Three Days of Inspiring Events in Chattanooga, TN!
We had an action-packed visit to Chattanooga this past April (Show 252) where we were able to connect with a wide range of audiences from across the community!
The day before the show, we traveled with the Camerton String Quartet to visit patients and staff at the Memorial Hospital. The group played in two of the hospital’s central lobbies, sharing a mix of chamber and solo works ranging from Bach to Ravel. They even had the chance to speak with a few of the patients in between pieces. On the day of the show, a small group of residents from the Mary Walker Towers and Boynton Terrace retirement facilities came to observe the dress rehearsal, getting a “behind-the-scenes” look at how a From the Top show is made.
The day after the show, performers John Burton (trumpet) and Thomas West (bass-baritone) visited with 40 music students at the Dalewood Middle School. Thomas opened the program by teaching everyone a series of vocal warm-ups, then performed two of his favorite songs: “Whither Must I Wander” by Vaughn-Williams, and a selection from Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Les Misérables. He also talked about his own struggles in dealing with peer pressure, and how music has helped him in staying true to who he is and what he loves most. John was next, performing Grand Russian Fantasia by Jules Levy, followed by a fun jazz standard. He spoke about the importance of breathing exercises and demonstrated how variations on a theme work. He also shared one of his hidden talents: juggling! You can watch some of the highlights from their visit in the video below: