The choir went to their 2 hour workshop this morning, which was an enjoyable experience for all the girls there. We were placed with the choristers from Cantala (Wellington, NZ) and some of us exchanged experiences of Europe. We then travelled to the Musikverein to watch the orchestra perform.
Meanwhile, the orchestra spent some time rehearsing before their competition. This rehearsal was put to good use as they sounded beyond amazing. Various people cried during Amanda's solo in 'Theme from Schindler's List', for instance.
Afterwards, we travelled approximately 90 minutes to Groß Siegharts where we were one of the few performers visiting the area. The mayor of the town came to watch and various photographs of us were taken to feature in their local paper.
Our performance was well received and we then had dinner at the concert hall. Afterwards on the way back to the hotel, the results of the orchestra competition were announced. Whilst they did not receive a place, they still performed excellently and it was a wonderful experience for all.
The next day, whilst the orchestra took part in their workshop, the choir prepared for their competition.
Later, the orchestra came to watch the singers compete (and cheered when they walked on stage!). They performed incredibly well and afterwards, Annabel and Miriam were acknowledged for their crisp solo part in 'Bitte Betti', as well as Ma Williams for her accompanying on the piano.
We then travelled to Bad Schonau to perform at their local church a few hours later. The audience enjoyed our performance, and the orchestra played an encore at their request. Afterwards, we were told that the singers placed 5th out of 12 choirs, a wonderful achievement!
The next day, we drove to the graveyard to see the graves of famous composers (for example-Beethoven, Strauss). We then travelled to the largest shopping mall in Austria to speed shop!
Afterwards, we rehearsed for the Gala Winners Concert and then watched all the choirs and orchestras who received a place in their section. We ended the evening with a dinner with all the other participants in the festival, and spoke to many of them. Our understanding of culture has significantly broadened!
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