France and Belgium Travelogue Six

Dear Friends,

Having given 10 performances over the 11 days that they had been in France and Belgium so far, the 39 singers in the Georgia Boy Choir had certainly earned a day off.  So, on the morning of June 7 their motor coach carried them 80 miles southeast to the island of Mont Saint-Michel for a well-earned day of R & R.  The island abbey of Mont Saint-Michel, one of the top pilgrimage sites of Christendom through the ages, floats like a mirage on the horizon, just off the Norman coast of France. For more than a thousand years, its distant silhouette has sent pilgrims' spirits soaring, and so it does still today.  Situated only about a half-mile off the coast, the iconic island is separated from the mainland by a vast bay which turns into a mudflat full of quicksand at low tide.  Thankfully, these days one can easily access the island by way of a bridge.  

As the boys passed through the village gate at the base of the rock mountain, it seemed almost as if they were entering a mythical world.  As one wends his way through the crowded, narrow walkway toward the top, he can easily imagine that he has perhaps traveled back in time to a medieval age.  The reward for climbing the thousand steps it takes to get to the top, is a view that is more than worth the effort.  Positioned at the pinnacle, almost like a jewel that has been placed there, is the beautiful Abbey Church of St. Michel.  Of course, the Georgia Boy Choir can’t just visit a church such as this without “testing the acoustics.”  They assembled under the vast gothic arches, and as they began to sing, the ephemeral beauty filled the ancient room as though with light.  An appreciative crowd gathered and would have stayed to listen for hours.  

Following this brief, impromptu performance, the young singers enjoyed spending the balance of the day (and a considerable amount of money) shopping, relaxing, and eating crêpes in the bustling island village.  As the sun slowly set, it enveloped the island in its warm light, and the boys and young men considered themselves most fortunate to have been able to enjoy such a day in such a place.

The next morning, their batteries fully recharged, the Choir drove about three-and-a-half hours inland to the city of Chartres.  Chartres is built on a hill on the left bank of the Eure River.  Its renowned medieval cathedral is at the top of the hill, and its two spires are visible from miles away across the flat surrounding lands. Considered by many to be the crowning achievement of gothic architecture, this massive church would be the site of the concert which the Georgia Boy Choir was to give that evening in collaboration with the very fine singers from La Maîtrise de Chartres, the resident choir of the Cathedral.  Following a brief joint rehearsal, the two groups enjoyed a meal together before the concert.  

There comes a point when a choir is traveling together, eating, sleeping, learning, playing, and working together for an extended period of time, that their singing reaches an optimal level and they somehow transcend their individuality and operate as a single, cohesive unit.  It was clear as the concert began, that the Georgia Boy Choir had certainly reached that point.  Their singing was a clear, expressive vehicle for the thoughts of the composer to reach the ears of the listener even though they were separated by centuries of time and vastness of space.  Those who were fortunate enough to be in Chartres cathedral on this night were aware that they were experiencing such a phenomenon and were effusive in their appreciation.

Click on this link to see and hear the Georgia Boy Choir sing “Cantique de Jean Racine” by Gabriel Fauré accompanied by Raphaël Olivier on the on the Grand Organ in Chartres Cathedral.

As the boys grow and mature through the Georgia Boy Choir they begin to take ownership of the sound and the image of the Choir.  They realize that the lessons they are learning about Excellence, Character, Respect, and Self-Discipline are not mere platitudes, but keys to their success in becoming the man they were created to be.  As their voices progress and deepen they transition into the Choir’s Young Men’s Ensemble, and are key not only musically, but personally as they help guide the younger singers, leading by example.  This year’s Young Men’s Ensemble has been particularly effective in this role.

Click on this link to see and hear the Georgia Boy Choir’s Young Men’s Ensemble sing “O Sacrum Convivium” by David Childs in the Chartres Cathedral.

Following the concert, many in the Choir relaxed in front of the massive church and took in the amazing laser-light show which transforms the façade of the cathedral into an enormous screen upon which the lights dance and tell fantastic stories. 

Until next time,

The Georgia Boy Choir 2018 France and Belgium Tour Team