Music fit for a kingdom

By Lauren Ricks

May 15, 2008 09:24 am

— Thirty members of the Trinity Valley Community College choir are traveling around the United Kingdom.
The group left Wednesday to participate in the “All Britain Music Festival.”
The choir was invited to represent Texas at the festival by the Lord Mayors of Britain, Scotland and Wales, according to choir member Kirsten McCormick.
Dr. Byron McGilvray, the choir director, said the invitation was extended a year ago this spring. He said the choir will be touring for 11 days.
“We are really excited because it is something we really wanted to do. But how often do kids from East Texas get the opportunity to travel outside the country?” McCormick said.
“They will be performing in Yorkminster, Saint Giles, Chester Cathedral, a college in London and in Peace Haven,” McGilvray said. “Yorkminster is the second most prestigious cathedral in Britain. These are large, large venues.”
“The chances of us being asked to sing in the small villages are high. Doc (McGilvray) said we have to be ready to sing at a moment’s notice,” McCormick said.
McGilvray said festival participants will tour the United Kingdom but will never be in the same place.
Hunter Frederick, another choir member, said the group has prepared both a capella pieces and selections with instrumental accompaniment.
He said some of the composers of the music are Mozart, Beethoven and Steven Foster.
“We will be taking some American music, some jazz and oldies,” Frederick said.
“I feel very comfortable with them. We have really good singers. They know how to handle themselves. They are good people,” McGilvray said.
He said the students were responsible for raising money for the trip. The cost per person is $2,058 dollars.
“Whatever wasn’t used in the travel fund during the year, we applied that to the tour,” he said.
The fund was divided among the 30 students equally.
“We have been planning for about a year,” McCormick said.
The choir held a carnival, two bake sales, a car wash and a talent show throughout the year. They also went caroling at Christmas and sold singing telegrams for Valentine’s Day.
“We also got sponsors for a road clean-up project. We picked up Henderson County roads,” McCormick said.
“We worked our tails off,” Frederick said.
The choir will be able to go sightseeing while they are touring.
“We have scheduled to allow free days in between the tour dates. He’s (McGilvray) been there before, so he is going to show us the castles and the cathedrals,” McCormick said.
She said McGilvray has toured over 50 countries and 48 of states in the U.S.
“I haven’t been to Maine or Hawaii,” McGilvray said. “Maybe someday.”

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