Sacramento State chamber choir students will become musical ambassadors, as they sing their way to Canada in May.

The 28 members of the choir will perform in several cathedrals in eastern Canada. The six-day tour will begin May 23 and the group will sing in Montreal at the Cathedral Marie Reined u Monde, Notre Dame Basilica and St. Patrick’s Basilica.

Director of choral activities Donald Kendrick said he feels proud of the choir because they have been working so hard to make the tour happen.

Sophomore criminal justice major Munsoor Shaah feels honored to represent Sac State on the tour and wants to share with others how music changed his life in every aspect.

Shaah began his singing career in his junior year in high school. A week after graduation he received a phone call from a professor at Sac State to audition for the choir. It was then that he met Kendrick.

“Don is a phenomenal person for everything he does for the community and for his choirs. He always places you in the choir where it will be better for you,” Shaah said.

Even though Shaah is a criminal justice major and only minoring in music, he said music has changed the way he looks at the world.

When he looks in the eyes of his audience reacting to the music, he feels he is making an impact on people’s lives. More importantly, he is privileged to represent Sac State and take his music to a foreign country.

Senior music education major Tina Breshears looks forward to the experience of performing in the different monumental cathedrals this summer.

Breshears said her parents are very supportive, proud and jealous that she has gone to so many different places at such a young age. She has been to Austria and Italy, and will be traveling to Canada and Austria in the summer as well.

She said the several choirs she has been in have helped her learn, see and experience the world through music.

“Most importantly in this tour we are learning about the culture and history of Canadians besides singing in their beautiful cathedrals,” Breshears said.

Senior jazz vocal studies major Glynis Davies is excited about the Canada tour. However, she’s going for a more personal experience rather than looking for doors to open in her career.

“When I’m singing at the choir I have an out-of-body experience. I don’t remember anything going around me because I’m so focused in the music,” Davies said.

Davies would like to continue to share her music knowledge through teaching students what she knows about music.

Kendrick, who is responsible for taking the choir to Canada, said the singers will be flying a long ways to get to their destination.

“People don’t realize how far Canada is. We are going across the entire country. We are crossing international country line,” Kendrick said.

As the chamber choir director, Kendrick wanted his students to know more about Canada’s culture and language. Kendrick said it is really good for student’s to know more about the United States and Canada trading relationships.

Two years ago, Kendrick took his choir to Canada’s west coast. This year, he will be taking them down east where there are some of the most beautiful cathedrals, in his opinion.

The choir will have the honor to sing in the government seat in Ottawa and the parliament building.

The choir has been funding its trip to Canada little by little in many ways such as sing-a-thons, concerts and a Sac State drawing flier. Despite these efforts, student like Shaah are really hurting financially and trying to sell a lot of things to cover the trip expenses.

Last semester in the fall they had a concert where they raised more than $2,000. Right now, they are waiting on an Associated Students, Inc., grant to see if the student government will help the choir. There are also two more local concerts before the choir leaves for Canada, which will help raise the rest of the money.

All the hard work of the concerts and raising money has paid for many of the group because it has reduced their fare ticket to approximately $700, which increases spending money for activities.

Kendrick encourages family and friends to come to the concerts to raise money for the choir and also hear what the group will be performing on tour.

The program schedule states the choir is to sing in French, English and Inuit, the language of the people of the north.

“Students will have the opportunity to taste the food, experience the culture and history, which will prepare them for life in ways that nothing else does,” Kendrick said.

The chamber choir, concert choir and university chorus are the three different choirs Kendrick conducts. The choirs will perform twice before leaving for Canada. The next concert is at the Sacred Heart Church on 39th and J streets at 8 p.m. on Saturday. This concert, Entre Amis, will be a preview of Sac State’s Canada Tour.

Karina Yepez can be reached at [email protected].