Germany and England Tour Travelogue Four
Dear Friends,
Roughly 20 miles or so southwest of Nuremberg is the small city of Windsbach, Germany, which just happens to be the home of one of the finest Boy Choirs in the world, the famous Windsbacher Knabenchor. When the Georgia Boy Choir rolled in to town on Thursday afternoon, they were welcomed warmly with drinks and food and given a guided tour of the Windsbacher’s impressive campus of residential buildings, cafeteria, rehearsal rooms, and sports and recreational facilities. The tour culminated in a large rehearsal room occupied by more than 60 singers from the Knabenchor. The two Choirs quickly melded into one as they rehearsed for the next day’s concert.
After a delicious meal together, it was time for what many had been looking forward to the most – a friendly soccer match between Windsbachers and the Georgians. The two teams valiantly put forth their best efforts on the immaculately groomed pitch and showed some very impressive skill and teamwork, but ultimately home-field advantage prevailed and the Windsbachers came out on top. So much fun was being had, that no one seemed to want it to end, so they agreed to a contest of “Ultimate Frisbee”. Again, the two teams were well matched, but this time it was the Americans who were victorious, winning the match on a dramatic diving catch in the end zone. The very best part was the camaraderie, which was so clearly evident among the boys and young men from different continents.
On Friday evening, the two groups came together again for a concert in the beautiful and historic Lorenzkirche in Nuremberg. Long before the concert was to begin, eager audience members queued up in a line that circled the front of the church and out into the plaza. The Windsbachers opened the concert singing magnificently from the rear balcony. The Georgia Boy Choir then assembled at the front of the church to sing their portion of the program. It was clear that, in addition to the athletic prowess that both groups had shown the night before, their true gifts lay in their singing. The capacity crowd was clearly thrilled to have been present on such a night when two top-level Choirs were presenting their very best. The sound of each Choir was wonderful, but the combined forces were truly remarkable. It was a great joy for each singer and each lucky listener.
The Choir members bid each other a fond farewell, and after some celebratory ice cream the singers retired to their beds grateful for their experiences and eager for what lay ahead.
Until next time,
The 2023 Georgia Boy Choir Tour Team