Tuesday, October 16- Fall Tour

It is the morning of our long trip home. Mitch just handed me the journal, and with a feeling I could not possibly have anything interesting to say about a 10 hour bus ride, I made up my mind to reflect on some of the trip. Tara is already fast asleep in her bus seat. It looks like after 8 concerts, 6 home stays, and too much lasagna to measure, even the Bel Canto energizer bunny needs a break. We all worked hard this week and I believe it really showed in the quality of our performances as we went. I was especially proud of our last concert (aside from the horrible bullfrog croak that came out of my mouth when I meant to sing the last note of “Wake Every Breath”). We really put all of our energy into that performance, which was ironic because the audience was fairly unresponsive. The musical highlight of this trip for me was the last time we sang “Ich Freue Mich.” Our focus and intensity was amazing! We were bound and determined to get the audience to clap and we gave it all we had. It was exhilarating to realize what we are capable of, and there was a moment of absolute silent after we finished where choir and audience alike held their breath and nobody moved. Then someone in the audience whispered, “wow…” On our long bus ride home, we stopped in St. Louis to take pictures by the arch and explore Union Station. We were glad to stretch our legs, play hacky-sack, and torment the fish in the artificial river. As it got darker, we turned on some overhead lights in the bus and talked about the trip. The most mentioned favorite memory: laughing. Times we got the giggles before concerts, during concerts, after concerts, in rehearsals (especially the time in Archbold in “Vamuvamba” when Kelsey came in with the tenors and we laughed so hard we had to stop rehearsal…), times on the bus, late at night, or laughing all the time at Ken’s quirky comments, Bradley’s random jokes, and Alvin’s running commentary. This has been an amazing trip, full of fun memories, bonding as a choir, and great music. I’m looking forward to our next tour!

~Caroline Clymer

Monday, October 15- Fall Tour

This morning we woke up in Archbold. And as I sit in the pleasantly painted yellow pastel room watching Oliver slowly drift into a sweet, sweet slumber, I am reminded of where we have come from and what we have done. This morning’s events at Pettisville High School are all a blur to me except for the distinct Mr. Miyagi form of piano accompaniment that Ken so willingly displayed. After Ken’s outburst, we partook to delectable pastries provided at the school. We then boarded our noble Eliza and headed toward Indy (Oliver and myself decided the bus should have a name, and Eliza was as fitting as any). We arrived in downtown Indianapolis and killed time by exploring a bit of the city. I tried to make a more productive use of my time by exercising and partaking in a little Frisbee. But being the gimp that I am, I merely became a target for pelting blows which I received on the left shoulder, right thigh, and also upon the left temple. We boarded the bus soon after the strike to the temple and continued on to the church. Alvin displayed some impeccable driving as he tackled the treacherous Indiana terrain. After performing for what seemed to be the most unamused assortment of people (for they did not applaud us until the very end), it was time for is to meet those who would be hosting us during our final night on the road. When I met the one boy at our host home, I was taken aback. This young man was the spitting image of what a man would look like if Bob Saget and Jim Halpert from "The Office" stood at opposite sides of a gymnasium, got a running start, and hit each other in the middle. I do not recall him name due to the fact that from the very moment we were introduced I called him Jim Saget. All of the strenuous activity has taken a toll on both Oliver and myself. He is all tuckered out now and very much on the verge of sleep, exhausted from exploring secret rooms and crawl spaces here in our host home (see me for video). Awww…he looks so peaceful when he sleeps. Well, in anticipation for the day of travel tomorrow, I must retire. As I drift off, pen still scribbling across the page, I can only think, “Wow, I can’t spell” and “I wonder how awkward Kory will feel after hearing my free verse poetry?”

Ode to Kory

The redwoods are humbled by your majesty. The bunnies, fawns, and ewes fall at your feet in submission to your felt pants. These pants which encompass legs that seem to travel all the way up to your radiant face. You are the 6’3” whipped topping on our Bel Canto ice cream sundae. The 6’3” cream in our Oreo cookie. The 6’3” fiz in our soda. But above all, Kory, you are our very own gentle giant. And we are proud to hold you in our ranks.

~Mitchell The Stutzman

Sunday, October 14- Fall Tour

Once upon a time, Jason, Joel, and I went with Mitch to go to his house. But since I hadn’t been to Michigan, we decided to go to Michigan, which is very close to Goshen. Then we went back to Indiana. At Mitch’s house, fun things happened! Mitch lives in a hobbit hole. The ceilings and doors are short, so you have to duck to walk inside his hobbit hole. The four of us crowded into Mitch’s bedroom. Then Joel exclaimed, “Steamroller!” So Jason and I rolled back and forth over Joel. Suddenly we fell asleep, sang at Walnut Hill Mennonite in Goshen in the morning, and then drove to Archbold Ohio, where we sang for a large crowd. Afterwards, Jason, Mitch, Caleb and I went to this cool German guy’s house. We learned Jason’s last name means “restless” and my last name means “gizzard.” Then we went downstairs and our host showed us his toy race track. We performed racing adventures with Lego men. It was great fun! Mitch overcame his broken knee and created some incredible cinema masterpieces on his camera, as the brave Lego men try to build a civilization on a race track, but they are killed by race cars every time!

~Oliver Kropf

Saturday, October 13- Fall Tour

Bright and early (because some of our hosts dropped us off nearly 30 minutes before our time to leave…) a few of us went into Schaumburg’s Ten Thousand Villages and looked around. After browsing through nearly 10,000 gifts, jamming on 10,000 instruments, and nearly interrupting a counseling session that was going on through the thin wall next door, we started the journey to Goshen, IN.

Separately, each pair that had spent the night together wondered what they were going to have for lunch and if the people in the seat next to them on the bus would share some of their own lunch with them. HOWEVER, we soon learned that none of us in the choir had gotten a packed lunch for today due to some miscommunication. But our fearless leader, Bradley Kauffman, didn’t let that faze him (like always) and made a quick decision to stop at a Hardee’s and Fazoli’s for lunch.

Along the way, we made a pit stop at Millennium Park in Chicago. We took some pictures by this ginormous mirrored blob called "The Bean" and made our way through the park. After seeing these huge waterfall faces that spewed water from their mouths and winked, we met our trusty bus driver, Alvin, on the other side of the park and were off again!

When we arrived at Kern Road Mennonite in South Bend, IN we were met again by some great acoustics and friends and family that made the trek (whether across town of state borders) to hear us sing. All in all, it was another great concert!

P.S. We also made a stop at Goshen College where we were led in a tour of their awesome music building and they persuaded every last one of us to attend Goshen after Hesston…ok, so not really. But it was a good effort and some of us picked up applications!

~Kelsey Shue

Friday, October 12- Fall Tour

Dear Diary,

How are you? I am good. I am not a man of many words. Today we rode on the bus. Tonight we had a concert. Now I am tired, so I will go to sleep. It was a good day. Love, Drew.

Would Bethany not be in charge of this journal, I would stop here. But Bethany’s wrath scares me. And so I write on. This morning we departed from Kansas City around 7:30 a.m. and headed east for the beautiful land of Schaumburg, IL. After driving for about 30 minutes we pulled over to pick up our long-lost 6’1” alto Kory who had previous engagements which had delayed her. I could not help but feel exuberant that the whole group was now together. All of the puzzle pieces were there and we were coming together as one to form a beautiful image of worship. Let me paint you a mental picture. We have the corners who are easy to find and form the basis for the puzzle: Bradley, Ken, Alvin the bus driver, and Caleb, just because he’s kind of square. The edge pieces are all of the veteran singers in the group who hold us together. And finally, the rest of the middle pieces who each add their own part to complete the puzzle and form a pretty image with our dashing looks. We even have the one broken piece (Mitchell Stutzman) that you normally find in the box, but he still fits even though he can’t put his own socks on by himself due to his torn meniscus.When we come together we are truly the image and voices of God and we create a beautiful worship experience, like we did tonight at Christ Community Mennonite Church, even after 10 hours of travel. We had yet another great performance in a renovated barn in the suburbs of Chicago, and I left with the satisfaction of connecting with another group of people. Safe travel, successful performance, and now I am staying at the house of a pretty girl. What a truly great day indeed.

Love,

Drew

Thursday, October 11- Fall Tour

HACKY-SACK!: The first words I heard on my 1^st Bel Canto tour. Also the 1^st words on this page! Whether these 1^st words are a premonition of many 1sts to come on this tour of the Bel, I am sure this is only the beginning of a great experience.

I’m sure, journal, that the group would agree on one thing: watching Bradley’s little Lucca wave “bye” to us was the most precious little send off. And Alvin, the ever popular bus driver, led us in his unique style to the road heading us to Kansas City, where we would have our 1^st concert. (And I hear everything’s up to date there!)

So I suppose I would start this off by saying: we got shoes, we got robes and harps, but right now, we’re using our super wings! We’re flying away. I guess I look at it as our first flight- away out to spread the word. We fly! On to bigger and better things in Kansas City!

“I couldn’t find my socks. So I called information. They told me they were behind the couch.” This was a "joke" Bradley told upon entry in Kansas City. “I was just trying to keep up with some of the joke telling,” he said. I’m afraid that’s not the 1^st time I’ve heard a joke from Bradley!

And now we sit in Kansas City. Things are similar though, not much up to date. A slight disappointment. And after our 1^st concert at Rainbow Mennonite Church, I believe our group is off to a mighty good start. I may not have found my pot ‘o’ gold, but the group sure found wings tonight in our music. And as a group, I think we’re off to the 1^st home stays and the beginning of getting to know each other better. I was also encouraged by the open sharing in our circle tonight.

Who knows where the hacky-sack may take us, now that our journey is begun, but all things considered, Bel has “pealed” out for an awesome tour to remember forever. I can’t say it for everybody, but from my experience, host parents have been incredible! And now I know we are truly blessed to be with this group of people. May this pen never fail us, our voice never leave us, God ever lead us, and love be still near us. To “heaben” and not beyond! After the amazingness of our 1^st hosts, we’re on to 2^nd helpings. Amen and peace out!

~Tara Harms-Becker

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Does this thing work?
I think I may become addicted to blogging.
Sincerely,
Bethany R. Miller