July 4, 2009

Today, Independence Day, the choir got the day off to relax and celebrate the holiday.  The choristers slept in and then headed to a community park and picnic area where they played volleyball, monkeyed around on the playground, played frisbee, or just relaxed and chatted.  For lunch they had a picnic of Subway sandwiches.  After letting their food digest, the NCYC headed to Buckley Park Aquatic Center to swim and lay out in the sun.  The choristers had a great time jumping off of the diving boards and going down the waterslides!  After supper, some of the choir went and watched fireworks to end the holiday.

Feeling refreshed after sleeping in	A friendly game of cards	Brea and Kathryn enjoying the day off
Scottie sure is good with kids!	The tire swing never gets old	Brooke's next objective: The tightrope!
Hey Renee!	Tim and Will just "hanging around"	A competitive game of volleyball
Taking it easy	Pondering the great mysteries of this world...	Uh-oh, here it comes!
Spencer takes a dive for it	"I've got it!" everyone says	Camp Leader Lucas gets into the game
Picnic lunch of Subway sandwiches	Relaxing on the dock	Come on in!
Kathryn, Olivia, and Colleen strike a pose	Is it a bird? A plane? No, it's Rich diving in!	Jamie is one happy chorister
Watching 4th of July fireworks together

The National Catholic Youth Choir is a liturgically-based choir open to Roman Catholic youth entering 10th-12th grade.  The conductor of the choir is internationally renowned choral clinician Dr. Axel Theimer.  Fr. Anthony Ruff, OSB, a monk of Saint John’s abbey, is the founding director of the choir.  The program takes place each summer on the beautiful wooded grounds of Saint John's Abbey and University in central Minnesota.  What is unique about the National Catholic Youth Choir is its liturgical focus.  The singers learn about the Catholic liturgy and how the treasury of sacred music (Gregorian chant, Palestrina, Mozart, Bruckner, Poulenc, Duruflé...) fits in Catholic worship today.  The choir also sings contemporary and newly-written music, some of it specially commissioned for the NCYC.

© 2009 National Catholic Youth Choir

Saint John's Abbey and University,

Collegeville, Minnesota 56321

For further information, contact the choir founder and chaplain,

Fr. Anthony Ruff, OSB
 

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This website is maintained by NCYC staff.
Last updated on 13 April 2010