What did I do this summer? Apart from being a camp counselor and binge-watching all of Glee, I’d say competing at the CantaRode International Choral Festival was the icing on the cake. As a member of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Chamber Singers, I spent nine months preparing for our international debut under the direction of the University’s director of choral activities, Dr. William Plummer.
Following our tour in Brugge and Ghent in Belgium in late May, we competed in Kerkrade, Netherlands in early June. From dozens of applying choirs, very few were accepted to compete. In the end, the Chamber Singers placed fifth out of 10 contenders.
In writing this article, I was delighted to reconnect with my colleagues and relive our shared experiences. Ty Crump, a sophomore majoring in early childhood education and a returning choir member, said, “Knowing that we beat people who have travelled internationally time and time again… I was surprised, and I was happy for us because we put in a lot of work.”
Considering the world-renowned competitors, this being our inaugural overseas performance, and the diversity of majors and classifications within the Chamber Singers, placing fifth is a remarkable testament to the caliber of people studying at this university.
Despite our exhaustion after 36 hours of travel, everyone would agree that Brugge being our first stop made up for it. The city is filled with canals and even more history. Photos, although beautiful, couldn’t capture the feeling of being thrown back in time.
After our first concert at the 749-year-old Our Lady of the Pottery, we were astonished by the praise from the packed audience. The church clergy, to whom we’re so grateful for allowing us to sing in their revered space, even requested a recording of our “Ave Maria” by Kevin Membly for their 750th anniversary commemorations.
Dr. Plummer works tirelessly every semester to introduce us to new and diverse music. For this competition, we performed 40 minutes of music from memory, utilizing eight languages, including Hungarian, Portuguese and Cajun French. They combined at least six different styles, among them vocal jazz and Renaissance madrigal, while tackling themes of death, love, faith, solitude and perseverance.
I couldn’t choose a favorite piece from such a unique repertoire, so I let Ty choose for me. Her favorite, “Butterfly,” by Mia Makaroff, is an upbeat a cappella pop arrangement with scatting as it describes the brief life of a butterfly (and a crowd favorite).
Another prestigious performance was at the acclaimed Saint Bavo’s Cathedral in Ghent. Former member Ashtyn Raxdale, a graduate student in speech pathology, remembered, “When I walked in there… I got teary eyed just thinking how lucky am I to be able to perform here.”
It was truly breathtaking to sing beneath the ornate domes on grounds that have been consecrated since the tenth century, surrounded by grandiose paintings, marble sculptures, and golden altar sets. Not to mention the world-renowned Ghent Altarpiece, possibly the most influential painting in Christianity, was a few feet away.
Alumnus and former marketing major Daniel Richard remarked on our networking experiences with other choirs. After the competition, all the choirs were invited to a mixer. Yet, instead of tears and tension, we enjoyed each other’s company “not as separate choirs, but just as a bunch of young people having fun and teaching each other our culture,” he said.
We also performed at a community event in the Netherlands alongside a competing choir from Austria, the Tiroler Landesjugendchor, and a local men’s chorus. We also held a showstopping joint concert with the Jacksonville State University A Cappella Choir whilst in Brugge. I was excited to talk to peers from Switzerland and Slovenia. Other members of the University team met others from America and Belarus.
I couldn’t express my appreciation for those who made the opportunity possible. Dr. Plummer expressed gratitude to former University President Joseph Savoie for his support over the years, as well as to all the donors and the students who’ve passed through the Chamber Singers during the 13 years Dr. Plummer has taught the course.
Thinking of the future, Dr. Plummer said, “Things that are sustained look like quality, trajectory, mission and excellence.” If everyone contributes their “willingness and their readiness to do that, then we can do it again and again,” alluding to hopes of future travel plans for the choral program.
When asked how the Chamber Singers have impacted her life, Isabella Manrique, newly graduated from her psychology master’s program, said, “I made some amazing friends and memories. It strengthened my love for music and showed me that people from all walks of life can work together to achieve great things. This program will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Gwyneth Rees, now pursuing a graduate degree in clinical mental health counseling at Loyola University in New Orleans, is currently researching “the effects of music ensemble membership on adolescents with depression,” partly inspired by the Chamber Singers. She stated that the choir has “instilled in me a value for collaboration, listening to others, and also being able to have empathy for where people are in their musical journey.”
A focus of the CantaRode is that music brings people together. This experience not only made us more well-rounded, but also gave us a family where we know we’re welcome. For that, I thank Dr. Plummer for fostering an environment of kindness and perseverance.
In short, the competition was a remarkable feat many years in the making, and the start of something new for the arts in Southwest Louisiana. I hope that our vibrant community continues to support that work.