| Chorale visits Wheaton=92s =
Sister City=20
in England=20
Posted Friday, July 06, 2007=20
The Glen Ellyn Wheaton Chorale is currently =
taking its=20
=93Hands Across the Water=94 spring concert of American and =
British music=20
across the pond and touring the British Isles. One of their early =
stops=20
was in Wheaton-Aston in south Staffordshire, England, the Sister =
City to=20
Wheaton.
The chorale performed in a joint concert at =
the=20
picturesque St. Mary=92s Church in Wheaton-Aston with the Brewood =
Singers, a=20
local choral group with members from Wheaton-Aston and surrounding =
villages.
While there, the chorale members met with =
town=20
citizens, toured the village, exchanged gifts and hosted a =
barbecue picnic=20
in their honor, co-sponsored by the chorale, the Sister City =
Commission of=20
Wheaton, and the village of Wheaton-Aston.
The Sister City Commission of Wheaton =
promotes=20
multicultural exchanges between Wheaton and its sister cities. =
This year,=20
the chorale served as ambassadors by sharing the beauty and =
universality=20
of music with the British community.
Teri Ash, chair of the commission said, =
=93We are=20
thrilled that the chorale chose to initiate this =
activity.=94
Marian Kennedy, clerk to the English parish =
council,=20
wrote, =93The concert was brilliant. The church was full. It all =
flowed very=20
well.=94
An address from Wheaton=92s Mayor Mike Gresk =
was read=20
and has been placed in their village hall for people to read. The =
audience=20
included the local member of Parliament and the chairman of the =
local=20
parish council.
After the concert, the chorale members were =
guests at=20
a catered reception in the village hall.
At the end of the evening, some of the =
visitors and=20
their hosts went for a walk down to the village canal and along to =
the=20
lock. Kennedy writes, =93Some visitors on a canal boat were then =
treated to=20
an impromptu performance of =91I=92ll Be Seeing You=92 which =
really brought=20
tears to eyes.=94
Greg Wheatley, the chorale=92s director, =
also directs=20
the College Church Singers and teaches as guest lecturer in music =
theory=20
at Wheaton College. He and his family make their home in Wheaton. =
Wheatley=20
looked around the village green as the sun broke through the =
clouds and=20
said, =93This is just wonderful, so peaceful, and not a freeway in =
sight.=94=20
As Kennedy put it, =93I really hope this =
event will=20
strengthen the links between us and encourage people to correspond =
or=20
visit.=94
For details about the chorale, visit=20
www.gewchorale.org. For information on Wheaton=92s Sister City =
Commission,=20
go to www.wheaton.il.us and link to Boards and Commissions under=20
Government..
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