The Laurentian Singers concluded their Spring 2018 Tour with a concert, which doubled as a fundraiser for Puerto Rico’s recovery following Hurricane Maria.
The concert, which took place on Friday, March 30, consisted of songs they sang throughout the tour and featured several solos. Their tour took them to New York City, Boston, and other New England towns, allowing them to interact with alumni.
Barry Torres, director of the Laurentian Singers, said the tour was a success. “It was the best tour of the 20 I’ve done,” he remarked. He added that the group got along well and performed well. Roni Zabala ‘19, a soprano in the Laurentian Singers, agrees. She says the best parts of the tour were the camaraderie and the ability to meet alumni.
This year, the tour consisted of nine performances in 10 days. The ensemble sang a variety of songs, such as selections from The Beatles’ White Album, classical songs, and Irish traditional songs.
Torres stated that he always tries to include a mix of musical genres. “For the first time, I made a point of asking them what they would like to sing,” he added. He also said that he likes to close with something uplifting.
The choice to travel to New York and Boston was a practical one, but other factors were also in consideration. Torres stated that the ensemble switches between doing a bus tour and one that would require flying.
Last year, the ensemble flew to Puerto Rico; this year, they stayed on the ground. Additionally, New York and Boston are “two of the greatest cities in the world,” with New York being “the hub of the world, in many ways,” according to Torres.
Following the concert, the audience was encouraged to make donations to the Puerto Rico Relief Fund. Puerto Rico is a frequented location for tours; the ensemble goes there every four years. Torres also has Puerto Rican heritage. Zabala expressed that Puerto Rico was her favorite tour, and that she enjoys being able to fundraise for the recovery of the island.
At the concert, $350 was raised, in addition to the $1600 raised last semester. At the concert, Torres emphasized that Puerto Rico has left the 24-hour news cycle, but is still in need of help.