We sang to a standing room only, enthusiastic audience of over 750 people in the large, beautiful Nossa Senhora da Paz church in the Ipanema area of Rio de Janeiro. The tears, smiles and applause flowed generously while the choir sang in Portuguese the much beloved choral arrangements of Brazilian songs.

How did the Choir Perform?

The choir was well prepared with a variety of choral literature from across the spectrum of music history, uniquely American choral traditions and Brazilian (Portuguese) repertoire. Whether in the packed (over 750 people!) Nossa Senhora da Paz in the Ipanema area of Rio de Janeiro or the impromptu singing at Iguacu Falls, the choir inspired smiles and tears from the Brazilian people because of their beautiful artistry and the universal language of music. The repetition of performances, audience responses and impressive venues serve to inspire and bring out the absolute best from the students. They truly reached their potential and now have increased artistic vision that will stay with them forever. Once we taste excellence, it is hard to settle for mediocrity.  

What Did the Students Enjoy Most About the Trip?

At first glance, most people would assume the natural beauty and awesome power of Iguacu Falls, the sunny beaches of Rio de Janeiro, the impressive Cathedral of Sao Paulo or the grand view from the top of the Christ monument would be the at the top of the list. While important and amazing, these are secondary to the memories students captured while sharing the choral art with engaged audiences. While leaving one performance, senior Cameron Van Kooten noted, “That was the most gratifying performance of my life!” When audiences leap to their feet in applause, cry while listening to a beloved Brazilian choral piece or smile uncontrollably for an entire concert, students claim the truth that music is a universal language. Students learn that people from all over the world have more in common than not. Human connection matters and the arts break down barriers, bringing people together.

Singing in front of the iconic Christo, the largest art deco monument in the world that soars from a mountain top over Rio de Janeiro.

How Was the shoe donation received? How many did you collect?

We collected over 300 shoes for the Sao Paulo Rotary Club shoe drive and transported them in our luggage. The Rotary Club and the Cathedral leadership were visibly moved by our efforts. Even the Cardinal was in attendance at our official concert at the Sao Paulo Cathedral where the shoe donation presentation was made. It meant a lot that we shared our music and demonstrated our care for their humanitarian service project. Poverty is obvious in Brazil. Our connection to this project will inform student’s value of service and those less fortunate.

Will we do this trip again?

We were invited back even before leaving! Brazil is different from many parts of the world. It is a very diverse place having greater diversity per capita than most parts of the world. It is extremely welcoming and warm.  It values art and culture. I hope to return with students and continue building relationships with Brazilians. There are tremendous opportunities in this growing, thriving country.

What did the group learn from the trip?

The students learned that music is a universal language connecting people around the world. Music, art, and culture belong to all people and are meaningful connectors. The students have a better understanding of what it means to be a citizen of the world and struggled with language barriers, differences in food, ambiguity, and touring with 70 people, and yet, learned how to problem solve, get along, communicate and embrace new experiences.

Value of Our Shared A cAppella Mission:

Our respect for the choral art challenges us to learn diverse repertoire, work consistently for excellence, inspire others through varied performances and treasure the unique contributions of every choir member.

This mission statement was active and alive in the 70 members of the A Cappella Choir while in Brazil.  I am extremely proud of their work, collaboration, growth, service and resounding success.  They were great ambassadors for Central College even as they embodied the transformative and relational power of the collegiate choir experience 

Travelling to Brazil with the A Cappella Choir was one of the best choir experiences I've had so far. It gave me an amazing opportunity to bond with such a variety of choir members.  In addition to learning more about my fellow choir members, I also learned a lot about Brazil and how to "survive" there.  Some creativity was needed to make communication work, but I feel like I came out a better person and better communicator.  Communicating with music, however, was a different story.  Above all, I learned that music is one of the best ways to reach out and communicate with others, especially other cultures.  The reaction of audience members when we sang songs that were dear to them is something I will never forget.  It was the highlight of this very special tour. — Lexie Waymire, Sophomore Vocal Music Education Major

As future host of the upcoming Fútbol World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympic Games, Brazil is a beautiful, industrious and deeply cultural South American country bursting with nearly 200 million inhabitants.  To our great fortune, this thriving country was the recent international destination of the Central College A Cappella Choir.

For twelve adventurous days, our 70 member ensemble visited Sao Paulo, Iguaçu Falls and Rio de Janeiro while seeing sites, presenting concerts, and immersing ourselves within the unique Brazilian culture.  Although we were clearly outsiders, the Brazilian people were welcoming and extremely gracious toward us, warming our hearts with gratitude as we warmed theirs with music.  It was an unforgettable blessing to perform beloved Portuguese pieces for a sea of smiling, crying, and often singing Brazilians.  Many tears were shed by choir and audience members alike when we distributed over 300 pairs of shoes to the Sao Paulo Rotary International Club during our concert at the Sao Paulo Cathedral.  Not only did we fall in love with the Brazilian natives, we were all truly humbled by the tremendous stature and beauty of the venues in which we performed, namely Sao Paulo’s Mosteiro Sao Bento and Catedral da Se.

 As the tour progressed, we were able to witness more of Brazil’s impressive natural wonders.  While visiting the lushly forested tourist area of Iguacu Falls, we all marveled at the area’s namesake waterfalls and the national park.

Once in Rio de Janeiro, we gladly soaked up the warm sun on the Copacabana, one of the city’s many beautiful beaches, before exploring the local array of street vendors, shops and restaurants.  Even throughout our tour of the Christ Monument (the largest Art Deco statute in the world impressively placed on one of the high mountains looking down on Rio de Janeiro) and a drum/Samba exchange with a young, local percussion group, we were able to share beautiful music, touch hearts and make meaningful connections.

As a result of our journey to Brazil, the members of the A Cappella Choir have grown as singers, performers, public servants, global citizens and community members.  It was an immensely rewarding experience which visibly impacted each and every one involved and for which we are all extremely thankful.”  — Mackenzie Uhlenhopp, Junior Music Major