Nathan's chorus, Voices In Harmony, was invited to perform in the Russian/St. Petersburg's huge acapella Choral Festival in August. It was a Fantastic Time!!! And my first time ever overseas! The highlight were our several performances of "Polyushko Pole", a traditional Russian song. The song is a solemn but very proud battle hymn about Russian soldier heroes riding across the fields and off into battle, leaving their sad families behind in the villages. I stand front row, to the audience's right of center, most of the time.
You might notice we made a brief stop in Paris! We also toured many sites in the St. Petersburg area, including DOZENS of fantastic Royal Palaces (Catherine the Great's Hermitage/Winter Palace, and Peter the Great's Summer Palacial estate, Petergof being my two favorites -- with fantastic fountains and gold sculptures), and gorgeous churches and Cathedrals (Church on Spilled Blood/Resurrection Church -- entirely marble and tiled with mosaic religious scenes, and St. Isaac's Cathedral were my favorites). We had performances in these Royal halls and Palaces, mainly Peter the Great/Catherine the Great's Capella Hall, St. Petersburg Russia. 8/18-24/09.
The audiences truly treated us like Rock Stars!! Read my friend Ed A.'s description for the SECOND video -- I wrote part of it. I also have included a few reduced versions of my very favorite pix from the trip. About 400 are uploaded on my Facebook site. I took 2800 pictures!!! (and 1800 in Hawaii a month earlier!) As Mom passed away just two weeks before our trip, I felt her presence strongly with me throughout the whole trip. I was glad she was able to join me. :-)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBZc03-i3nM – Capella Hall – “Polyushko Pole”
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GTZIOQKVDU – Rose Pavilion/Pavlosk (Czar Paul I’s Ballroom) – Polyushko Pole
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq5j7jMlHDA – Theater of Musical Comedy – “California Dreamin’ “ (8 part, with Pride of the Pacific)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDAEkRM0YUg – Capella Hall – “Little Boy Lost”
- https://mail.smccd.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=9674f9039a6c4396b606dccbd2b579fc&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2fwatch%3fv%3dmR9SMbQOqYc – Theater of Musical Comedy – “Tribute to World Peace”
Enjoy!! Nathan
Samson Statue/Fountain at Petergof!!
St. Isaac's Cathedral -- hundreds of MASTERWORK paintings on the walls and ceilings inside.
A 5-hour stop in Paris on the way to Russia!!
Performing at renowned Capella Hall!!
My favorite church in Russia: Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood. Not an ounce of paint in the church -- all elaborate mosaics of tiles, and marble floors and columns.
Catherine The Great's Hermitage: The Winter Palace -- hundreds of thousands of great works of art inside. I got to see Michaelangelo's, Da Vinci's, Titians, Rembrandts, etc..... Wow!!
Free-standing!!! Alexander Column in the Hermitage Courtyard!!
Entering Petergof Palace Grounds
Our Festival Poster!! With our own Dr. Lyne at top.
Entering Petergof Palace Grounds
Our Festival Poster!! With our own Dr. Lyne at top.
View of the world-renowned golden fountains from Petergof! Peter the Great's Summer Palace. We sang in a pavilion just off to the right.
Ready to perfrom at Petergof!! The FIRST AMERICAN group to do so!!
I just LOVED this view!! And it was our view during our performance too! The Samson statue/central fountain is AWESOME!!
After performing at Paul I's Rose Pavilion.
Pavlosk, Paul I's palace.
Ready to perfrom at Petergof!! The FIRST AMERICAN group to do so!!
I just LOVED this view!! And it was our view during our performance too! The Samson statue/central fountain is AWESOME!!
After performing at Paul I's Rose Pavilion.
Pavlosk, Paul I's palace.
Sarah joined friends on a very strong girls' softball team, the Lightning, who were undefeated this season. She did great at hitting and catching. Throwing is where she needs the most work, but she made several plays from 2nd and third base, and spent a lot of time playing a very good catcher position! She finished the season by smacking a big TRIPLE past center field her last time at bat!! :-)
Finally, both kids continued to advance in gymnastics over the summer/early fall. Sarah can do walkovers and back-standups (I think you call them -- looks cool and freaky!). Matthew is getting REALLY good at handstands, cartwheels (both sides!), and even walks a bit on his hands. Sarah and Matt made HUGE progress in swimming this summer though: Both making it to level 6 on the first try, and Sarah passed level 6 on her first try! Both kids will be ready for swim team/safety training next year, or maybe even diving.
