Goshen College Student and Alumni Choir Completes First-Ever Tour to Spain and Portugal

Earlier this summer, 33 Goshen College choral program students and alumni traveled to Spain and Portugal for the college’s first international choir tour of its kind.

Leading the nine-day tour was Marcia Yost, director of the arts at Goshen College, who served as tour organizer. Scott Hochstetler, professor of music, served as conductor, and H. Roz Woll, assistant professor of music, served as co-conductor and pianist.

After a two-day travel period, the choir made its debut in Madrid with an evening performance at the Church of San Millán and San Cayetano on Calle de Embajadores. Their second concert took place at the Convento de Santo Ángel in Seville, Spain. The tour concluded with a performance at the historic Batalha Monastery in Batalha, Portugal.

The multilingual program notes allowed local audiences in both Spain and Portugal to follow along in their native languages. Performed under the theme Joy, Peace and Love, the program spanned centuries of choral tradition, from Mozart’s “Gloria from the Coronation Mass” and Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” to works by Renaissance composer Tomás Luis de Victoria. Contemporary pieces by Moses Hogan, Pepper Choplin and Rosephanye Powell were also part of the program.

“This was a wonderful opportunity for GC students and alumni to share our impactful music-making beyond our borders in historic, sacred spaces,” Hochstetler said.

In between performances, the group participated in guided sightseeing tours, visiting historical sites and regional monuments, including Casa de Pilatos in Seville, as well as the Belém Tower and the Monument to the Discoveries in Lisbon, Portugal.

“After working to launch this project over the past year, it was wonderful to watch it unfold,” said Yost. “The intergenerational aspect added a layer that was so special.”

Goshen College student choirs — Voices of the Earth, Vox Profundi and Chamber Choir — have had annual tours throughout the United States and Canada. They also regularly collaborate with regional symphony orchestras, including the Elkhart County Symphony, the Toledo Symphony and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.

The Goshen College and Alumni Choir Tour to Spain and Portugal marked a milestone for the college’s choral programs.

“The excitement of both the choir and our new appreciative fans overseas was palpable. Goshen College, ever singing, in all corners of the world,” said Hochstetler.

You can experience the power of Goshen College choirs during their annual Fall Choral Concert on October 31 at 7:30 p.m. in Sauder Concert Hall.