Choirs celebrate 13 international tours with local singers

The community is invited to travel around the globe with the Boundless and Spiritsong choirs as they celebrate some of their favorite music from the 13 tours the choirs have made since 2001 under the direction of conductor Vicki Blake Thompson.  

Performances are Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 19 at 3 p.m. at the Pearl Theater in Bonners Ferry.  

“Building bridges, person to person, song by song, has always been our goal in touring,” Blake Thompson said. “Our tours have brought us side by side and hand in hand with the peoples of Austria/Hungary in 2001, Newfoundland in 2003, China in 2004, Powell River, BC in 2006, Ireland in 2007 and 2019, Tanzania in 2010, Costa Rica in 2013, Greece in 2015, Iceland in 2018, Cuba in 2023, and to Carnegie Hall in 2018 and 2024. What a blessing it has been to make music with folks from all around this magnificent planet” 

Well-known and beloved local pianist Barb Nelson will return to perform for these concerts. The performances are dedicated to those who were part of the tours and have now passed. From Bonners Ferry: Kathryn Braatz, Amy Farrell, Glenda McCalmant, Kinley Nelson, Marj Nishek, Elaine Peterson, Jack Rutherford, Diane Snider. From Creston: Christy Johnston, Lawrence Lavender, Joyce Semanek, Donna Stutter, James Gordon (Gordy) Titsworth. 

    Gail Southall, soloist in Costa Rica at one of our school concerts there.

    At the music conservatory in Cuba where the choirs donated 18 musical instruments. India Kucherry, in the green dress, was a soloist on this tour.

    Pianist Barb Nelson and conductor Vicki Blake Thompson after the Greece tour.