Teen readies for summer singing tour of Europe

BY ERIN O. STATTEL
Correspondent

Kristin Lindquist FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP - Kristin Lindquist loves to sing and her talents have recently afforded her the opportunity to be selected for The Sound of America Honor Band and Chorus that will be touring Europe in July.

"I've always loved to perform in front of people," said Kristin, 17, who graduated from Freehold Township High School on June 20.

Lindquist began singing when she was a child and pursued chorus throughout her schooling.

"I'm a little nervous, but I'm also very excited," Kristin admitted of traveling to Europe for the first time.

Kristin was selected to join The Sound of America Honor Band and Chorus through an application process that included a voice recording and several character recommendations from instructors. The tour encourages applicants to have had some private experience to increase their chances of acceptance, but Kristin was accepted despite not being professionally trained.

"I heard about this experience from a friend who did it last year, and my choir instructor, Alyn Heim, encouraged me to take the chance," Kristin said of how she got involved with the tour.

The chorus tour will begin in July and last almost 25 days, covering six countries with stops to perform at Mass in St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice and the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, just to name a few.

"I'm very excited to go to Paris and see all the shops and different styles," Kristin said. She smiled and added, "I also really love art." The tour members will have down time for sightseeing and touring when they aren't practicing or performing.

Lindquist is a soprano two and will be singing songs ranging from Broadway's "Jersey Boys" to selections from the music of Aaron Copland. The group will be performing traditionally American songs to European audiences.

"She just has a beautiful voice," said Kathryn Lindquist, Kristin's mother. "I am just so excited for her to have this once-in-a-lifetime experience."

Mother and daughter alike both cite Heim as an inspiration.

"Mr. Heim really gave me that push to apply for this," Kristin said. "I'm grateful for his encouragement."

Kristin will be among approximately 200 other students from the United States traveling with the chorus group.

"This is great," said Richard Lindquist, Kristin's father. "She is going to learn about the world and see that the world is quite different from home."

The Sound of America Honor Band and Chorus is a nonprofit group and is headed by Clyde M. Barr, president of North American Music Festivals, and Randall Yoder, winner of an Emmy award for Outstanding Music Composition for "Historic Pennsylvania" on PBS.

In the fall, Kristin plans to attend Kutztown University, Kutztown, Pa., as an education major with music as a minor.