This last post is one that I struggled to find words to express myself. It could be because of Jetlag (totally a real thing), it could be because I had to jump right back into work preparing for another end of a fiscal year and prepping for a new fiscal year, but it most definitely is because words cannot express my gratitude and appreciation for this tour.
I am overjoyed that I was given this opportunity to participate in this tour. The memories I have made, the experiences I have gained will be cherished for the rest of my life.
This was not any normal tour. By traveling with a performance group, we were given so many more opportunities than could have ever been expected. To sing infront of Mozart’s birthplace, to sing at St. Mark’s Cathedral, WOW! I can only say thank you to Illinois State University School of Music and Choral department for giving us these opportunities!
To the students:
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to get to know you and to share these memories with you. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to sing by your side as that was such an incredible honor. I cherish each and every one of you for who you are, your talents, and your appreciation for music. Thank you ALL for sharing this experience and welcoming me with open arms!
My heart is so incredibly full of love for each and every one of you. I am so humbled by your generosity, kindness, and especially the music you made with me. It was an honor to sing beside you and share our music with the world.
I love you all! I am so grateful you are in my life!
I am so proud of you!
To Nick Benson:
Thank you for being my right-hand man! I am so thankful to have you helping me make sure everything goes smoothly and ensuring we stay together. You helped me in so many ways and I will forever be grateful for you! Thank you for joining us in this adventure as I have had the amazing opportunity to get to know you better and I am so grateful for that. You are such an awesome person!
Thank you for handling all video and audio recordings so we can look back at these performances with such pride! Not only is this a great resource to show prospective students what we can offer at Illinois State University, but for those of us that went on the trip it will be forever cherished!
Illinois State University is lucky to have you!
To Mark Grizzard:
Thank you for joining us on this trip and sharing your passion for music. Thank you for singing by our side and sharing your knowledge. Through your conducting, I see your passion, I see your soul! You show the students what it is to truly love music. That is something we will forever remember!
I wish you the best on your completion on your Doctorate degree and look forward to sharing our love for music with you!
To Witte Tours:
Thank you for helping pull this adventure together for us. You gave us so many opportunities to see these beautiful sights and perform in such memorable places. Illinois State University is so thankful for all of your assistance in making this trip all it could be. And most of all- THANK YOU for giving us Jackie as our tour manager and Roland as our driver. This trip was EXTRA special because of them. They are PRICELESS!
To Jackie AKA “QUEEN”:
There are no words to express my gratitude to you. You are one of the most special individuals I have ever met. You have given me goals of what I hope to achieve in the future. You are strong, persistent, kind, and full of soul. Thank you for sharing this experience with us. Thank you for making these experiences for us. You made us feel important, looked after, and you made sure our needs were always acknowledged and taken care of. I hope this is not the last I will see you. You are always welcome in our Redbird community.
We love you, Jackie! Until we meet again!
To Roland:
THANK YOU for being such a wonderful tour driver. You made us feel safe. You made sure we were taken care of! We cannot express our gratitude for everything you did for us!
And thanks for allowing us to sing “Roland, Roland, Roland!” every time we got on the bus. I am sure that was not the first you heard it….and I am sure it won’t be the last! You are a ROCKSTAR!
Finally, to our Choral Director, Dr. Karyl Carlson:
It is because of you and the vision you had that we had an opportunity like this. You pushed us to accomplish amazing things in a short period of time. You have always had high expectations for your students because you know that is what they can achieve. Through perseverance, drive, and our love for music, we truly did achieve amazing things! You helped us set our mind to it! Thank you for pushing us to do the unspeakable! We did so many amazing things on this trip and we are so grateful for you setting your vision to give us this opportunity!
Your choices in music were amazing! I have such a love for each piece. They were not easy, but my appreciation for them grow every moment we sing them! This trip is thanks to you! You pushed us to make this happen for ourselves because you knew the outcome and the experience we would have.
Thank you, Dr. Carlson!
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