Excellent Tour!!! What an educational experience for us all. We saw and learned so much in the 10 days we were there. We all left with a new and greater appreciation for Chinese culture.

Our interaction and dinners with the students and choir members from the colleges (Tianjin University & Renmin University) were fantastic. The opportunity for my students to talk with the Chinese students was priceless. They really interacted with them in a way that surprised me. I heard laughter coming from all tables and saw some exchanging email addresses.

Sheldon Poon [MCI’s Concert Organizer] is a jewel of a person! Steady, always on the look out for possible problems, and when one occurs, he has it figured out in seconds. He was very gracious with me and the students. We fell in love with our Chinese tour managers. They worked so hard to make our experience one we would never forget, and they never showed any anxiety when they were asked the same questions over and over. They made sure everyone was where they were suppose to be on time, and really took charge and I felt that all I had to do was conduct the music.

I was very pleased with the concerts. Performing with local university choirs inspired my students to reach higher. A priceless moment was when we sang “And the Glory of the Lord” from Messiah together at the end of the concert. In the Xi’an Conservatory of Music, we had an amazing concert. Packed house and very enthusiastic audience. At all venues the handbell choir stole the show. They had never heard bells play before and listened with great attention.

I was blown away by the entire experience. The banners greeting us everywhere we went, the cultural programs we attended, the sightseeing - all was excellent. If I had to point to one highlight, it would be the concerts. These opportunities allowed my students to achieve a level of musicianship that I always knew was possible, but they did not believe. They bonded with each other in a way they never did here on campus. They were so proud of their achievement. This tour allowed a group of mixed talented students who on their own are not extraordinary musicians perform at a level that any college choir director would be proud of.

-Dr. Marion Smith
Eckerd Concert Choir and Eckerd Ringers