We were up and at it very early this morning in order to be checked out of the hotel, breakfasted, and on the bus by 7:45 am. It was a little sad to leave the Sunworld Hotel; we had really settled in after five nights! We arrived in time for an 8:30 am Sacrament Meeting, and tripled their usual attendance. Five branches meet in a high-rise building in Beijing; though a different physical configuration, it felt like home. It was a real delight to be with this branch and share in their Spirit-filled meetings. Our BYU administration members of the tour ( Brent & Kathleen Webb and Pete Peterson) left us after church; we thoroughly enjoyed having them along, and I think they enjoyed seeing what the choir is all about on tour.
Waiting for the next meeting…
The rarest of sightings: BLUE SKY in Beijing!
We had another good Chinese lunch, and then hit the road for our journey to Tianjin. This time we had two buses and a luggage van, which made for a much more comfortable trip than our first ride in from the airport. Our hosts have been very good at making adjustments to help our tour go more smoothly. I sat in the front seat again and had a perfect view of the terrifying driving techniques here. But as frightening as it is, we have yet to see an accident—somehow this free-for-all works for them.
Three-wheeled motorbikes think they are as big as buses.
Our travel slowed to a crawl as we entered Tianjin, a very large city that is nevertheless smaller than Beijing, and has a different feel to it. As in Beijing, there are countless building projects underway. China has surely been using a huge portion of the world’s concrete in the last 30 years as it has been building this country.
Ron & Jan Staheli
Our new hotel seems nice, though we’ve not yet been in it very long. We left soon after check-in to drive to Tianjin University, a large and beautiful university that is 120-years-old this year. The university choir was rehearsing as we walked in, and the choir’s quality was immediately obvious. Dr. Staheli has presented a workshop here in the past, and has a warm friendship with the director.
BYU Singers rehearsing with University of Tianjin choir. The banner says, “America, Brigham Young University”.
We quickly rehearsed two of Dr. Staheli’s arrangements with the university choir, and they grasped his suggestions immediately. After a lovely dinner at the nearby cafeteria, there was another rehearsal that included a third choir, this time a community choir. The joint numbers tomorrow night promise to be very good.
All three choirs rehearsing.
We then moved into the choirs singing for each other. Josh Hendryx, our alum/now-interpreter, has been doing a great job interpreting whatever Dr. Staheli throws at him. And a lot has been thrown!
BYU Singers performing.
Pei Yang Chorus from University of Tianjin.
Standing ovation after Pei Yang Chorus performed.
Gifts were given to Dr. Staheli by Professor Ren.
The concert exchange tonight was really quite wonderful. Dr. Staheli was thrilled with how the choir has advanced since he last heard them three years ago, and they were touched and impressed by BYU Singers. We weren’t sure we would get back to the hotel tonight as there was so much visiting going on between the choirs. I know everyone is looking forward to tomorrow night’s concert.
Everyone!
3 comments
We are so grateful to be able to follow the Singers’ adventures in China! Thank you for the beautiful photographs and the delightful travelogue. We are praying for your safety and that the Spirit will accompany your performances.
Thanks very much! Colin is doing great, and is a wonderful part of the choir. Please keep the prayers going–this has been a very successful tour so far.
What a delight to follow you. When my son, Steve Bement, finished his mission in Taiwan, he and I had a grand tour of mainland China and our tour was almost identical to yours so it has great meaning to me. I love your comments, Sandefur, and I love you.