MC Concert Choir reflects on five day Spring Tour to St. Augustine, lasting experience for all involved

Maryville College’s Concert Choir (CC) has many traditions, including the annual choir tour. Every spring, the choir travels, performing in Presbyterian churches along the way, and staying with host families from these churches. This year, the final destination was St. Augustine, FL, and the choir made stops in St. Simons Island, GA; Clemson, SC; Atlanta, GA; and Fernandina Beach, FL.

The theme for the year was “The Times They Are A-Changin’”, chosen to reflect the current social climate and share messages of hope. Part of this artistic choice highlighted parallels to the 1960’s, and the repertoire reflected this era, with Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Pete Seeger and Paul McCartney.

Ella Morse (‘27), choir manager, said that the theme for the year was impactful and well received, a sentiment also echoed by CC President Olivia Hill (‘25), who added that some pieces also focus on cherishing small moments.

Five days of long bus rides and performances at every location makes choir tour a bonding experience. Hill said that tour gives her a chance to spend time with everyone in the choir and build deeper friendships. 

“It is the opportunity to make beautiful music with the best people I have ever met. It truly is an overwhelming spiritual and emotional experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world.” said Hill. She added that this year’s tour was the best of the four she has experienced during her time at MC. 

When asked about the host family and homestay process, Morse stated that homestays are one of the best parts of touring. Hill explained that this is only the second year that homestays have been a safe option, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and many students were nervous.

Stacey Wilner, MC Concert Choir director, explained that homestays involve a lot of coordination between the visiting choir, the host church, and local families who open their homes to provide lodging for choir members. 

“The choir provides a rooming list with names, genders, and any special considerations like dietary restrictions, allergies, or preferences. Efforts are made to keep students in pairs or small groups for comfort and security,” Wilner said. 

“My favorite stop was in Atlanta. My sister and I were lucky to be paired with a wonderful lady for our homestay! She drove us around Atlanta explaining the historical significance of certain places. She took us out to eat and then took us home,” said Morse

“She is a political activist and was active in the Civil Rights movement – in her home, she had pictures of her husband holding hands with Mrs. King – and she was generous, kind and had such an interesting life to tell us about. After our homestay, we exchanged numbers, and we will stay in touch. It is a really beautiful thing that this choir tour was able to connect us to people we never would have met, but who can have such a positive and profound impact on our lives,” Morse added.

Hill struggled to pick a favorite stop on tour, while Wilner said that every location had its own “gifts and challenges.” Each location is different, with logistics and set lists changing based on the spaces. 

“Every stop had a favorite moment or aspect – they always do. At Fort Hill in Clemson, the children’s choir sang with us as part of the Ash Wednesday service, and that was very special,” said Wilner. “The brand new sanctuary at St. Simon’s Presbyterian was gorgeous and had wonderful acoustics. Memorial Presbyterian in St. Augustine and Central in Atlanta are very old and historical spaces, which give an entirely different feel to the choral experience. We ended the trip with a lovely concert followed by the most amazing Italian feast at Fairfield Glade Community Church.”

While Hill specifically noted the stop in St. Augustine for beauty and history, she had more touching notes on the last stop.

“The last performance is usually pretty bittersweet, emotional and powerful; all of that is an understatement of how this performance went. We were all a crying mess, but we still sang our hearts out, and I think that’s when it hit me that this was my last tour,” said Hill. “I’ll cry now just thinking about it.”

Of course, there were minor challenges faced, but nothing that could not be dealt with. Wilner said that the challenges along the way stretched their “ability to cope and help[ed them] to grow in patience and problem-solving abilities.”

Morse noted that one challenge can be keeping a positive attitude throughout the tour. It can be exhausting, with constant performances and socialization. She added that the choir is so gracious of homestays, and tries to be the “best possible homestay guests,” which can be tiring when you are on the road for four days.

Hill noted that the only challenge she faced was in helping the new assistant director, Jacob Parauka, transition into his role. She also noted that Parauka has done an outstanding job and gone “above and beyond.”

Parauka’s role on tour is an important one, as he organized the logistics for travel alongside Wilner and Kathleen Farnham, director of Church Relations. In addition to the choir and its leaders, Chase Hatmaker and Amber Nejme-Hatmaker travel as accompanists on piano and percussion.

Wilner’s final note was on the impact and meaning found within the choir tour. 

“A choir tour is more than just a series of performances – it is an opportunity for growth, connection, and transformation. Through travel and shared experiences, singers gain valuable life lessons that extend far beyond music,” she said.

“[It] is about the students growing as musicians, as individuals, and as a community. It’s a journey that leaves a lasting impact on both the singers and those who hear them,” Wilner said.

Hill had some parting words for her peers as she approaches graduation.

“I have said this a couple of times to the choir and about the choir – but this group of singers is my family. They are the best of the best, beautiful inside and out, and even a little talented, too,” Hill joked. “They have taught me how to love and how to live, and I sincerely thank them all for that, forever and always.”