VSU ensemble students raising money for international concert trip

Oct. 2—VALDOSTA — Thirty Valdosta State University choral students and trombone players have received a once-in-a-lifetime invitation to perform at an international festival. The ensembles are seeking help from their hometowns and the Valdosta community travel to their upcoming performances in Portugal and Spain.

About 24 students in Valdosta State University's Chamber Singers, a highly selective auditioned vocal ensemble, and the Trombone Ensemble received an invitation to perform in May 2024 at the Lisbon Music Festival.

Dr. Clell Wright, the director of choral activities with VSU's Department of Music, said the ensembles will be performing in four concerts over the span of seven days across Lisbon, Portugal, and Madrid, Spain, while participating in the festival.

Each ensemble will perform separate selections but will have a unique opportunity to perform a piece together. Dr. Doug Farwell, the professor of trombone, will lead the six students within the university's Trombone Ensemble.

But international experiential opportunities do not come cheap.

"The total cost of the trip is roughly $124,000. Right now, we have pledged right at $90,000 of that; we've had about $45,000 to $50,000 actually turned in," Wright said.

The Department of Music is fundraising from not only the local community but across the region to provide this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to its students.

Farwell agreed stating all but one of his trombone players have not traveled abroad or even traveled out of the Southeast region of the United States. He said some of his instrumentalists are performing in churches or other venues to raise funds after attending classes and working jobs.

Wright said it costs approximately $3,700 for each student to attend and there are available donation options to fully or partially sponsor a student. As of Thursday morning, about 19 out of the 30 students have either been fully or partially sponsored. Potential donors will receive a packet of information with a picture of a student going on the trip and that student's personal story.

"Then at our last concert of the year before we go [on the trip], all of the donors are invited to the concert and will get to meet and talk with the student they are sponsoring," Wright said.

Annalisa "Cass" Illian, a senior alto Chamber Singer and a 2018 graduate from Colquitt County High School, is one of the few students who received a sponsored donation and has previously traveled abroad but as a young child. She's excited to create new memories, view the architecture and to have the opportunity to see new areas of the world that she's studied in her classes.

"It's going to mean a lot to travel on the trip. It will help me connect more information while being there seeing all the different cultures. We're hearing other performers too, so it will be super cool to hear other languages and native speakers of languages that I sing too," Illian said.

Traveling overseas will also contribute to spreading the word about the VSU and the ensembles.

"We want to increase awareness for not only the choral program here but the music program. One of the ways that we do that is through touring," Wright said.

The following students will be attending:

* Anaya Dowdell of Jacksonville, Fla.

* Lauren Harris of Valdosta, Ga.

* Madeleine Roberts of Inlet Beach, Fla

* Markee Schaefle of Savannah, Ga.

* Aspen Sloan of Tifton, Ga.

* Danarieza Villa of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

* Aryn Herndon of Moultrie, Ga.

* Stephan Holman of Moultrie, Ga.

* Cody Ortega of Valdosta, Ga.

* Cameron Parker of Thomasville, Ga.

* Isaiah Ricks of Waycross, Ga.

* Jamyen Williams of Kingsland, Ga.

* Jordyn Austin of Valdosta, GA

* Caroline Goodwin of Jacksonville, Fla.

* Kayla Griffin of Columbus, Ga.

* Sierra Helms of Lakeland, Fla.

* Annalisa Illian of Moultrie, Ga.

* Elle Perryman of Moultrie, Ga.

* Ethan Bailey of Valdosta, Ga.

* William Burnett of Douglasville, Ga.

* Will Pate of Valdosta, Ga.

* Luke Stinnett of Vidalia, Ga.

* Ryan Tuff of Moultrie, Ga.

* Donavan Wells of Hinesville, Ga.

* Evan Hurst of Coventry, Ct.

* Franklin Carmona of Hollywood, Fla.

* Riley Carr of Live Oak, Fla.

* Daniel Lowe of Macon, Ga.

* Natalie Savoie of Valdosta, Ga.

* Tirik Williams of Valdosta, Ga.

Those interested in donating or getting information about individual students can reach out to Dr. Wright at 229-333-5812 or by emailing clewright@valdosta.edu or contact Dr. Farwell at 229-333-5807 or by emailing dfarwell@valdosta.edu.