Corporate member blog: 'Touring is great for camaraderie'

Cardiff Arms Park Male Choir has been on tour in the UK and abroad many times but their tour to Tuscany - and their first tour with coprorate member Club Europe - was their best yet.

“It was a wonderful place to go to,” says the choir’s chairman David James. “We had very good food, visited some beautiful places and sang in churches with absolutely stunning acoustics.

“Singing in the choir keeps us young and alive. Touring is great for the camaraderie. We always take wives – and even some groupies! – but being altogether away from home is great fun.”

The choir enjoyed visits to Lucca, Florence, San Gimignano and Pisa and sang in two of the region’s historic churches.

“The concert in Montecatini was amazing,” says David. “Our performance was being relayed by loud speaker into the square and by the end, the church was packed and they were standing three-deep at the back. The acoustics were superb. We received a standing ovation and some choristers thought it was the best audience we’d ever had!”

Cardiff Arms Park tour was organised by specialist music tour operator, Club Europe Music Tours. David visited their offices in London to meet the people behind his tour. “I would definitely recommend this to other groups if they can manage it,” he says. “Meeting Alahree and Alberto beforehand was the best of starts; we got on easily, it just made everything so much easier.

“Alahree was calm and highly competent throughout; she was wonderful to deal with. Nothing was too much trouble.”

Club Europe paid for the hotel used by the choir’s musical director and stage manager on a pre-tour inspection trip. “This was an excellent idea,” David says. “It gave us a chance to consider all the options, choose our hotel and see the venues before the tour.”

One of the highlights for David was having a tour manager provided by club Europe. “We haven’t had one in the past but Joshua was wonderful. He couldn’t do enough to help. Some of the ladies wanted to take him home with them!”

Special offer

Club Europe offers £500 off touring for Making Music member groups. Find out more.

Find out more about music tours on the Club Europe website, or call them on freephone 0800 496 4996.

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