Opportunities for BVU students in Chicago

This past weekend, Feb. 26 and 27, the BVU Choir took advantage of the opportunity to tour Chicago, IL. They began their tour by traveling to Beckman High School in Dyersville, IA for two choral clinics and were able to work under the direction of Jonathon Kopplin. On Saturday morning, they made their way to Chicago and participated in a Choral Clinic with Dr. Stephen Alltop in Alice Millar Chapel on the Northwestern University campus.

The BVU Choir then performed a recital of choral selections and solos featuring sophomores Sydney Snyder and Kylie Peterson, juniors Sadie Quist, Alison Buechler, and Nick Andersen, and seniors Kendra Elsberry, and Marcus Nielsen.

On Sunday morning, the BVU Choir was featured on the 10:30 a.m. service at the First Presbyterian Church in Arlington Heights, which is a suburb of Chicago. The attendance on this trip included 39 students and three adults including pianist, Deanna Larson, director, Dr. Paula Keeler and Don Keeler.

“It was a great tour. The students represented the university in a wonderful way,” Dr. Keeler said.

The students were given opportunities to explore the sites of Chicago when they were not singing.

“On Saturday, we went to Alice Millar Chapel on the Northwestern University Campus and had a clinic with the director there, and then did a mock-performance in the chapel. That afternoon, the same group of us, plus one, went to the Shedd Aquarium for a couple of hours, and then walked to a restaurant called Potbelly for a sandwich appetizer, followed by going to a restaurant, Giordano’s, for pizza. We had to wait an hour and a half, but it was way more than worth it,” senior Travis Kuster said.

Other things they were able to do included visiting the Navy Pier, exploring downtown Chicago, hanging out in the hotel, taking advantage of the hot tub, and getting to know each other better.

“Going to Chicago with the choir was a great! We had lots of fun, and I got closer to people I really like,” Quist said.

The BVU Choir had a great experience in Chicago and walked away with valuable advice.
“I really enjoyed getting other directors’ perspectives on the way we operate. This is a great way to see things that we miss on the inside,” Nielsen said.

BVU Choir’s Major Works concert is Sunday Apr. 18 at 3 p.m. in Schaller  Memorial Chapel