Life Update

Hello Friends, Family, and Fans!

I just wanted to give an update on my life. I'm currently living in the Twin Cities suburb of Minnetonka, MN. It's a nice, well developed suburb on the West side of the metro. Jean Marie and I are living in the Stratford Wood Apartments.

Pictures of the apartment:

The kitchen/dinning room

The living room with vaulted ceilings

The view from our balcony

The master bedroom with sink and walk-in closet

The office/extra bedroom

I am currently doing several things as I search for full-time

employment:

Interning at the Minnesota Opera

Ushering at Orchestra Hall

Singing in the Central Lutheran Church Choir

Singing in VocalEssence

Jean Marie is nannying/babysitting for a couple families and is also working at the Eden Prairie Community Center in their play-care center. Parents can drop their kids off to be watched while they work out.

Let us know if you're in the area!

Carmina Burana Live!

Hello Family/Friends,

Here's some info about the Ann Arbor, MI trip and a link to where you can listen to the Carmina Concert on the internet live from Blue Lake Public Radio...

It's this Tuesday (July 28th) night at 7:30pm Eastern - 6:30 Central.

The first link gives info on the "Experience Blue Lake" weekend.

http://www.bluelake.org/Experience_Blue_Lake.html

At the second link you can find a link to download the radio stations online stream - which can be opened in iTunes.

http://bluelake.org/radio.html

I will be singing the Baritone part and Jean Marie will sing the Soprano Part. This concert will include the BL International Youth Symphony Orchestra and several BL Alumni in the chorus.

Last Stop in Germany, Minus Jean Marie's Appendix

I last wrote Friday evening, where I had weekend plans of sightseeing and movie watching with my Dillingen host family. However, plans change, and I spent a couple days with Jean Marie in the Dillingen hospital as she had her appendix taken out.

Following our trip to the Rheinsberg area, the two of us were able to stay together so I could help her recover. She was not feeling much better yesterday so we went to the doc. and he told us to go to the hospital again... So she got to have a bunch more tests and another night in the hospital. Luckily this time they gave her some antibiotics to treat an infection in the bowel area. She feeling much better today and we are preparing for the 4 hour bus trip to Hamburg and the flight the leaves at 6am Friday morning.

We land in Chicago at around noon on Friday and return to Blue Lake via the equipment van... I will post some final pictures once I've settled back in at BLFAC.

-reid

Dillingen, Germany

Today is our first full day in the Dillingen area of Germany. It's a nice little farming area in Bavaria. I am not on my computer at the moment so a picture update will have to wait. :(
(the z & y are switched on German kezboards... verz annouzing.)

This morning we had a Carmina Burana rehearsal from 10-1 in preperation for tonights 7:00 concert. The rehearsal went fairly well - this conductor likes slower tempos. He is also the Chairman in charge of organizing everything. Someone failed to mention to him that he's in charge of organizing everything. Luckily I'm staying with a very nice familz, the Öxlers, they have 4 kids. The oldest, Lisa, speaks very good English and is easy get along with. After tonight's concert there is a B-BQ, lets hope that the rain quits long enough for it to be outside. I swear it rains every day in Germany.

Tomorrow (satruday) we have the whole day off! I'm going to sleep in and go to Augsburg with my host sister in the evening. But first I'm going to go with her to work at the Cinema and see a movie for free... Ice Age in German

Sunday night is a joint Choir Concert with a couple other choirs and then we leave on Monday morning for Reihnsburg. This stop is not so busy, which is nice - the tour is starting to ware on me.

Oh, here's a link to an article from our stop in Lübeck:
http://www.ln-online.de/regional/ostholstein/2619466/Musikalisches_Festival_der_Freundschaft.htm
You can barely make out Jean Marie and I on either side of the conductor. (this is the smelly conductor)

Carmina then Dillingen, Germany

So... I haven't been posting lately. Sorry. I'll prepare a lengthier post this evening hopefully on our 12 hour bus ride to Dillingen after our Carmina concert in Flensburg.

Now I'm off to pack up.

Dissau, Germany - Day 2

Just another day in Germany...

Today Jean Marie and I met up and visited the city of Lübeck with her host father. The city is known for its seven towers (which are attached to churches). We sing at one of these churches tomorrow (Friday) night.

The city dates back to 1200 and has many historic and beautiful sites. I will post several pictures some other time.

This afternoon we had Carmina rehearsal. First with piano only - from 2-5pm. Then a hired orchestra joined us from 6-9. 6,000 Euros buys a semi-professional orchestra in Germany. It has proven to be a lot different singing with this conductor and orchestra. He's very hard to follow and he sweats a lot. It doesn't help that the soloists are sitting two feet from him. Luckily he changed shirts and put on deodorant half way through the rehearsal. :)

I'm off to bed after a cold Paulaner.

The Baltic Sea

July 1st - Dissau, Germany

Today we departed the beautiful home of the Wirtz family where Dr. Webb, Marcus, Eric and I stayed for several days. As you can see it is an old farm house built in 1889 that was restored after many years.

After leaving the Minden area late morning we arrived in Stockelsdorf, Germany at about 2:30pm. At this point everyone departed with their new host families. I am staying with a lady named Andrea Engel who lives the nearby town of Dissau with her husband and two sons (Marcus and Malti. Her husband is away for several months for additional Cost Guard training (he flies helicopters).

Lucky for Jean Marie and I our host families met at pickup time and were very happy to allow for us to met up during these next few days. (If you want to spend time with your girlfriend in Germany.. all you must to is say, "I love you," in front of your host parents.) I went home with my host for about an hour when Jean Marie called from her host's phone and we all decided to meet up and go to the beach of the Baltic Sea. It was very pretty and had some strange water skiing contraption where you could ski without boats...

Of course two counselors would never escape all the campers... We managed to run into about 12 of the kids at the beach and refrained from PDAs while they were around.

Near the beach was an ice cream shop that Jean Marie and my host families went to. It was very good.

Andrea and her two sons speak English very well and have been enjoyable this evening as we ate a late dinner after the beach.

Tomorrow morning I will meet up with Jean Marie and her host father, as well as fellow counselor Anthony, and we will head to Lübeck, Germany for the morning before we have some lunch and head to a Carmina Burana rehearsal with a hired orchestra. Scary. I'll be sure to look at my score between now and then. The Carmina concert is scheduled for the night of July 4th. Maybe there will be fireworks?

Photos

Photos from last night's Carmina rehearsal:

As you can see, a huge stage was built up for the men to stand in the back as well as platforms for the pianos and percussion.

Today is our last full day with our current host families. So far it has included a school visit and performance, a stop to meet the assistant mayor of Minden, and a chance to sing in a huge cathedral with lots of reverb.

School Visit: this week is the final days of class for most kids in Germany. They spend the days doing various fun things including listening to our concert.

(I'm in the back row)

Tomorrow morning we head to Scharbeutz, Germany, it should take about 4 hours and we depart at 9:30 in the morning.

Tonight's festivities include a Carmina Burana Concert conducted by Thomas Wirtz followed by a B-BQ at the church.

auf deutsch

Yesterday afternoon (Sunday) the choir performed a very nice concert in the host people's church. The concert was yet again packed and the audience was very responsive. Tookula, a youth choir in the Minden area, which resides in this church, opened our concert with several songs. This choir traveled to Blue Lake and performed last summer.

Christuskirche

Following the concert we returned to our host's house, Thomas Wertz, who is also a choir conductor and will be conducting our Carmina Burana concert on Tuesday night. His local choir of 65 adult voices will join us to bulk up the kids sound (fortunately).

Last night we had a traditional German B-BQ complete with various sausages and beers. Several other families attended with their camper guests. I'm sure to pack on a few pounds during this trip...

This morning we had free time in downtown Minden so we wandered around the town and stopped in a Café to hide briefly from the 64 campers. (We all were Blue polos so it's easy to spot them coming).

Jean Marie and I

Andy and Ashley

More pictures from Minden:

The kids gave a school performance this morning as well - followed by a nice lunch at the school.

As you can see I'm sitting in the audience. Jean Marie and I don't quite know all the music yet to be comfortable singing in the concerts. Maybe someday soon.

This evening we have a Carmina Burana rehearsal in the same church the concert was in last night. The original plan was to perform in a large hall, but since the orchestra is no longer with us the venue had to be changed. A massive stage was built in the church for the performance (pictures to be uploaded later?).

2009 BLFAC International Choir Itinerary

The following schedule is a little different due to the cancelation of the Orchestra's Tour.

INTERNATIONAL CHOIR & BLUE LAKE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (IYSO) – 2009

Detailed Tour Schedule - Dated: June 10, 2009

CH = Choir SO = Symphony Orchestra CB = Carmina Burana

Monday, June 22 21.35 – IYSO Depart Detroit Metro for Paris CDG (France) via Air France Flight No. AF 377

17.15 – CHOIR Depart Chicago O’Hare for Paris CDG via Air France Flight No. AF 051

Tuesday, June 23 11.25 – IYSO Arrive Paris CDG; Transfer to Milano, Italy Depart Paris CDG 15.55 via Air France Flight No. AF 1912 Arrive at Milan Linate Airport at 17.25. Load busses and travel to Albino.

(81 KM)+1H30 ETA: 21.00 to Palestra or Oratorio in Torre Boldone. Meet and home.

08.35 – CHOIR Arrive Paris CDG; Transfer to Lyon, France Depart Paris CDG 13.05 via Air France Flight No. AF 7644 Arrive at Lyon Airport at 14.15. Load busses and travel to Albino, Italy. (507 KM)+7H30 ETA: 23.00 to Sala Gamma (Oratorio) in Torre Boldone.

Wednesday, June 24 Milano Area, ITALY

IYSO Morning free with families. 12.00-14.00 lunch time with families or in the Oratorio of Albino. 14.00-15.30 transfer by bus to Sotto il Monte. 15.30-16.30 unload, set-up and prepare for rehearsal. 16.30-19.30 SO rehearsal in Palatenda of Sotto il Monte. 19.30-21.00 Dinner. 21.00 - SO CONCERT Palatenda

22.30-23.30 pack-up, load instruments onto trailers and enjoy a little party. Home with families.

CHOIR Morning free with families. 16.30 arrive at Sala Gamma (Oratorio) in Torre Boldone, unload and prepare for rehearsal. 17.00-20.00 rehearsal. 20.00-21.00 dinner (packed lunch from host family). 21.00 - CH CONCERT Sala Gamma. Following concert, re-load and home.

Thursday, June 25 Milano Area, ITALY

IYSO & CHOIR Morning free with families. 15.00-18.00 Carmina Burana rehearsal (with symphony, BL and Italian Choirs) in Albino Auditorium. 18.00-19.00 Break and transfer of equipment and instruments in S. Giuliano Square. 19.00-20.00 dress rehearsal in the square. 20.00-21.00 Break. 21.00 - CB CONCERT – S. Giuliano Square. 22.30-23.30 Following concert, re-load, enjoy party, and then home with families.

Friday, June 26 Milano Area, ITALY

IYSO & CHOIR Morning free with families. 14.30-16.00 Transfer by bus from Albino to Palazzetto dello Sport of Villongo. 16.00-17.00 Unload, set-up and prepare for rehearsal. 17.00-19.00 Carmina Burana rehearsal (with symphony, BL, and Italian Choirs). 19.00-21.00 Dinner. 21.00 – CB CONCERT – Palazzetto dello Sport. 22.30-23.30 Following concert load and prepare for departure to Minden, GERMANY.

(depart 24.00 with lunch packet – Travel by Bus through Night – 1,042 KM – 16h00)

Saturday, June 27 Continue travels to Minden, GERMANY. 16.00 arrive Stadthalle Minden. Possible choir staging. Families and home.

Sunday, June 28 Minden Area, GERMANY

CHOIR 9.00-10.00 Arrive Christuskirche for small rehearsal before church service. 10.00-11.00 Attend church service and perform (1 song). 11.00-12.30 remainder of rehearsal. Afternoon free with host families. 16.30 arrive Christuskirche to prepare for concert.

17.00 - CH CONCERT Christuskirche.

Monday, June 29 Minden Area, GERMANY

IYSO & CHOIR Morning and afternoon free with host families. 16.30 IYSO equipment trailers and crew arrive Stadthalle in Minden. 17.00-17.30 IYSO rehearsal alone for Carmina Burana. 17.30 choirs arrive. Combined rehearsal until 21.00. Home with families.

Tuesday, June 30 Minden Area, GERMANY

IYSO & CHOIR Morning, afternoon, and evening free with host families. 19.30 all arrive at Stadthalle in Minden to prepare for performance. 20.00 - CB CONCERT Stadthalle Minden.

Wednesday, July 1 9.00 Meet at Stadthalle Minden; 9.30 Depart Minden (with lunch packet from hosts); Travel by Bus

IYSO & CHOIR to Scharbeutz and Stockelsdorf, GERMANY. 289 KM (4 hrs) ETA 13.30 IYSO & Choir meet all chairmen at “Rasthof Buddikate” on A1. Then follow chairmen to separate hosting towns.

Thursday, July 2 Scharbeutz Area, GERMANY

CHOIR Morning free with host families. 13.00 Arrive Grossporthalle. 13.10 Depart for GG Pönitz Gym. 13.45 arr. 14.00-17.00 Carmina Burana rehearsal (BL choir, German choir, piano). 17.45-21.00 Carmina Burana rehearsal (full, with orchestra). 21.40 return back to Grossporthalle in Stockelsdorf (with BL bus). Home.

Friday, July 3 Scharbeutz Area, GERMANY

IYSO 8.30-12.30 open rehearsal in the GG Pönitz Gym. Afternoon free with host family. 19.30 arrive and prepare for performance. 20.00 - SO CONCERT GG Pönitz Gym.

CHOIR Morning and early afternoon free with host families. 16.45 rehearsal in Grossporthalle.

19..00 - CH CONCERT Grossporthalle. Reception to follow.

Saturday, July 4 Scharbeutz Area, GERMANY

IYSO & CHOIR Morning and afternoon free with host families. 16.45-19.00 set-up and rehearsal for Carmina Burana (full) in Gym. Snacks and beverages between rehearsal and performance.

20.00 - CB CONCERT GG Pönitz Gym. Reception to follow.

Sunday, July 5 13.00 Meet; 13.30 Depart Scharbeutz; Travel by Bus to Flensburg, GERMANY. 149 KM (2.5 hrs)

IYSO & CHOIR ETA 16.00 at Ferdgymnasium in Flensburg. Small reception, meet families, home.

Monday, July 6 Flensburg Area, GERMANY

IYSO Free day with host families!

CHOIR Morning and early afternoon free with host families. 16.00 by bus to Schleswig Dom for rehearsal. 17.00-19.00 Rehearsal in Dom. Home with families.

Tuesday, July 7 Flensburg Area, GERMANY

IYSO 8.00 bus departs gymnasium in Flensburg for Glucksburg. 9.00-12.30 rehearsal at Rudehalle in

Glucksburg. Afternoon free with host families. 19.00 arrive back at hall and prepare for concert.

19.30 - SO CONCERT Rudehalle.

CHOIR Morning and afternoon free (until concert). 19.00 arrive at Schleswig Dom and prepare for concert. 19.30 - CH CONCERT Schleswig Dom.

Wednesday, July 8 Flensburg Area, GERMANY

IYSO & CHOIR 8.00 equipment and stage crews arrive at Deutsches Haus in Flensburg. 9.00-12.00 full Carmina Burana rehearsal. Afternoon free with host families. 19.30 arrive at Deutsches Haus and prepare for concert. 20.00 - CB CONCERT Deutsches Haus.

(depart 24.00 with lunch packet – Travel by Bus through Night – 838 KM – 12h00)

Thursday, July 9 Continue Trip to Dillingen, GERMANY. ETA 12.30 at Stadtsaal, Dillingen. Home with Hosts for lunch, free afternoon and evening.

Friday, July 10 Dillingen Area, GERMANY

IYSO & CHOIR Morning either free with host families or attending school with host siblings/children. 10.00-13.00 rehearsal of Carmina Burana in either the School Yard or Sebastian Kneipp Hall (depending on weather) of St. Bonaventural Gymnasium. Afternoon free with host families. 18.30 arrive at school to prepare for concert. 19.00 - CB CONCERT School Yard or Sebastian Kneipp Hall. BBQ to follow.

Saturday, July 11 Dillingen Area, GERMANY

IYSO & CHOIR Morning and afternoon free with host families. 16.00 arrive at school in Dillingen and prepare for bus departure. 16.30 depart Dillingen for Gundelfingen. 17.00-18.00 Carmina Burana rehearsal in either the Spital Hof or Brenz Hall (depending on weather) of Gundelfingen. Break for dinner. 20.15 - CB CONCERT Spital Hof or Brenz Hall.

Sunday, July 12 Dillingen Area, GERMANY

IYSO 9.00-13.00 rehearsal at Konzertghaus Forum Gunzburg. Afternoon free with host families. 18.30 arrive

and prepare for performance. 19.00 - SO CONCERT at Konzertghaus Forum Gunzburg.

CHOIR Morning and afternoon free with host families. 16.30 arrive St. Martin Münster in Lauingen and prepare for rehearsal. 17.00-18.30 rehearsal. 19.00 - CH CONCERT St. Martin Münster in Lauingen.

Monday, July 13 7.30 Meet at St. Bonaventura School Yard; 8.00 Depart Dillingen; Travel by Bus to Rheinsberg, GERMANY 628 KM (9h00) IYSO ETA 17.00 at NIS-AREA in Rheinsberg…home with families.

CHOIR ETA 16.30 at “Evangelisches Gymnasium” in Neuruppin…home with families.

Tuesday, July 14 Rheinsberg Area, GERMANY

IYSO 8.30 arrive at “Seehalle” of the Hotel “Haus Rheinsberg”, unload, set-up, and prepare for rehearsal. 9.00-12.00 rehearsal. 12.00 greeting by the mayor of Rheinsberg. 12.30 lunch in school. Afternoon free for time with host families. 17.30 meet at Hotel. 18.00 - SO CONCERT “Seehalle”.

CHOIR 9.00-12.00 sight-seeing in Neuruppin. 12.30 lunch in school. 14.00-16.00 Trip by boat/ship. 16.00-17.00 Travel to church to prepare for rehearsal. 17.30-18.30 rehearsal at Klosterkirche. 19.00 - CH CONCERT Klosterkirche (combined concert with some organ music).

Wednesday, July 15 Rheinsberg Area, GERMANY

IYSO Morning free with host families (or in school, visit castle, etc.) 12.00 students with working host families

will have lunch at school, followed by a boat ride at 12.30 to the “Hafendorf” (with instruments). 14.00-18.00 full Carmina Burana rehearsal (with some breaks and snacks). 19.00 - CB CONCERT “Hafendorf”. Following concert, load equipment and enjoy a party in the boathouse.

CHOIR 8.00 breakfast in school with school children. 10.30 visit and tour of the school. 11.30 lunch in the school. 12.00 prayers in the church, “Klosterkirche”. 13.00 Departure from Neuruppin to Rheinsberg. 14.00-18.00 full Carmina Burana rehearsal (with some breaks and snacks). 19.00 - CB CONCERT “Hafendorf”. Following concert, load equipment and enjoy a party in the boathouse.

Thursday, July 16 Rheinsberg Area, GERMANY

IYSO 8.00 goodbye in Rheinsberg. Place all luggage onto the bus. 9.30-16.00 Enjoy Berlin with host families.

(Depart Berlin 16.00 – Afternoon, Evening, & Night Trip to Paris CDG – 1,100 KM – 16h00)

CHOIR Free day in Neuruppin or Berlin with families.

(Depart Neuruppin 24.00 – Night Trip to Hamburg Flughafen – 228KM – 3h30)

Friday, July 17 04.00 CHOIR Check In Hamburg; 07.15 Depart Hamburg via AF 2511; Arrive Paris

8.50; 10.30 CHOIR Depart Paris via AF 050 to Chicago O’Hare; 12.35 Arrive Chicago

Update from Germany

Hallo from Germany!

Recap of the past several days since I was unable to obtain Internet…

Prior to arriving in Italy three of us counselors had an 8 hour layover in Paris. So we made the best of it and left the airport by train and went downtown to visit the Eiffel Tower.

A fellow American tourist took this picture: Reid, Jean Marie, and Anthony

Upon returning to the airport we were met with the terrible news that the BLFAC International Orchestra was not able to leave the US due to several cases of the flu. We were told that we would attempt to perform Carmina with double piano accompinament and percussion.

The past three nights in Italy I stayed with a very nice family in Foresto Sparsa, a small Italian village in the hills of the Milano area. My family owned a rather large farm near the center of the village and also a rubber molding company that made various rubber and cilicon parts for automobiles and tractors. The two brothers spoken very little English, so I was able to communicate rather well after my two semesters of Italian.

The land in the back yard.

Today we arrived in Germany after a 16 hour overnight bus ride. The ride wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be. I was able to sleep after I took some Equate Nite-time meds. We stopped in Kassel, Germany for a long lunch and Jean Marie and I enjoyed a nice German meal of sausage and fries. Our waiter happened to speak English as well, hopefully communication will be easier here than in Italy.

I'll have wireless access these next few days as I'm staying with a family in a huge house. It's me Dr. Webb, and two campers - Eric and Marcus.

More later...

Glencoe Update

Day Two of BLFAC International Choir Tour

Today started with a 10:00am Church service here in Glencoe, IL. The kids sang very well for their debut, they're a very good high school choir. Following the service we were fed well and given free time in Glencoe. A group of campers went to downtown Chicago with their host family and the rest went to a Botanical Garden nearby. Jean Marie and I stayed at the church and worked with Carlos (brother-in-law to our host) on our Carmina parts. He was helpful... we'll take all the help we can get right now. We then wandered around Glencoe for a while - going to the beach and Starbucks. After that we ate yet again at the church and called John for a ride back to the Haynor house with a pit-stop at Best Buy. I made and unplanned purchase:

A Nikon Coolpix S630

The following picture is the Haynor family (John, Nancy and Little Orphan Annie). They hosted Anthony and I the past two nights. Cody went to stay with some other campers tonight - he was too cool for counselors.

Flight Details:

Tomorrow morning we depart for the airport from the church at noon and spend the afternoon checking into and hanging out in the airport. Our flight leaves at 5:15pm tomorrow evening. It's Air France Flight #AF0051, scheduled to land in Paris at 8:35am. We have a LONG layover in Paris before we fly to Milan at 3:55pm (via flight #AF1912) arriving at 5:25pm. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.

Did I mention I need to learn Carmina Burana? Jeeze...