A dozen eager vocalists shared the gift of song this week to audiences in Humboldt and Iola.
In return, several locals treated the members of the Texas Youth Chorale to some good, old-fashioned Kansas hospitality.
The choir members capped their two-day stay in Allen County Wednesday as part of their “We Sing For You!” tour, which took them to other shows in Manhattan and Junction City this week, as well as Newkirk, Okla.
The Allen County stop carried special significance for TYC founder and artistic director Ann Sharp Smith, who grew up in Humboldt.
Their concerts on Tuesday were held in the afternoon at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Humboldt and Tuesday evening at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center.
And after rainy weather threatened to derail the group’s plans to visit a pair of local farms on Wednesday, the skies cleared at mid-day, allowing the youngsters to tour Strickler’s Dairy in Iola, followed by a visit to Craig and Sussie Sharp’s farm in rural Humboldt. Craig Sharp is Smith’s brother.
Smith noted the unique opportunity the farm visits afforded the youngsters.
While all hail from Texas, they also live in the Dallas Metroplex, and have little connection with rural living.
“They’re having a blast,” Smith said during the Strickler tour.
Smith, a long-time music and choir instructor, founded the Texas Youth Choir in 2012 to open the door for youngsters from neighboring schools to take part.
Since then, the group has performed in Hawaii, Ireland and the iconic Sydney Opera House in Australia, as well as a number of prominent cathedrals across North America.
The music, she noted, is an elemental foundation of the group’s growth, Smith noted, as she ties their choral experiences to other life lessons, such as learning teamwork, offering courage and respect and most of all, being thankful for gifts each day.
