ALC Voices of Appalachia Choir Conclude Spring Tour

Last month, Alice Lloyd College’s Voices of Appalachia Choir embarked on their annual tour. The Voices performed across four coastal states beginning on May 6th and concluding on May 15th. Dr. Mindy Rubin conducted for the choir, and was happy to share her story with us.

10 students performed at 9 venues in this year’s tour. The Voices performed first at the Tryon Presbyterian Church in Tryon, North Carolina. Even though the group was well prepared after having numerous performances during the academic year at several campus and community functions, they were a bit nervous for their first tour performance, in front of former ALC VoA director Richard Kennedy. Nevertheless, the group did great. Their strong performance set the tone for the remainder of the tour.

Dr. Rubin described this year’s tour as a “transformational experience” for the students. She says that, “from a nervous first performance in Tryon to a very professional performance in Asheville, NC, the students truly evolved as an ensemble.” She had a wonderful time sharing in the performances with the fantastic group of students and says the group embraced the opportunity to share Appalachian music and Alice Lloyd’s story with so many people.

The experience left a lasting impact on the students as well. ALC sophomore Christian Hughes was grateful for all the people he met on the tour and fellow sophomore Michael Fugate echoed the sentiment saying, “I am most grateful for the chance to be able to meet new people and experience new places. The host homes and church members were extremely kind and showed us nothing but friendliness.” Freshman Leah Jonathan enjoyed the faith-based experiences, saying that she is most grateful for the conversations she had with the tour’s hosts about Jesus. “It was great to be connected with people from other states through our faith and this trip definitely added another level to my walk with Christ.” Junior Michaela Short reflected on all the group’s hard work during the year and said that “everything was worth it and more.”

In the time between performances, the group had a great time exploring. This year, the Alumni office sponsored an excursion for the choir to EPCOT at Disney World. The group also enjoyed the Savannah Historical Museum and The Pirate’s House restaurant in Savannah, GA, and a tour of Chick-fil-A’s headquarters in Atlanta.

Tour Dates and Locations:

• May 6^th @ 7 pm- Tryon Presbyterian Church, Tryon, NC
• May 7^th @ 2 pm- Foothills Presbyterian Community, Easley, SC
• May 7^th @ 7 pm- Earle Street Baptist Church, Greenville, SC
• May 8^th @ 2:45 pm- Chick-fil-A Inc., Corporate Support Center, Atlanta, GA
• May 10^th @ 7 pm- Wekiva Presbyterian Church, Longwood, FL
• May 11^th @ 7 pm- Grace Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Leesburg FL
• May 13^th @ 7 pm- Trinity United Methodist Church, Savannah, GA
• May 14^th @ 6 pm- Cartaret Methodist Church, Beaufort, SC
• May 15^th @ 6 pm- First Baptist Church, Asheville, NC

Click here to learn more about the Voices of Appalachia Choir. Be on the lookout for next year’s tour dates and locations!

The post ALC Voices of Appalachia Choir Conclude Spring Tour first appeared on Alice Lloyd College.