MOORHEAD- Fall is always an exciting time on Concordia’s campus, but for the Concordia Choir, fall is also the time of their annual retreat to Fair Hills Resort in Detroit Lakes, MN.
The retreat took place on the weekend of Sept. 6 at the Fair Hills Resort in Detroit Lakes, Minn.
“The tradition of taking a fall retreat with the choir is many, many decades old. I remember taking mine when I was a member of the choir back in the mid ‘90s,” said Michael Culloton, director of choral activities and conductor of the Concordia Choir.
Despite being a retreat, the choir still practices about three to four hours throughout the weekend. The act of rehearsing in a space different from their normal room in Hvidsten Hall of Music allows the students to see how their sound as a choir can adapt depending on the space they are in.
“Being in a new rehearsal (space) even just for the three to four hours we rehearsed keeps things fresh, and keeps us listening carefully to each other,” Culloton said.
With Homecoming only a few weeks away from their retreat, the opportunity to get off campus and into a new space allows for a different kind of bond among singers to form.
“I think it helps bond us, not just as people but as singers as well. We spent I think like three to four hours singing that week, and we sing together every day of the week, but getting to be in a new space with each other makes it new and different,” said junior Megan Gunnerson.
With people rotating in and out of the Concordia Choir every year, it is important to both the returning singers and newcomers that they can connect outside of just rehearsals.
Starting her second year in the Concordia Choir, Gunnerson says one of the things she looks forward to most is getting to know everyone.
“There are a lot of new people to get to know and in rehearsal there isn’t a lot of time to get to know each other, even the people you stand right next to,” she said.
Despite still having rehearsal time on the retreat, most of the time is still filled with fun and games. Spending time kayaking or sitting by bonfires are some of the fondest memories these students carry with them afterward.
“I kayaked all the way across the lake, so that was a great thing to do at eight in the morning,” said Gunnerson.
One of the most popular activities this year was the competitive pickleball games. One of the standout stars of the pickleball games was Culloton, according to junior Murphy Carey.
“Culloton is actually a pickleball wizard. He would go around challenging us to pickleball. He was like ‘if you want to lose at pickleball come down to the court and play me’,” Carey said.
In his first year as part of the Concordia Choir, Carey said he was a bit nervous going into it, but quickly realized how easy it would be to click with people.
“There are different people in the choir each year. You know, people graduate, and people move up. And I think that the retreat really gives us an opportunity to grow into ourselves as a group,” Carey said.
This year, the choir will not only go on their normal two-week national tour but also a two-week international trip to Norway and Sweden. According to Culloton, the cohesion and comradery needed to make both of those trips successful is why events like the retreat are so essential.
“The relationships are important to foster. We’ll be on the road together for one month total…so we need to like each other a great deal,” Culloton said. “Creating the kind of community that we work hard to achieve also makes the music we create all the more special and meaningful.”
Those interested can watch the Concordia Choir, along with the Concordia Band and Concordia Orchestra in the Homecoming Concert at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28.
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