SARAH VAN STAFF WRITER
The Castle Singers will be Wartburg’s first music group to travel to Brazil when they tour the country during May Term.
Nearly 30 students will be led by Jane Andrews, Castle Singers director and professor of music, and Peter Nash, professor of religion and liberal studies.
Nash lived in Brazil for eight years and speaks fluent Portuguese.
“It’ll be good to have him [Nash] along because he’s lived in Brazil and really knows the culture,” Bailey Meiklejohn said.
The Castle Singers leave from St. Paul, Minn., on April 25, have a layover in Atlanta and arrive in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the next day.
Andrews said a Brazilian tour is not like touring Europe.
“This is totally different,” she said. “It’s an emerging country.”
During the 23-day tour, the Castle Singers will perform eight concerts. Andrews said tickets sold quickly at all venues.
The Castle Singers have been preparing for their tour since the beginning of the school year. During Winter Term, they emphasized learning and rehearsing tour music.
The Castle Singers will perform many genres of music, including traditional jazz, Americana jazz, Portuguese, swing and Latin. They have prepared about three songs in each genre.
Meiklejohn’s favorite song is “Girl from Ipanema.”
“I think we’re singing across the street . . . [or at] the club where the guy saw the girl from Ipanema walk by and where he wrote the song,” Meiklejohn said.
The Castle Singers will also present vocal improvisation workshops during the tour.
They have conducted a few jazz workshops and given several performances in preparation for Brazil.
Between concerts and workshops, the Castle Singers will have time to relax and sightsee. They plan to watch a soccer game, tour an immigration museum, sit on the beach and visit one of the largest zoos in Brazil.
“It will be really nice to just experience the culture. Apparently Brazil, as a culture, is really laid back and free spirited,” Meiklejohn said.
“I’m also excited to see the [Iguacu Falls] because we’re going to be right up in the waterfalls.”
Andrews is also looking forward to seeing the Iguacu Falls, similar to Niagara Falls but larger.
“It’s an incredibly beautiful place,” Andrews said.