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Men's Chorus Tours Italy |
By Peter Gilman ‘07
On Thursday, March 9, 2006, the Hampden-Sydney Men’s Chorus and several faculty members,
a total of 39, set off
from Dulles Airport to spend spring break in Rome, Italy. The plan was to combine recreation with performances. We would sing three concerts programs in Rome and one in Assisi, all the while enjoying the amazing sights and
history of these places.
We left Dulles late that night and, with the help of Captain Morgan (our pilot), we arrived in London in order to
catch a connecting flight to Rome. We had an afternoon arrival that Friday and after a search for lost baggage,
we cut our losses and went to the lobby. Here we met Ela, an enthusiastic Italian who was going to be our guide
for the entire week. Though the day was getting late, Ela and our bus driver Massimo, who was often compared to
the race car driver Michael Schumacher because of his driving style, took us on a short bus tour around the
Coliseum “in order that we knew we were in the right city.” After settling in our hotel we sat down to a
delicious dinner. Some people, exhausted from the 12-hour trip, slipped off to bed,
while others who were more curious about Rome at night went out to explore.
Saturday morning we woke up early for a tour of some of Rome’s ancient sights. First we visited the Coliseum
where our guide Fabricio told us stories of ancient Rome’s entertainment. Then we walked over to the Forum
where much of the business of Rome was conducted long ago. Finally we made it to the Trevi Fountain in Rome’s
center, where we threw in plenty of coins because we were told this would guarantee us a return to Rome one day. Back at the
hotel we got ready for our first performance at the Santa Maria Dei Miracoli. Here we were introduced
by the priest, and we sang some pieces during the Mass. Afterwards we offered our full concert performance which
was warmly accepted by the remaining congregation. After the concert, we took the coach to “Quo Vadis” a traditional
Italian Restaurant with live Italian music. The music was great, but once these musicians learned that we were a
chorus group, they insisted that we come up on stage and sing something for them. We offered an impromptu performance
consisting of the Hampden-Sydney College Hymn and the spiritual Little Innocent Lamb, each of which were followed by
much applause.
 Sunday was a very important day for our trip. We woke up at 6:30 AM and took a
three-hour bus ride to Assisi, where
Saint Francis came from. Here we would sing at Santa Maria Maggiore. The day before we went to Assisi we were
told that the Archbishop of Assisi was to be inaugurated when we were there. When we arrived at the church we
were overwhelmed by the number of pilgrims who came to witness the inauguration. After singing parts of the
mass, we gathered in front of the altar to give a concert. Although many of the pilgrims left and much of the
church was bare, we were delighted and impressed to see the new Bishop of Assisi come back inside the church
and listen to our concert with a beaming expression on his face. After the concert we took a tour of the town
which had the relics of St. Francisco and St. Clair.
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The Hampden-Sydney
Men's Chorus with the Bishop of Assisi.
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Monday was another loaded day. With an early start we set out for Pompeii, an ancient Roman city that was
preserved when it was covered in volcanic ash from Mt. Vesuvius. To see a city so close to the original
after almost 2000 years was amazing. Although we had planned to drive
up to the top Mt. Vesuvius (a still potentially active volcano), the snow that
covered the mountain roads prevented our coach from taking us
there. Instead we took a side trip to nearby Naples because the phrase “See Naples and die” made us curious
to see its sights. Afterwards we were still content on living, but we appreciated the beauty of the city
even though we saw most of it from the coach. During this trip we received a call from the priest of Santa
Maria Dei Miracoli, where we sang our first concert. He was interested in coming with a group of parishioners
to hear us sing again. We had no idea we would attract a fan club!
Tuesday was a free day, and everyone had the morning and some afternoon time to himself. While some people got
started early to plan a full day of sightseeing adventures, others took a more leisurely approach, waking up
later and getting lost in the city in the afternoon. Later in the day we all gathered in the hotel lobby to
get ready for our third concert at Santa Susanna, the American Church in Rome. Here we were greeted warmly and
introduced to the congregation by Rev. Gregory Apparcel, the rector of the church. After singing we went to a
traditional Italian Pizzaria for dinner.
On Wednesday we went across town and entered a separate country when we passed through the gates of the Vatican. We first visited the Vatican Museum which houses numerous pieces of remarkable artwork including elaborate marbles,
statues, and, of course, the grandeur of the Sistine Chapel which leaves many visitors breathless. After lunch we
all gathered in the Piazza de San Pietro. Some who had come earlier were able to see Pope Benedict XVI give his
weekly appearance in front of the Basilica. Then we went by bus a little ways outside the city for a tour of
the Catacombs, a network of eleven miles and four levels of underground ancient tombs. There were
several saints and many famous Romans buried at these grave sights.
 Thursday was our last full day in Rome, but it was the most important concert day. In the morning we were
free to explore Rome. Some went for more sightseeing while others went to bargain with street vendors for
“Armani” and “Gucci” merchandize. In the afternoon we gathered in the lobby in our Hampden-Sydney ties and
blazers to set out for St. Peter’s Basilica where we were scheduled to perform some pieces during the mass.
Upon arriving at St. Peter’s in a downpour, we were struck by how enormous the
church is. The idea that
we were going to sing in the largest church in the world was unbelievable. After warming up for this “high-profile gig” as Mr. Archer put it, we were welcomed by the maestro of St. Peter’s and invited to come
forward and arrange ourselves in the choir stands. We sang five pieces during the mass and then gathered
for a photo shoot in front of the giant altar. After the concert we were treated to a cocktail party at
the apartment of Hugo Rodriguez, a 1988 graduate of Hampden-Sydney who works with his wife at the US Embassy
and has two daughters. To thank our host, for his generosity and to honor our college we sang the Hampden-Sydney
College Hymn. After dinner we returned to our hotel and packed away our souvenirs.
Friday morning was a sad day; it was time to leave Rome and our wonderful guide Ela and bus driver Massimo. Italy was an incredible adventure for each of us. The opportunity to sing in these old churches was an
experience of a lifetime and the high point of our choral career, while the excitement of exploring a city
with so much history made the experience even more exceptional. We can only hope our coins in the Trevi
Fountain bring us back.
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