I was blessed with the opportunity to study abroad with the Concert Chorale Choir of Mizzou in London! Being my first time out of the country and “across the pond,” I was very excited to experience all of the different opportunities I had. On top of that, I am a Music Education major, so taking our music abroad and learning a variety of ways that musicians interact and teach was an unforgettable experience in and of itself. We were able to perform at Cadogan Hall alongside Auburn University, Auburn United Methodist Choir, Enterprise State Community College, and the University of Regina. We were blessed to have the collaboration of not only Dr. Boyd from Mizzou, but Dr. Rosephanye Powell and Dr. William Powell from the University of Auburn and Dr. Melissa Morgan from the University of Regina. They provided insight and guidance in each piece to aid the choir in better portraying the purpose of the concert “I Dream A World: A Celebration of Music by Black American Composers.” This concert was created to highlight the musical works of Black composers that aren’t recognized like the typical Bach or Beethoven pieces of the Baroque and classical periods. Having the opportunity to invest myself into this goal and monumental performance was a great honor.

While we were performing, it felt as though we were all one choir, despite the fact that we came from different backgrounds and cultures and didn’t know each other before the week had begun. It was a special performance. It reminded me of my drive and reason behind becoming a Music Education major. We were able to express thoughts and emotions through our music that words just weren’t able to fulfill. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity the study abroad scholarship granted me, and hope that if you are reading this and are considering studying abroad or getting involved with music, you can use my experience as a reason to take that first step and say “yes!”

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: I Dream a World: Concert Chorale Performance in London