"Sing! Kanta! Canta!" is the theme of the 2009 international Performance Tour that brings 43 young singers from Akron, Ohio (USA) toSicily and Malta from June 26 to July 6, 2009.
The SCS Touring Choir is directed by Mrs Arlene Jacobs who has been teaching most of the singers for five or more years as part of the choral training at the Summit Choral Society. The touring choir is the top ensemble of this privately funded non-profit music school and for many of the girls and boys, the journey abroad is also their departure from the program as they graduate high school and leave home for college.
The choir toured China, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic in recent years .
"Originally the group wanted to go to Greece, but it didn't take long to change their mind and bring them to Malta - I just had to tell them about my experiences, the wonderful people and show them how stunningly beautiful the islands and venues are" said Sandra Weinacht, founder of Incantato Tours, a US-based boutique performance tour company. She was here as part of the first school exchange between Germany and the Malta in 1990.
The choir brings a repertoire of classical and modern works from European and American composers and also an original composition written especially for the journey to the islands by American composer Dorn Younger who will be joining the choir on tour. When collaboration with Schola Cantorum Jubilate of Gozo emerged, the American singers added a composition by Maltese composer Paul Portelli to their repertoire.
After three concerts in Sicily, the SCS Touring Choir arrives in Malta on July 1 and is going to be the featured guest choir for Mass and a benefit concert to aid the Richmond Foundation at St. Helen's Church in Birkirkara (6:30 pm). On July 2 in the afternoon, the American students will be visiting the Johann Strauss Music School in Valetta for a meeting with members of the school choir and staff.
Gozo is the destination for the singers on Friday, July 3. After sightseeing in the morning, the choir heads to the National Shrine of Ta' Pinu to meet with members of the Gozitan Schola Cantorum Jubilate.
The choir's last performance will be at St. John's Co-Cathedral on July 4 at 6 pm when the singers are the featured guest choir for Mass.