Members of the JU Choirs are making quite an impression on their high-profile tour of France this month, as they perform in Paris, Chartres and Nantes as “Musical Ambassadors of Goodwill.”
An attendee to their performance Wednesday, May 8, at the storied L’église de la Madeleine Roman Catholic church in Paris was so moved he emailed video of the choir to Wave Weekly.
“Hello from Paris,” the email read. “I went to La Madeleine church in Paris to hear your choir … marvelous moment with happy singers and choir leader … Congratulation and thanks to all of them for this peaceful moment.”
See the video here:
In its first international concert tour in more than 20 years, members of the JU Choirs are representing the University and our city at the concerts. The highlight of the tour will be a three-day visit to Nantes, where the JU students will meet and perform for Nantes dignitaries as cultural ambassadors of the City of Jacksonville, which has been partnered with Nantes in a vibrant sister-city relationship since 1984.
For more information on the JU Choirs, contact Dr. Timothy Snyder, Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Vocal Studies, Jacksonville University, at tsnyder2@ju.edu.
The first piece that the choir is singing is the Kyrie from a setting of the Mass written by JU’s own Dr. William Schirmer, who taught composition and theory at JU for many years. The soloist in the second piece is a member of the JU Voice faculty, Prof. Kimberly Beasley.