Category: Gustavus Choir in Italy 2011

  • Glowing Companion Tour Comments

    The Gustavus Choir delighted its audiences in Italy as much as the sights and tastes of Italy delighted the Gustie travelers. The choir, however, earned especially high praise from its most faithful fans, the 15 members of the Gustavus Companion Tour. Those tour mates attended every concert and typically sat in the front row. Here…

  • View a Photo Gallery

    A collection of images from the Gustavus Choir’s January 2011 Class and Tour of Italy is now on the Gustavus Adolphus College Flickr site at Gustavus Choir Tour of Italy 2011. A picture is worth a thousand words, and thousands of images were captured along the way, yet some experiences reside best in memory. For a…

  • Gustie Rouser and Circle Song in Verona

    Thousands of miles away from campus, the Gustavus Choir shows its school spirit by spontaneously singing the “Gustie Rouser” on the Arena floor in Verona, Italy, during the January 2011 tour. Gustie Rouser by Gustavus Choir in Verona Italy January 2011 At this historic arena, the choir also sang/performed its “Circle Song.” The signature song…

  • Favorite Art Encounters

    Here, below, are some personal reflections from Gustavus Choir members about the art they experienced in Italy during the two-week January 2011 tour, which was preceded by studying art, culture, and creativity in the classroom earlier in the month. “The Visitation” by Mariotto Albertinelli in Florence “I’m not quite sure what it was about the…

  • More to Come

    Everyone is safely back home (with the exception of a few who are staying in Europe for some additional time, like one student who is studying abroad in Florence for Spring Semester). And, after a weekend of some jet-lag recovery, more will be posted here through at least Feb. 12, 2011, the date of the…

  • Homeward Bound . . .

    “Homeward Bound” is one of the songs in the Gustavus Choir Tour repertoire. Today (Friday, Jan. 28, 2011) the song’s theme was a lived experience. Starting at 3:30 a.m. in Venice, the choir and companions began the journey home. It took a boat ride and three flights. Now it’s 6:25 p.m. Central Standard Time and…

  • Scratching the Surface

    Barely scratching the surface is a phrase that comes to mind today (Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011). So much has been seen and done and yet there’s even more unseen and undone in Italy (not to mention the rest of the world in which we live). On the last day in Venice, the city of peace…

  • In Venezia (via Verona)

    We are now on the final leg of the Gustavus Choir’s Italian Tour 2011 and last night we arrived in Venezia — the beautiful canal city and guide Elisabetta’s hometown. (Where she has graciously shared her office and Internet connection with me to keep you all abreast of our journey!) Coming to Venice is an…

  • Buonissimo Cucina

    The 2011 Italy Tour is “exceeding expectations,” according to tour participants. One specific area where there is universal agreement of surpassing expectations is cucina Italiana (Italian cuisine). But that’s no surprise as it is part of the culture. “Eating and drinking is a major pleasure,” explains guide and Venice native Elisabetta. She and Rome native…

  • P is for Privilege

    Before performances the Gustavus Choir often has “Building Block,” which is a brief “team huddle” where a student shares his or her personal reflection for pre-concert inspiration and team building. Prior to today’s (Sunday,  Jan. 23, 2011) concert in Florence at Santa Maria dei Ricci, tenor Wes Baish ’13 talked about privilege. Recalling his youth…