St. Thomas’ Episcopal Choir and Orchestra Tour to New Orleans

St. Thomas’ Episcopal middle and high school choir and orchestra recently embarked on a fantastic trip to New Orleans. While there, they participated in a variety of activities ranging from performing in three concerts to taking a steamboat cruise down the Mississippi River. The four-day tour was a hit for the musical students of St. Thomas’ and the new tradition will continue in different cities for years to come.

The trip was jam-packed with fun experiences and delicious meals for the choir and orchestra. The day after arrival, St. Thomas’ performed at St. Martin’s Episcopal school. One of the choir’s favorite songs, Shosholoza, was sung and danced. The St. Martin’s students danced and sung along with the choir which made it extra special. The orchestra also performed a crowd favorite, Can’t Help Falling In Love With You, made famous by Elvis Presley.

Next was the WWII museum, which gave the choir and orchestra a visual representation of what they’ve been learning in school. They also enjoyed playing Capture the Flag and climbing trees in Audubon Park. To finish out the day, they hung out at Rock N Bowl for dinner, bowling and dancing with their peers. Day Two included two concerts: one in the early morning at St. George Episcopal School and an evening service and performance at Christ Church Cathedral. They also enjoyed the aquarium and shopping at the Riverwalk Marketplace. The ride home was filled with games of Heads Up, homework and lots of movies. 

Hannah Smith, a freshman choir member at St. Thomas’ Episcopal, enjoyed eating beignets at Café Du Monde on the trip. Hannah commented, “They were better than other beignets!” Her favorite song to perform was Will the Circle Be Unbroken?, famously sung by Johnny Cash, because it was different than other songs the choir usually sings. Hannah loves singing and says she will continue to participate in choir the rest of her high school career.

Laura Newcomer, also a freshman choir member at St. Thomas’ Episcopal, enjoyed the Rock N Bowl night of the trip. “It was really fun and not really a 2019 thing. It was kind of retro.” The most challenging part of the trip for her was waking up early because of the late-night fun. Laura enjoys listening to ’60s music and helped the choir director, Nancy Crownover, pick out her favorite song of the trip, Stand By Me. Her favorite foods were the beignets and gumbo she ate with her friends. After eating beignets, she and her friends purchased matching Café Du Monde t-shirts, which they wore the last day of the trip. 

Most of all, the students were grateful to Nancy Crownover and Sherrill Calvert, the orchestra director, for organizing such a wonderful trip. The concerts were beautiful, the food was delicious and friendships were made.