ABRHS Chorus Canada Trip

Precious Lord at the Basilique-Cathedral of St. Anne in Quebec

2009-04-23T05:13:00.000-07:00

Ode to the Canada Trip : Part 4

2009-04-20T17:33:00.001-07:00

Monday morning: we were on our last day,
Even though we all wished we could stay.
We started out strong
Because the day would be long
And soon we were on our way.

Once again we hit the streets
To see if Montreal had some other treats
Like the underground mall
Which had something for all
Including some maple sugar treats.

Our first stop was to Notre Dame
Which was in absolutely no way lame (pronounced "lahm")
It was beautiful and blue
And inspiring too
But soon we had to move on

After a couple hours of shopping
Back on the bus again we were hopping
For our drive to the states
We would arrive late

A great trip behind us,
We drove without stopping.

~ Haley M & Sarah B

On Friendship...

2009-04-20T17:30:00.000-07:00

"To be honest the trip started off on the wrong foot for me. But it brought people together who normally don't speak two words to each other, and we all had fun. Friendships were made stronger and we discovered new, interesting, wonderful, and caring people that we actually want to spend more time with...it almost makes ending high school sad." ~ Anonymous

Ode to the Canada Trip: Part Three

2009-04-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

On Sunday morning we woke up
We quickly packed and boarded the bus
Our drive to Montreal wasn't so bad after all
We were ready for the day ahead of us

We were off to see a John Lennon exhibit
And everyone was really into it
We went off to shop
But not 'til we dropped
'Cuz we still had one last church to visit

Our next performance was at a Catholic Mass
And for this trip, it would bbe our last
So we sang our best
Then let our voices rest
Returning to the city with class

Disco lights, pizza, music and fun
We went cosmic bowling (and some of us won!)
We had a great time
But now we're out of rhymes
We all wish that you could have come!

Haiku to the Canda Trip

2009-04-20T17:25:00.000-07:00

Voices rising high
We spread sound to Canada
And return again

~ Anonymous

On Marie Reine Du Monde,,,,

2009-04-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

"Last night singing the mass in the Montreal cathedral was really cool. It's one thing to sing in a cathedral where we're the only people there, but it's another thing entirely to have an audience at a service. It was also interesting hearing mass in French at such a big, beautiful church. Also Eric Sheehan was there! Anyway, that was the highlight of the trip for me. Can't wait to get home in about ten hours." ~ Chris A.

"I really enjoyed attending/singing at mass in French. I understood the homily and prayers almost completely, which was a really cool experience." ~ Anonymous

Recordings...

2009-04-20T14:11:00.000-07:00

"I have audio recordings of all songs from 2 of the 4 churches we sang in (soon to be uploaded online)! This has been an amazing trip!" ~ James Sheehan

Note to James: Please send us the link so we can all listen!

Note to All: Stay tuned for postings of photos and video clips later this week!

Day 2 Thoughts...

2009-04-20T14:04:00.001-07:00

"Canada has been an amazing experience. I've met so many new people and have gotten closer to other friends. I love chorus." ~ Anonymous

"This trip has really been amazing. I love being able to connect with people that I normally wouldn't. Beautiful countryside and cities. Thank you!!" :-) ~ Anonymous

"Canada is very beautiful - it's been a wonderful experience. I am disappointed I have not seen a moose! But singing in the cathedrals is a truly amazing experience." ~ Anonymous

"What's up peepz back in A-town. Canada is pretty chill. Best part was definitely the cathedrals. The acoustics were sick. Here's a poem that describes how I feel:

After maple syrup, gravy, meat, carbs and potatoes
My stomach longs for leavy greens and tomatoes
As I sit my stomach's in ruins
But I can still enjoy the success of the Bruins!

Peace, Nicky B"

Ode to the Canada Trip: Part Two

2009-04-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

We awoke to the sound of a telephone call
And sleepily stepped out into the hall
To breakfast we went
Folowing the scent
Of food; We devoured it all.

We took a tour of old Quebec City
We have to admit it was really pretty
At a church we sang
And our voices rang
And the wonderous sound made us giddy.

After the church we were off to explore
We found lots of cut restaurants and stores
We bought souvenirs
And climbed up steep stairs
Quebec left us all wanting more

Once again we had to depart
For a basillica that was truly a work of art
It was a highlight of our day
The inside took our breath away
So we sang out from our hearts

But that was really just the beginning
We still had a lot more singing
A joint concert
With Les Petit Chateurs
Left our ears ringing (in a good way!)

It was getting unbelievably late
And it had been quite awhile since we ate
Lasagna! Lasagne!
What rhymes with "lasagne"?
Dinner with the Canadians was great!

After such a fun-filled day
We were grateful to be on our way
Back to our hotel
And all was well
As we drited off and away....

- Anonymous

Ode to the Canada Trip - Part One

2009-04-18T20:46:00.000-07:00

After a ten hour drive
We were lucky to still be alive
And all in a rush
We got off the bus
Happy that we had arrived.

The we made our way to the wonderful Copper Musee
We made our own pieces,
Saw panels of Jesus,
And then we went on with our day.

The Sugar Shack was where we ate
The music and dancing was really great
We at 'til we were full
And had a maple taffy pull
And didn't get to the hotel until late.

Our day was so much fun
But it was only Day Number One
We fell into bed
With a great trip ahead
And it's only just begun....

- Anonymous

Thoughts from students....

2009-04-18T20:19:00.000-07:00

"Maple syrup : one flavor, so many ways to enjoy" - Jenna L

"Canada is so much fun!" - Dipti

"J'adore LeQuebec. Je ne veux pas partir!" - Anonymous

"The stained glass windows had the sunlight coming in and the space was so beautiful and the sound was amazingly resonant, especially when we sang....chills!" - Anonymous

"The church plus the amazing singing of the choirs almost made me cry. It was beyond beautiful." - Anonymous

"Last night at the Sugar Shack I felt like I was on the lower deck of the Titanic. Everyone was dancing and music was playing. It was amazing!" - Anonymous

"I love chorus - Je t'aime!" - Anonymous

"I think I have a pound of maple syrup in my stomach!" - Anonymous

"I asked the tour guide a question and he said, 'Eh?'. I couldn't stop laughing....French & Eh!" Anonymous

"The bus ride took FOREVER, but it is awesome here! So much fun. And I love maple syrup. It's delicious! - Heather D.

"Canada is so peaceful. It is really a refreshing break. I was reading the newspaper this morning and I saw not one story about war, blowing things up and destruction of life. I walk the streets and see not a single speck of trash. The architecture here is beautiful. The buildings aren't run down like they are in America. It's a beautiful place." - Chris C

"Canada is refreshing. The selection of oddly-placed buildings is interesting and the local entertainment is great. Most of us did, however, pass on the salted fried pork rind." Anonymous

"St. Anne's Basilica had a pillar covered in crutches and other medical...equipment and they were put there after someone in the community healed." - Anonymous

Off to Montreal in the morning!

First Day Festivities

2009-04-17T20:42:00.000-07:00

Hello Families!

We've had a wonderful day here in Quebec. The students have been tremendous about being on time and moving efficiently between activites. We visited a family owned copper factory and even had the chance to make our own copper souveniers. Look for these when your child comes home!

For dinner, we ate family style at the quaint Cabane a Sucre with their local musician to entertain us. Students danced to the folk music and some even had the chance to play the spoons with the music. The food was delicious and we ended the evening with many, many servings of maple sugar. YUM!

Tomorrow will be a big singing day with two cathedral visits and our formal joint concert in the evening.

Can't wait to share more of our stories with you! Check back soon!

-Ms. Moss

Off We Go!

2009-04-17T05:01:00.000-07:00

The buses left for Canada sharply at 7:00 a.m. today - right on time! It's a great day to travel and the students all seem like they are doing great! We will try to post at least once/day and include comments from students and photos. We will not always have access to affordable internet access, but will do the best we can!