The Monterey Peninsula Chorale Society is one of just six choirs in the world invited to perform at the summer Olympics in London – and five Hollister residents will be along for the trip.
The five local residents who are part of the choir said the excitement of being involved with the international event is making it hard to sleep at night now that the opening ceremony is weeks away.
“I’m 71 years old and I’ve been in music for quite some time,” said Manny Amaral, one of the musicians looking forward to the trip. “I was with Oriana (Chorale) for 13 years and now I’m with Monterey Peninsula Chorale (Society.) To have the opportunity to perform at the Olympics in London this year is beyond my wildest dreams.”
He referred to the chance as a large item for his “bucket list.”
The Monterey-based choir is made up of 113 members who have been training for months. The choir includes adults as well as 22 students from Carmel High School. Conductor Sean Boulware submitted past concert performances and rehearsal footage as well as CDs to the International Olympics Committee.
“The Olympic committee decided they liked what they heard,” said Laurel Doll, who will be performing along with her husband Ron. Kathleen and Harry Hill, of Hollister, are also part of the group.
Doll referred to herself as the type of person who believes in fairytales.
“I’m kind of that person,” she said. “I hoped and prayed – and when it did (happen,) I said it was beyond my wildest dreams.”
The choir is scheduled to perform at Olympic Park on the main stage for the “London Live!” concert. There are expected to be up to 30,000 people in the audience. The singers will also perform at Canterbury Cathedral with some members of the royal family expected to attend, Westminster Abbey and a few other venues. The group will perform two concerts in France, including one at Euro Disney.
“I haven’t slept for about a year,” Doll said. “This is an opportunity of a lifetime. It is a chance to represent the United States. It is the highest honor anyone could ever ask for.”
Before they depart, the group is performing several concerts nearby to give them a chance to practice in a “cathedral-like” setting. The first of the concerts is at St. Benedict Church in Hollister on July 13. Another concert will be performed at All Saints’ Espiscopal Church, in Carmel on July 27, and possibly a third at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, though the timing was still being worked out on that concert at press time.
“It’s even a little difficult to put my arms around this whole concert,” Amaral said.
Amaral said the group will be performing some of the songs they will sing in London, including some of the theme songs from past Olympics.
Amaral said he has long been a fan of the Olympics, though he couldn’t choose his favorite summer activity.
“I love the gymnastics,” he said. “I love the swimming and the track. You name it. It is the human spirit, the human spirit of competition.”
Doll and Amaral both performed with the choir at Lincoln Center in New York on Memorial Day a few years back. She said the choir had been billed as part of the performance and once they were rehearsing, the producers decided they should be the headliner.
“We knew if we worked hard enough we could do almost anything,” Doll said, giving much credit to conductor Boulware and his wife Michelle, who is the chorale teacher at Carmel High School. “His is the inspiration that gets everyone to do incredible work.”
Amaral said he has daughters and five grandchildren
“One day if I’m still in good health, maybe I will have great grandchildren and I will tell them I was part of the 2012 Olympics.”
“Spirit and Song: An Olympic Journey”
The Monterey Peninsula Chorale Society and Carmel High School Choir will perform two bon voyage concerts before they depart for a performance tour of London and Paris, as part of the summer Olympics. More local concerts may be scheduled.
July 13, 8 p.m., at St. Benedict’s Church, 1200 Fairview Road, in Hollister.
July 27, at 8 p.m., at All Saint’s Episcopal Church, Dolores Street and Ninth Avenue, in Carmel
Admission is free, but a $20 donation per person is suggested. Open seating, doors open at 7:30 pm.
Details: http://thempcs.org
“Spirit and Song: An Olympic Journey”
The Monterey Peninsula Chorale Society and Carmel High School Choir will perform two bon voyage concerts before they depart for a performance tour of London and Paris, as part of the summer Olympics. More local concerts may be scheduled.
Correction:
A Tuesday print edition story entitled “In Tune with Olympic Spirit” incorrectly listed the date of a local concert by the Monterey Peninsula Chorale Society and Carmel High School Choir of songs the group will sing during a tour to England and France for the London Olympics. The concert is July 13, at 8 p.m., at St. Benedict’s Church, 1200 Fairview Road, in Hollister.
