Fullerton College Concert Choir in Spittal

And Fullerton places in the top again: Second place for singers from California at Austrian Choral Competition

Breaking news from the 48. Internationalen Chorwettbewerbes auf Schloß Porcia also known as the International invitational Choir Competition of Palace Porcia, in Spittal Austria: Den Kustliedbewerb (Kat.A) entschied der Tschechische Chor "Coro piccolo" mit 95 Punkten vor dem Ensemble aus den USA (Fullerton College Choir) und dem Vertreter Deutschlands (Ars Antiqua aus Aschaffenburg) für sich.
And what does that mean? The singers from California, USA under the direction of John Tebay placed second after Coro Piccolo from Prague in the choral works competition and added another 900 Euros to their prize money - combined with first place in the folk song competition that the Fullerton College Concert Choir won, they are now bringing 1800 Euro home. Only two points separated the winners (95 for the Czech Republic, 92 for USA), while the difference to the competitor with the least  points awarded by the four jurors was 38 - 
Unisono from Vienna only reveiced a score of 56. 

Schloss Porcia is the venue of the Int. Choral Competition

And here are the official results from the website of the hosting Choir Singkreis Porcia:
Rang Pkt. Land Chorname
1 95,0 Tschechien Piccolo coro, Prag
2 93,0 USA Fullerton College Choir
3 88,5 Deutschland Ars Antiqua Aschaffenburg
4 81,5 Indonesien Brawijaya Univ. Student Choir, Malang
5 77,0 Litauen gem. Chor “Kamertonas”, Kaunas
6 74,0 Slowenien Akademski pevski zbor Maribor
7 72,0 Österreich ”die lautmaler” Kammerchor Perg
8 69,0 Lettland Chor “Daugava”, Daugavpils
9 67,5 Dänemark Sjølund Kammerkor
10 56,5 Österreich Unisono Chor Wien

Fullerton College Choir wins first place at International Choral Competition in Austria

The Fullerton College Choir sings at the competition

Joanna Lem reports back from Austria about the 2011 Fullerton College Choir Performance Tour and has great news to share:

Yesterday was first day of the Singkreis Porcia Choral Competition, which entailed the choirs to sing three folk songs to an international jury to determine the winners among groups traveling from as far as Indonesia to the small town of Spittal an der Drau in Austria.
The competition started at 7:30pm, but the Fullerton College Concert Choir arrived early to observe the other competing groups. The singers from California under the direction of Mr. John Tebay were assigned the fifth spot among ten choirs and were scheduled to take the stage around an hour into the Chorbewerb, the official name of the compeition in Austrian German. As the Fullerton Choir member anxiously awaited their turn, they were able to listen to the performances of some of the competition. Many of the groups did very well and the Fullerton College students enjoyed listening to a diverse repertoire and they very much appreciated the other talent.
As the third choir was wrapping up, the American students assembled in preparation to take the stage for their performance. The choir's folk song selections were "Unclouded Day", "I Am Going Away", and "Way Over In Beulah Lan'". Especially the last selection, an African-American spititual had already impressed audiences in Germany and Asutria during the first few days of their Incantato Tour.
And their performance at Schloss Porcia in Austria surely lacked nothing, the Californians sang their hearts out and took the audience by storm! After the choir performed, the singers headed back to the audience to listen to the remaining five groups. Now that the pressure was off and they had given their best, the Californian students had fun listening to the other singers; especially the Indonesian group impressed Fullerton and they were fast known as the choir to beat!
Once all the groups performed their folk songs they were told to wait for an hour and a half, while the judges determined the scores. To pass the time, many choirs sang pieces they were not using in the competition for everyone to enjoy. Fullerton College was asked time and time again to perform various songs.
Finally, around 11:30pm, everyone gathered around the stage to hear the results and the comments from the judges. The judges were quite upfront with ther choir in their critic and some of the comments to the lower ranking groups seemed harsh to the students from California. And then, the winners were announced in reverse order: The judges started with the 10th place choir and kept going on to 9th, 8th, 7th...5th. Then they announced that there would be no 4th place choir, as there was a tie for 3rd place. When Fullerton College was not announced as either of the 3rd place choirs, the group got even more anxious as the judges commented on the 3rd place choirs. After the jury had shared their thoughts on the two remaining groups the anticipation was too much; the entire audience was no longer patiently waiting to hear if Fullerton College or the Indonesian choir would take first place. But after what seemed like an enterinity, the jury announced that the choir who would take second place was the Indonesian group; thereby giving first place to Fullerton College!!!
The Californian students were beyond thrilled; some even started crying in joy. They were all smiling, hugging one another, and just soaking in the idea that their performance was so spectacular that they had taken first in the folk song category. This was surely the perfect way to end the second night of the Singkreis Choral Competition!
Way to go Fullerton College!!! Congrats from all of us at Incantato Tours.

Singkreis Porcia Folk Song Rankings by country:
1st USA (Fullerton College) - 91 points
2nd Indonesia - 87 points
3rd Austria (Innsbruck) - 84 points, Czech Republic - 84 points ...TIE, no 4th place
5th Germany - 83 points
6th Lithuania - 82 points
7th Latvia - 74 points, Slovenia - 74 points ...TIE, no 8th place
9th Denmark - 67 points
10th Austria (Vienna) - 62 points

Fullerton College Singers in the Media

Half-time for the singers from Fullerton College - a quick look back at a magical moment

Joanna Lem, the newest member of the Incantato Tour Team reports from Spittal, Austria about the 2011 Incantato Performance Tour for the Fullerton College Concert Choir. 

The group is now half way through their European adventure! The students have had the opportunity to sing at Herz-Jesu-Kirche in Weimar, Lutherkirche of Apolda, Frauenkirche in Munich, Wieskirche
Steingaden, and even randomly throughout walking tours. Each time the singers under the direction of Mr. John Tebay have moved each audience they have sang for, whether it be the local community, international visitors, Priests and Pastor as well as the Mayor of Weimar.
A special and unexpected highlight during their 2011 Incantato Performance Tour happened on Wednesday, July 6 as the students visited Neuschwanstein, the most famous of German King Ludwig II's castle. Many people recognize this structure from Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" which was modeled after the original erected in the hills of Bavaria. Seeing Neuschwanstein is very special and the students thought it would be mostly to learn part of Germany's history, to see what a castle is like in real life. After realizing that Neuschwanstein features a "Singer's Hall", the members of the Fullerton College Concert Choir sure got their hopes up to sing. Given that this is a very popular and busy tourist attraction, the possibility did not seem high, however together with the help of the local tour guide, the magic moment was made possible. When the end of the castle tour approached, the choir assembled and got ready to sing. Once the singing began many of the other tour groups stopped to listen. By the end of "Psalm 57" everyone was in awe, even the students themselves. The room had wooden walls, a wooden ceiling, and a carpeted floor; they did not think the room's acoustics were conducive for their singing. But the opposite was the case. Everyone was so impressed with how they sounded in the room. The young Californians were thrilled for the chance to experience singing in a place that not many are able to. The other tourists visiting were so impressed; some took time from their tour to talk to some of the students.

Neuschwanstein is now so much more memorable because the choir had the
wonderful opportunity to sing in this magnificent castle!

Impressions from the Mayor's reception for Fullerton College singers in Weimar

Warm welcome for Fullerton College Singers in Weimar

"Thank you for the most amazing concert of my life - Dankeschoen fuer das wunderbarste Konzert meines Lebens", this and other compliments were both the best welcome and reward for the singers of the Fullerton Concert Choir who performed their first international concert just a few hours after arriving in Germany. What troopers they were for singing immediately upon arrival in the musical city in the heart of Thuringia. And they sounded just as wonderful as many of the spectators remarked upon conclusion of the event. The audience at the audience at the beautiful Herz Jesu Kirche in Weimar was glad to wait for the delayed arrival of the group under the direction of Mr. John Tebay who had to drive slower than originally predicted due to bad weather conditions on the highway. Their reward was a joyous concert where the voices filled the space with choral compositions from past and present.

The Fullerton College Concert Choir will sing mass at the pilgrimage church Wieskirche in Steingaden, Germany on Wednesday, July 6 at 10 am

The Fullerton College Concert Choir will sing for Holy Mass at the Pilgrimage Church of the Scourged Savior Wieskirche in Steingaden, Germany on Wednesday, July 6 at 10 am. 

First time visitors in the Wies, with no previous knowledge about the church, may well stand in wonder and ask themselves what could have possibly given rise to the building of such an unusually magnificent church in such a secluded place. Indeed, something out of the ordinary, from many points of view, took place here. Human tears, an age-old phenomenon, were the spiritual building stones, the precious pearls from which the Wies Church, a world famous rococo jewel, was created. In the 18th Century the Wies Church was already known throughout Europe as a place of reverence for the Scourged Savior, and at the same time a famous gem of baroque architecture. Out of the miracle of June 14, 1738, when tears were seen on the face of the Scourged Savior, there rapidly developed a pilgrimage of unexpected proportions. The pilgrimage has remained alive up to the present. Among the visitors from all over the world you will also find people in silent prayer. Even now new pilgrimages arise, such as a pilgrimage in the vicinity of Weilheim/Schongau, which each year brings about 1000 young people to the Wies. Interesting fact: Its architect, Dominikus Zimmermann, could not bear to leave this church, his most beautiful and complete work. Thus, he built himself a house almost at its door, where he lived until his death. In thankfulness for the happy completion of the church, he painted a votive tablet showing the pious master architect kneeling before the Scourged Savior. He signed it: "D.Z. Ex voto A. 1757". Every pilgrim and visitor to the Wies Church is rewarded by the magnificence and harmony of the wonderful song Zimmermann called forth in building the Wies Church. Come and praise Him, in this sacred place, come seek Him out in the Wies .Open - hearted, thank Him for His grace, for He offers us His Peace. Oh, my Jesus, fairest Jesus, fairest Jesus, in the Wies who so full of blessings is.When the visitor, in encountering the resounding four-tone chord of art, theology, light and music, experiences the total beauty of the Wies, he can experience what the builder of the church, Abbot Marianus II Mayer, expressed: "Hoc loco habitat fortuna, hic quiescit cor." (In this place abideth happiness, here the heart findeth peace).
Even today the church lives from both these wellsprings: its spiritual and artistic richness. Thus, the Wies Church continues as a pilgrimage church, a place of prayer and worship, and is simultaneously a magical drawing point for millions of visitors. Through their encounter with this joyous Baroque, full of life and hope, they sense a world which moved the writer Peter Dörfler, in the first half of this century, to write: "The Wies is a bit of heaven in this suffering world." 

Incantato proudly presents the Fullerton College Concert Choir at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria on Tuesday, July 12th at 12.45 pm

The Fullerton College Concert Choir under the direction of John Tebay will perform at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria on Tuesday, July 12th at 12.45 pm. 

St. Stephen's Cathedral, Austria's most eminent Gothic edifice, houses a wealth of art treasures, some of which can only be seen during a guided tour: The red-marble sepulcher of Emperor Frederick III, sculpted from 1467 to 1513 by Niclas Gerhaert van Leyden; the pulpit, a work from 1514-15 by Anton Pilgram (who put his own relief portrait underneath it as his signature); the Altarpiece of Wiener Neustadt (Wiener Neustädter Altar), a Gothic winged altar from 1447 - and the tomb of Prince Eugene of Savoy, dating from 1754. The architectural history begins in the 12th century, the oldest remaining parts date from the 13th century: the Giant Gate (Riesentor) and the Towers of the Heathens (Heidentürme), both Romanesque in style. Duke Rudolph IV of Habsburg, in 1359, laid the cornerstone of the Gothic nave with its two aisles. The South Tower (Südturm), 448 feet high, was completed in 1433 (the Viennese have given it the nickname Steffl, which also denotes the whole cathedral). After 1511, building in the Gothic style ceased; the unfinished North Tower (Nordturm), 224 feet high, was capped with a makeshift Renaissance spire in 1579.During the 18th century, the cathedral was decorated with Baroque altarpieces - the panel of the main altar shows the stoning of its namesake St. Stephen, the first martyr of Christendom.

Tip: climb the 343 steps to the tower-keeper's room of St. Stephen's and enjoy a breathtaking view...

Did you know? The composer Ludwig von Beethoven discovered the totality of his deafness when he saw birds flying out of the bell tower as a result of the bells' tolling but could not hear the bells. St. Stephen's Cathedral has 23 bells in total.

Fullerton College Concert Choir gives a recital at the Salzburger Cathedral in Salzburg, Austria on Thursday, July 7 at 12.30 pm

Fullerton College Concert Choir will sing at the Salzburger Cathedral in Salzburg, Austria on Thursday, July 7th at 12.30 pm.

Located where Residenzplatz flows into Domplatz in Salzburg, Salzburg Cathedral (also known as Domkirche St. Rupert) is renowned for its harmonious Baroque architecture and 4,000-pipe organ. This site has hosted a Christian church since 774. The original was replaced with a late-Romanesque structure built in 1181-1200.The Romanesque cathedral burned down in 1598 and Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich took advantage of (some would say caused) the destruction to demolish the rest and make plans for a grand new cathedral to reaffirm Salzburg's commitment to the Catholic cause in the face of the Reformation. However, Dietrich's overthrow prevented the completion of this project. The present cathedral was commissioned by Archbishop Markus Sittikus Count Hohenems and designed by the Italian architect Santino Solari. It was consecrated in 1628 by Archbishop Paris Count Lodron. The cathedral's plaza is a complete aesthetic concept and one of Salzburg's most beautiful urban set pieces. In the center rises the Virgin's Column with a 1771 statue of the Virgin Mary. Considered by some to be the most perfect Renaissance building in the German-speaking countries, Salzburg Cathedral has a marble facade, twin west towers topped with green domes and a large green-roofed dome over the crossing. The bronze doors (1959) illustrate the themes of Faith, Hope, and Love. Near the entrance, look for the Romanesque font at which Mozart was baptized. The great composer later served as organist here from 1779 to 1781. Some of his compositions, such as the Coronation Mass, were written for the cathedral, and many were performed here for the first time.

Fullerton College performs benefit concert on Tuesday, July 12 in Korneuburg

The Fullerton College Concert Choir will hold a benefit concert at the parish church St.Ägid in Korneuburg, Austria on Tuesday, July 12 at 7:30 pm. 

The church of St. Aegidius, Korneuburg’s present parish church, was built between 1210 and 1212 and dedicated in 1214. The building was originally Romanesque in character with two towers but was severely damaged during the Swedish occupation of Korneuburg in 1646. As a result, a bell tower was added 1760, to be replaced during the renovation of 1902. Inside the church there is a number of interesting features and Gothic works of art as well as some ancient graves, particularly that of Ulrich and Elizabeth Pötl, parents of Simon Poetl, the richest man in Vienna.

Incantato proudly presents the Fullerton College Concert Choir at the Frauenkirche in Munich (Germany) on Tuesday, July 5

The singers of the Fullerton College Concert Choir will perform briefly on Tuesday, July 5 at the Frauenkirche in Munich.

The Frauenkirche (full name Dom zu unserer lieben Frau, "Cathedral of Our Dear Lady") is a church in the Bavarian city of Munich that serves as the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising and seat of its Archbishop. It is a landmark and is considered a symbol of the Bavarian capital city.The church towers are widely visible because of local height limits. The city administration prohibits buildings with a height exceeding 109 metres (358 ft) in the city center. Since November 2004, this prohibition has been provisionally extended outward and as a result, no buildings may be built in the city over the aforementioned height. The south tower is open to those wishing to climb the stairs and offers a unique view of Munich and the nearby Alps.he cathedral can hold approximately 20,000 people, and Catholic services are held regularly. The interior of the cathedral, which is among the largest hall churches in southern Germany, consists of the nave and two side aisles of equal height (31 metres (102 ft)). The arches were designed by Heinrich von Straubing.Constructing a church with a capacity of 20,000 is surprising when one considers at end of the 15th Century the city only had about 13,000 inhabitants. The interior does not overwhelm despite its size because the double-row of 22 metres (72 ft) high columns helps enclose the space. From the main portal the view seems to be only the rows of columns with no windows and durchlichtete "walls" between the vaults through which the light seems to shine. The spatial effect of the church is connected with a legend about a footprint in a square tile at the entrance to the nave, the so-called "devil's footstep". This is a black mark resembling a footprint, which according to legend was where the devil stood when he curiously regarded and ridiculed the windowless church that Halsbach had built. In another version of the legend, the devil made a deal with the builder to finance construction of the church on the condition that it contain no windows. The clever builder, however, tricked the devil by positioning columns so that the windows were not visible from the spot where the devil stood in the foyer. When the devil discovered that he had been tricked, he could not enter the already consecrated church. The devil could only stand in the foyer and stomp his foot furiously, which left the dark footprint that remains visible in the church's entrance today. Legend also says the devil then rushed outside and manifested its evil spirit in the wind that furiously rages around the church.

Fullerton College Concert Choir's second concert in celebration of Independence Day at Stadtkirche St. Peter & Paul, Weimar on Monday, July 4 at 7pm

In celebration of Independence Day, the Fullerton College Concert Choir will perform at the St. Peter & Paul Church in Weimar on Monday, July 4 at 7 pm.

The town church of St. Peter and Paul , a protestant Lutheran church- also known as the "Herder Church" - is closely connected with the name of Johann Gottfried Herder who worked here for 26 years as the general superintendent. His monument, standing in front of the church, was the first to be dedicated to a poet in Weimar and commemorates his philosophical, theological and literary work. His tomb can be found inside the church as well as those of duchess Anna Amalia and the original tomb slab of the painter Lucas Cranach. Today´s building was erected between 1498 and 1500. It is already the third church on this site - both the former churches burnt down. Especially remarkable are its gothic hall and the closed choir. The three-winged altarpiece by Lucas Cranach showing Jesus, the ducal family, Martin Luther and the painter himself is the masterpiece which he began during his last year in Weimar. Today, the St. Peter and Paul church is part of the UNESCO World Heritage.

Incantato presents the Fullerton College Concert Choir at Herz-Jesu-Kirche (Weimar) on Sunday, July 3 at 7pm

The Fullerton College Concert Choir will perform their first concert under the direction of John Tebay at Herz-Jesu-Kirche in Weimar, Germany on Sunday, July 3 at 7pm.

Weimar is famous for its cultural heritage. Its oldest records go back to 899. Weimar's cultural heritage is vast. It is most often recognised as the place where Germany's first democratic constitution was signed after the First World War, giving its name to the Weimar Republic period in German politics, of 1918–1933. However, the city was also the focal point of the German Enlightenment and home of the leading characters of the literary genre of Weimar Clacissism, the writers Goethe and Schiller. The city was also the birthplace of the Bauhaus movement, founded in 1919 by Walter Gropius, with artists Wassily Kandinski, Paul Klee, Oskar Schlemmer, and Lyonel Feininger teaching in Weimar's Bauhaus School. Many places in the city centre have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites.Max Meckel, an architect from Frankfurt, built the Herz-Jesu-Kirche from 1889 to 1891 in the style of the Italian renaissance. It is the center of the catholic community in Weimar. The Franz Liszt Memorial Organ” has been consecrated in the Herz-Jesu Church on May 8, 2011. The organ was financed by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Society) with almost €1,000,000.