Hannah Van Otterloo—Staff Writer   

On Friday, March 6, Dordt’s Concert Choir will depart on a tour of the Northeast until  March 16. The choir will travel from Iowa to Michigan, Ontario, Canada, Vermont, New Jersey, and New York. They will be performing concerts for churches, chapels, and assemblies for Christian schools.  

“The primary purposes of music tours are, one, to share with as many people as possible, through our song and our staying with host families, the joy that is ours as sons and daughters of the King. Two, to represent Dordt University in a way that reflects Dordt’s mission and the Christ-centered education that we receive here, and three, to be an outstanding choir and perform with the highest level of excellence possible at every opportunity,” said Professor Smit, director of the choir.  

But tour isn’t all work and no play. While on tour, the choir members will have a chance to spend most of Friday, March 13, in New York City where they can enjoy some exploring. After giving a performance in the afternoon, they will have the opportunity to attend a Broadway musical, choosing between Wicked or Phantom of the Opera. They will also be stopping by Niagara Falls.  

“[I’m] looking forward to getting to know new members [of the choir] and visiting a lot of new states,” Kate Lodeweyk, an alto two in the choir, said. “Broadway is going to be pretty great, too. Tour is a blessing. Last year I was so blessed by the hospitality of church members that hosted us. They didn’t know us but welcomed us into their homes, fed us, got to know us, and made us feel welcome. Honestly, the hospitality of these people showed me the love in the body of Christ, and that was beautiful.”  

“I am always inspired by the hard work of students to sing their best day after day,” Smit said. “I love the opportunity we have to continually polish and improve our performance as the tour progresses. The high level of music-making we are able to achieve by the end of tour and for the home concert and after-tour recording session is always a joy to be a part of.”  

“Meeting new people, bonding as a choir, experiencing a new part of the country, and singing for Dordt alumni all over the country is a true privilege,” Lodewyk said.  

Dordt’s Concert Choir will perform a homecoming concert on Friday, March 20 at 7:30 pm in the B.J. Haan auditorium.