hosted 27 concerts in our Secret Garden Concert Series at the Rectory on Princess Street.

4 Truths and A Lie

University Edition

21. On their Pacific Northwest tour, the Yale Glee Club went sledding, underground ice cavern exploring, and hiking, in addition to performing 4 concerts in Seattle, Portland, and Anchorage.

22. On their tour to southern Italy, the Smith College Chamber Choir sang in multiple concerts with lively collaborations around the region, including at the archeological site of Pompeii.

23. The Morgan State University Choir sang in churches, halls, an outdoor amphitheater, and the former parliament in the first capital of Greece.

24. Of all of our tours in 2024, The St. Olaf Choir was our longest, with 21 days to South Africa; the Amherst Choir was our shortest, with 5 days to Mexico; and the Smith College Choir was the smallest tour, with 22 travelers to Italy.

25. The Trinity University Choir of Texas, partnered with the San Antonio Choral Society, sang at Shakespeare's burial church, Duruflé's church, and Fauré's church in Paris.

Which of These New Commissions Wasn't Premiered in 2024?

26. Go where the wind takes you… by Ukrainian composer Iryna Aleksiychuk at Smetana Hall during the Prague Summer Nights Festival, commissioned for the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship.

27. Turn the River by Ukranian composer Victoria Poleva at the Kennedy Center, by the New Orchestra of Washington.

28. Escucho Tu Voz Cantar by Spanish composer Eva Ugalde at at La Iglesia del Seminario, by the Miami Children’s Chorus, Florida Singing Sons, and Children’s Chorus of Washington.

29. Toro Ya Alkebulan by South African composer Mokale Koapeng at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, by the San Francisco Girls Chorus.

30. Pîsimwak – Moons by Canadian First Nations Composer Karen Sunabacka at Fifth Avenue Memorial United Church, by the Toronto Beaches Children’s and Youth Chorus and the Medicine Hat College Girls’ Choir.

BONUS QUESTION

Which of these touring groups had to flee for the hills from a major rain storm during their trip

31. The Vassar College Choir on their 10-day, 5 concert tour to Austria and the Czech Republic.

32. The Grammy Award-winning Pacific BoyChoir Academy on their 12-day tour to Peru.

33. The Detroit Concert Choir on their 12-day multicultural tour to Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia.