After a quick breakfast, it was off to an early rehearsal. By 10 am, last night's concert was dissected and lying in pieces across the practice room floor. By noon the selections, as well as others from the contemporary repertoire were assembled for tonight's concert, rehearsed, and people were preparing the details. The singing continued in rehearsal until they broke for a late lunch at 1:30. By 2:45 we were on the bus and headed for Porec, 50 minutes up the coast. En route the choir sang the whole way: "Halleluia, Where Have All the Flowers Gone," Amazing Grace," parts of the repertoire and pop.

After arriving in Porec, a serious city with a huge port and shopping district, we started a long circular march around the center of the oldtown. With each cycle, we got closer and closer to, and ultimately found the practice hall. After checking in, the choir took a 40 minute shopping break, in which all but 4 choir members managed to find truly wild ice cream cones. See pics. Shopping was followed by a walk through the blocking for the concert, walking back to the practice room, an hour of rehearsal, 40 minutes of rest and the short walk back to the Basilica.

A word about the Euphrasian Basilica which is one of the oldest cathedrals in Europe. The original church was constructed in the 4th and 5th centuries. Parts of the original structure's mosaics, floor and two walls are incorporated into the "new" Basilica which was constructed in the mid-1200s and is the premiere example of intact Byzantian architecture. Its belltower, like the tower on the Berkeley campus, is a copy of St. Mark's in Venice.

A quite respectible crowd joined the choirs by filling the main sanctuary and the concert was covered by local television. For the whole of the nearly two hour program, they displayed enthusiasm and appreciation for both the contemporary and traditional pieces. The young people of both choirs really walked in and did the job. They filled the church with precise, complex music which bounced around the walls, up the dome and then powerfully returned to join the primary sounds. At times it felt like the old Basilica was singing along and joining in on the fun. Where to start? They really had unison, a lovely balanced sound, energy, and a professional presence. Alice walked through her monologue in Spanish with excellent diction, rate and earnest delivery. Without exception, the soloists were in excellent form. To mention a few: Mason, Max, Katherine and Cassy's solos sounded like the space was created for their voices. The audience gave loud extended applause for the Kui Dong children playing piece, an extended recessional by Carmina Slovenica, Fire in the Heavens and I Can't Keep from Singing. Bob: "That was an excellent performance." Sue: "They did very well." Much congratulations from audience members and professionals.

A proud, smiling Ensemble went back to the practice room, changed, and headed to the old town streets for one last half hour of celebrating and shopping. Much Joy in Muddville for the mighty Ensemble and the powerful Carmina Slovenica, knocked the baseballs out of the park.

"I love singing in that Church."

"Carmina Slovenica is amazing"

Following the concert, eight or so girls and Sebastian went together for ice cream. The young men behind the counter who created the cone and ice cream masterpieces showed their appreciation to Sebi for bringing his "harem" in for ice cream by calling him "Casanova" and giving him the most complex, outrageous cone and ice cream sculpture that any of them had seen.

After assembling in the square, the trip back to the bus was more direct, followed by another hour of singing as we made our way back to our village on the hill, arriving at exactly midnight according to the bus clock. As it was then the 23rd of June and my birthday, Ensemble sang the birthday song in four parts with all the trills and add-ons you can imagine. It was quite lovely and "Happy Birthday" will never be the same, I suspect.

A happy stroll from the bus to bed. All in all, the day included more than ten hours of our children's choral work, because obviously, "They Can't Keep from Singing."

Photos here