The Central State University Chorus will be spending the spring break in one of the most culture bound and populated countries in the world: China! There will be a total of 25 members attending this trip, including Mr. CSU Brandon Berry, hailing from Chicago Illinois and Miss CSU Miss Gabriel Ruffin from Detroit, Michigan. CSU Chorus member Steven Weems will be among the 25 students attending the trip. Accompanying the choir will also be two executive administrators, the conductor Mr. Caldwell and the CSU accompanist.
The choir will be on tour for five days and will be visiting three city locations: Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin. The tour will start at the Beijing Opera House and the last stop at the Tianjin Palace in the Tianjin Province. The Central State Chorus will arrive in Beijing in Saturday, March 17 and will be staying in a hotel at the Chinese-American Embassy.
23-year old Senior from Cleveland, OH is a first tenor and one of Mr. Caldwell’s personal assistants. Weems has been a member of the Central State Chorus since his freshmen year in 2008 up to now. One question that was brought up last Friday about how he felt about the trip to China. Weems responded by stating: “I am excited and scared at the same time.”
“I am excited because I have always wanted to travel to a place of rich culture, history and a great appreciation for music” “I am scared because I have never been to China, so I don’t know what to expect while I’m there.”
Weems stated that the choir music-wise has been preparing since last semester. And the conductor and administration have been in preparation for the tour since early January. One last question for Mr. Weems was “What will you personally expect to gain from this international trip?” Weems’ response was as follows: “I expect it will be a great and beneficial trip for everyone. This trip will not only enlighten us about the difference between culture and language barriers, but I hope to take from this experience a deeper appreciation for music, and gain a sense of knowledge and pride for how universal music really is, no matter if we can’t understand the language. I believe as Americans we should broaden our horizons and learn about music from other parts of the world.”
The choir will also have the privilege to meet the ambassador of the Chinese-American delegation between Central State University and the Tianjin School District. The choir will go on to represent Central State University proudly; in the mighty words of the glorious Alma Mater, For God, For Central, For State.”
