Below, Cynthia Weaver '12 talks about our days in Campinas, Brazil.
After a scenic 9-hour bus ride filled with song, mischief and sleep, the Glee Club arrived in Campinas, home of the Universidade Estadual de Campinas, or Unicamp for short. On our first day in Campinas, we gave a concert at Unicamp to a small but enthusiastic audience. After a lunch in the university dining hall, we headed to rehearsal. That evening, the Glee Club enjoyed an American-style pizza dinner with some music students from the university. It was great to get to talk with some local music students, many of whom hope to eventually study music in the United States.
The next morning was a free morning, so the Glee Club enjoyed an evening of socializing. After our afternoon rehearsals and some free time at the mall due to drizzly weather, we headed to our evening concert at Igreja Católica Santa Rita de Cássia. The concert was a collaboration with the Unicamp Symphony Orchestra and two local soloists. Our program included pieces by Mendelssohn, Brahms, and Haydn. Over the tour, we were able to fine-tune Haydn’s Creation to a level of familiarity and mastery which choirs are not often able to establish with their repertoire. There couldn’t have been a more fantastic way to wrap up our 2009 international tour than by singing The Creation one last time. It was a successful concert with great attendance. After a reception and a night in the hotels, we packed up our things and boarded the buses for São Paulo.