Canto in Italia: SHU Choirs Takes a Trip to Sicily

The Sacred Heart University (SHU) Choir Program traveled overseas during winter break for what was an immersive Italian experience filled with performance and learning environments.

The group of 30 students departed on Jan. 2 and stayed abroad until Jan. 10. They performed in three different cities in Sicily and began rehearsals about a month in advance of the trip.

The preparation process was pretty straight forward for the choir members. “We started a few rehearsals here and there around the beginning of December, and we were required to also learn the parts on our own before the day we left for Italy,” said sophomore choir member Bethany Gibson.

“Some rehearsals were baked into our travel days, but rehearsals were primarily hosted here at Sacred Heart,” said senior choir member Nora Serrao.

From packing to transportation in Italy, each choir member made the most of each experience. “Personally, I also had to get my choir attire together and figure out what I needed to pack,” said junior choir member Lauren Conley. “For transportation in Sicily, we had a tour company that worked with us, so we had a tour guide, Lisa, and our bus driver, Giovanni. If we didn’t need to drive, then we walked.”

These methods of transportation applied in all three cities the choir visited. Out of all the cities, Conley, Gibson and Serrao agreed that Ragusa was their favorite for various reasons.

“It was the second city we stayed in. While Palermo and Catania were beautiful, Ragusa had the charm of a small European town,” said Serrao. “The activities there were endless and superb.”

“It was a gorgeous area and our hotel was on the side of a cliff,” said Gibson. “In Ragusa, they were celebrating the Epiphany, and we went to a Christmas village and got to meet the Christmas witch, Befana, who leaves presents on the windowsill for the children on the Epiphany.”

“We were given a whole day to explore, and this small town won all of our hearts with its charming demeanor and the friendliness of the locals. Beyond just the aesthetic of the town, the food was incredible with lots of traditional Sicilian touches,” said Conley.

Along with the sights and experiences, the choir sang at many venues throughout the trip, including local churches. They performed at Holy Cross Anglican Church in Palermo, Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista in Ragusa and Parrocchia Santi Pietro E Paolo in Catania, according to Conley.

The venues accommodated SHU choirs with storage space, streaming devices and amplification equipment, according to Serrao.

“We sang American pieces, some of which our very own Christopher Grundy [Director of Choral Programs] arranged. We wanted to bring a piece of our home to Sicilians,” said Serrao.

They brought many different musical numbers to each venue. According to Conley, most of the music was traditional religious choral music, but also featured others like “Erie Canal” and “Carry Me Home.”

Within the choir, each member was assigned a voice part for the trip. “I was an alto, and we had a lot of altos so we split half and half and stood on the two outsides of the sections so we sounded more rounded out,” said Gibson.

Overall, the choir members enjoyed their trip and all it had to offer.

“This is my second time traveling with SHU choirs. It is a wonderful experience that I recommend to anyone who can afford to go! Not only was Sicily beautiful, but getting the opportunity to perform in such esteemed venues was a transformative experience,” said Serrao.

Gibson said, “I would love to go again wherever the next trip will be. I loved traveling with my friends and getting to do what I love in a beautiful country.”

The trip was a success, and the choir program spread their love for music throughout all three cities.

“I had a wonderful time. Getting to travel the world and do something that I love, singing, was a huge blessing. It was an adventure that I will never forget,” said Conley.

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