Cultural Tour Consultants

Trip notes from Cathy Skinner from Quebec City.  I traveled to Quebec City in August to experience the International Festival of Military Bands.  What a great four days!  Quebec City is absolutely alive with activities in the summer, especially this year as it celebrated its 400^th anniversary. 

This is an annual event, with top military bands from around the world performing throughout the city and throughout the week at the numerous venues, indoors and out.  I couldn’t help thinking that Quebec City is ideal city for performing groups.  There are numerous parks and plazas with great bandstands and the infrastructure needed for concerts, not to mention appreciative audiences.

I was part of a group hosted by the Quebec City Office of Tourism.  Every night we attended a world class event.  The first night we had excellent seats for a performance of the Russian Red Army Choir. This well-known ensemble tours the world.  The program consisted mostly of music by Russian composers, and many French Canadian songs beloved by the warm, receptive audience.  It was an inspiring cultural exchange.  In addition to the men’s choir, the touring ensemble also includes an orchestra and the most incredible dance troupe.  Many of the dances were reminiscent of traditional folk dance, plus more modern routines.  How do they do that traditional Cossack dance?  There were two well-deserved standing ovations at the end of the show.

The next night we attended the Quebec City Military Tattoo in the Pepsi Coliseum.  http://www.fimmq.com/site/tattoo-show.html  Bands from around the world performed individually and all together on mass performances.   The Red Army Choir and a Quebec choir also contributed to the show from the staging area above the floor of the arena.  The evening included a tribute to Canadian soldiers serving in Afghanistan, and the highlight came just before the intermission, when all the bands entered the arena in formation, and a somber song was played together with a violin soloist.  The Red Army Choir and Quebec choir provided choral accompaniment from the stage above the arena floor.  Then, hundreds of fatigue-clad soldiers filed onto the stage as the music continued. Several video were shown on huge screens in which several troops expressed their dedication to Canada, and paid tribute to those Canadian soldiers who had been killed in Afghanistan.  As the music swelled, the soldiers then filed down onto the arena floor, walking between the lines formed by the bands, and then climbed into the stands and spoke with and shook hands with people throughout the audience.  There were not too many dry eyes in the house.

Quebec is well-known for its outdoor festivals and events.  As if the International Fesitval of Miitary Bands was not enough for one weekend, the entire city was anticipating the appearance of Celine Dion, set to take place before 250,000 fans on a huge stage erected especially for the concert on the Plains of Abraham.  Our hosts at the Office of Tourism managed to get tickets for us, so we spent a beautiful summer evening under the stars, being entertained by Quebec’s favorite popular artist.

In between all of that, we still managed to tour Quebec City on foot, take a cruise on the St. Lawrence River, and enjoy some of the delicious foods of Quebec.  We also spent an afternoon touring the Beaupre Coast, to see Montmorency Falls, the Sainte-Anne de Beaupre Shrine, have lunch at a vineyard and marvel at the Canyon Sainte-Anne.  All in all, I left with a strong desire to go back again soon, to revisit some of the delightful spots and to see the many things left to discover.

This is Cathy checking in from Montreal, Quebec.  As part of our “Culture Closer to Home” campaign, I have a renewed interest in Mondial Choral Loto-Québec, a remarkable festival for choirs from around the world, and of all persuasions, which takes place every year in Laval, Quebec.  I was a special guest of the organizers this weekend to see firsthand what the festival has to offer.   It truly has something for everyone.  The philosophy of Mondial Choral Loto-Québec is to celebrate choral music of all kinds; audition materials are required, but the admissions are very egalitarian and they eagerly accept choirs of all ages and musical persuasions.  The mission is to promote choral music and encourage people to sing!

The festival was started by Gregory Charles, an accomplished musician, singer and recording artist.  You can learn more about him and the festival at www.mondialchoral.org.

Cultural Tour Consultants is suggesting that our choir groups participate in the festival as part of a larger concert tour of French Canada.   Laval is just across the river from Montreal.  We envision spending at least one or two days at the festival, participating in the Choral Marathon and giving a formal evening concert in one of the popular evening venues.  The city of Laval is a stronghold of choral music, and visiting choirs are greeted with great enthusiasm by the residents.  There are several lovely churches and auditorium settings where the evening concerts are held.

During my visit I observed the director of a terrific choir from the University of Puebla, Mexico give a workshop.  Participating were a choir from Congo and a choir from New Brunswick.  Everyone had a wonderful time singing, learning new pieces and communicating (all spoke a different language!) through music.

And, how can I fail to mention the highlight?  I was a special invited guest at a performance of the Vienna Choir Boys Choir concert at the elegant  Sainte-Rose Church in the Sainte-Rose section of Laval.  Any time I have been in Vienna, the Boys Choir has been on the road.  I feel very fortunate to have finally enjoyed a performance.  They were amazing. 

Please call me for a suggested a concert tour itinerary of Canada.  It can be short or long, and can encompass a cultural exchange with choirs from around Canada and the world in Laval, just minutes from Montreal.