More on singing at the Dome Cathedral

This past Wednesday, I couldn't really get inspired to use anything for my wordless post, so I just went through my pics until something struck me. I'd love to tell you more about it!

I went to Austria and Hungary with Emory & Henry College's Concert Choir my senior year. It was SUCH an awesome experience! I had a blast and it was quite an honor to get to sing in a country so rich in musical heritage. I loved seeing places that were seen in The Sound of Music, and we also had some fun times in the clubs at night! But one of the highlights was definitely singing for New Year's Day Mass at the Dome Cathedral in Salzburg.

Our choir director is an amazing man. He can get you so into the music that you don't even notice what else might be going on in the room. He is one of the people I respect most in the world! So when we got to sing in the place where Mozart was baptised, we all knew that he would be so very honored and humbled.

Now, mind you, this cathedral is HUGE....there is a 7 second echo from where we were singing to the end of the cathedral, so we really had to pay attention to Doc to make sure we were hearing our pitches instead of what we had been singing 7 seconds ago! It was also C*O*L*D! There was no such thing as central heat in the time it was built, so we just had to layer underneath our dresses and tuxes and just shiver our way through it...all the better to concentrate on Doc, too!


We did sing a few selections during the mass. It was in German, so we didn't understand a lot, but the ritual was familiar. After the conclusion of the service, some Americans that were there wanted to get pictures of us, so we traipsed back up to the risers to line up. We smiled for the cameras, and then realized that some of the congregation had come up to the front, thinking that we were going to perform again. We clued Doc in that they thought we were going to sing, and he, being the Performance man he is, was glad to oblige! We did several more songs that we did not do during the service, and moved to conclude with "The Lord Bless You and Keep You" as we did all our concerts.

We always hold hands while singing this, which also brings more emotion as we had formed such bonds already on this trip. We were singing, and Doc started weeping as he directed us. He was overcome with emotion at WHERE we were, at the enormity of singing where the masters had walked, and we all started crying too! But I tell you, I knew in that moment what the angels must feel when they sing. It was a very spiritual moment! And afterwards, we all stood around hugging and just basically loving each other. It was a moment I will never forget...I could almost cry just remembering it. God was truly with us that day!