Sorry I didn’t post yesterday, but I didn’t get back to my room until nearly midnight!! And that was early because the party was just getting started when I left!
The last day of the symposium was cold–at least to me–with intermittent rain. The presentations that day were interesting. It’s amazing the sounds that the human voice can make in the name of creating new music. I got to admit some of it was more pleasant to this ear than others.
The afternoon session featured lecture-recitals on music by Ralph Vaughan Williams and John Jacob Niles. The singers were quite good.
It was the evening closing programs that highlighted the day, though. We started with a banquet at one of the local hotels. After the meal, a man in a fisherman’s rain gear came up and regaled us about the joys of being a Newfoundlander. Then he invited everyone who wasn’t one, either by birth or adoption, to join him. Each of us received a section of bologna, a swig of rum and an invitation to kiss a dead cod–and yes, it was the real thing. After eating and drinking (and the optional kiss), we were certified Newfoundlanders (don’t tell my mother).
Then, we walked to the nearby arena for a concert. In addition to the local orchestra, there was a mass children’s choir and adult choir performing both separately and together as an 800-voice mass choir. My favorite guess performers was a children’s choir from Indonesia. The adult choir, soloists and orchestra also did an excellent job with the Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem. The finale was a group that features ABBA songs. I’m not a fan, but the audience loved it. As requested, I didn’t take pictures after the opening procession of nation flags.
However, there are some pictures posted on the Festival 500 FB page.
There was a huge reception afterwards. I didn’t stay long, though. Felt a bit claustrophobic, plus I needed to get ready and rested for the trip home.
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