A Music Trip to Cyprus!

Arabic-European Choral Festival

Many of us have taken advantage of the wonderful professional development opportunities offered to teachers at Ambrit. In September I was fortunate to attend the first world Arabic-European Choral Festival in Limassol, Cyprus, which was funded entirely by Europa Cantat and the European Union, and hosted by Epilogi Choral Crossroads. It was an event I will never forget, because I heard world-class, inspiring choirs from Hungary, Estonia, Jordan, Lebannon, Serbia, Egypt and Greece, and our hosts from Cyprus were not only prize-winning singers, but superb hosts. We had very hot weather, but the activities were very cool! Meeting and speaking with the conductors of all these choirs was so interesting. I attended discussions on Arabic music and the challenges of the language and style when related to our European concept of choral singing. I picked up some great new music for my Ambrit choirs and for the MAIS Honor Choir, and shared some music I have with conductors from other countries. I was a panel member for the discussion of women in the world of conducting. Ten choirs sang for a packed house on the first two nights, and we were in heaven listening to the various styles and all the interesting music they had to offer, some of it very different from our own. The final night was a concert in the Kourion Roman amphitheater, where all choirs sang individually, and, jointly, a song called We Are Bridges,  by Steve Dobrogosz, commissioned by the Cyprus Epilog committee. Please see the video link to get a flavor of the event, scrolling down to the song on the composer's website.

This trip not only gave me loads of new music, new friends and colleagues, and a beautiful experience in Cyprus, but it also inspired me and reminded me that trips like this for our own students are such an important educational experience in growing up. I was indeed sorry when the Festival came to an end, and lucky to be one of the participants.