The Providence College Touring Choir will travel to Russia in May as one of the official choirs invited to participate in a yearlong celebration of the 200th anniversary of the joint agreement establishing official diplomatic ties between Russia and the United States.

Led by its director, Dr. Michele M. Holt, assistant professor of music and director of choral activities/music education, the Touring Choir is expected to perform four times, including joint concerts with Russian student choirs in St. Petersburg and Moscow. The 66-member contingent- comprised of two faculty members, 47 students, and parents- will depart May 22 and return May 31.

This will be the third trip abroad for the Touring Choir and its first since 2004, when it traveled to England, France, Belgium, and The Netherlands. The choir is made up of members of the Concert Chorale and I Cantori, the College's premier vocal ensembles. What makes the tour unique for the choir, according to Holt, is the extensive cultural opportunities it will afford.

The choir will be performing in two of Russia's most well-known cities, and group members will tour several historic sites in both locations, including museums, cathedrals, and galleries. Among the highlights, the group will visit the Kremlin and the Hermitage and attend a performance by the Moscow State Circus.

"This is a very special opportunity," said Holt. "We will get a look at a real cultural slice of Russian life. It's really a cultural smorgasboard... what two better cities than St. Petersburg and Moscow?"

International vocal collaboration

The group will arrive in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, May 23, and remain there until Sunday, May 27, when it will travel by all-night train to Moscow. The Touring Choir, which will sing in both English and Russian, is expected to perform three times in St. Petersburg- including at a Roman Catholic Church and at the State Cappella Concert Hall- and once in Moscow.

Two of the four performances will be joint concerts with Russian choral ensembles. The PC and Russian choirs will perform a combined repertoire- likely consisting of two compositions- in both performances. While in Moscow, the Touring Choir will perform a joint concert with a choral ensemble from the Moscow Conservatory, one of Russia's most prestigious music institutes.

This article originally appeared in Volume 14 Number 9 of The Spectrum.