Encore Creativity

I am an alumnus of the Pontifical Biblical Institute. You may recall an article I wrote earlier about my experiences at the Biblicum, which I now have had the enjoyment of seeing again this past October. At this time, I come with an unusual request that might also bring an invitation. Let me first give context. I am presently president of the board of directors of Encore Creativity, which is the largest choral organization for senior adults (55 years and over) in the United States. I and another member of my board are parishioners at the Jesuit parish of Holy Trinity Church near the campus of Georgetown University. I taught at Georgetown, two of my board members have graduate degrees from Jesuit universities, and the Georgetown graduate serves now on one of that university’s boards. I describe this to bring out the links to Jesuit alumni, if not also to Gregorian alumni to whom I make my request and with whom I explore further possibilities.

Encore Creativity’s choral organization draws from its more than 1,300 singers to organize an international singing tour every summer and has been partnering with Grand Circle Travel to add concerts to one of its regular cruises. This coming summer Encore will join Grand Circle’s “Rivers of Europe” tour from July 30—August 14 and wants to arrange performances for our group of approximately 25-30 singers at venues along the cruise. The boat begins in Vienna and goes to Amsterdam and will stop to visit (in Austria): the Melk Abbey, and (in Germany): Passau, Regensburg, Nuremberg, Bamberg, Würzburg, Wertheim, Heidelberg, Rüdesheim, Koblenz, and Cologne. My question is this: does someone among the large network of Gregorian alumni in these European cities know of venues where we can perform approximately 45 minute concerts? If so, please contact Brian Isaac, Encore Artistic Director, at brian.isaac@encorecreativity.org. It can be a church, school auditorium, local theater, parish house, or other public venue. We would also explore the possibility of joining with local choirs or choral groups in some kind of joint program or even to be guests with a smaller repertoire as part of a local planned program.

You can also see how this program opens possibilities for Gregorian or Jesuit alumni/ parishioners and Gregorian Foundation members to meet each other while enjoying travel internationally. Encore would be happy to provide the singers, but fellow travelers would all be welcome to join the traveling chorale, whether as choristers learning and rehearsing the music, as will everyone else singing along the way, or providing some of the audience cheering on the singers. If you would like to join this year’s cruise, go to: https://encorecreativity.org/event/the-great-rivers-of-europe-cruise/ Watch for future trips, when they are organized.