Day 8 - Wednesday 9 May

The boys had a later start this morning and only had to be at the meeting point - the Titus Kirche (Titus church) at 09:45am, where we were to have a workshop and rehearsal with the Knabenkantorei Basel (KKB).  The Knabenkantorei Basel is our host choir here in Basel, and the families of the boys in that choir are hosting our boys.  They are a Swiss boys' choir from Basel and they are the host choir of the European Youth Choir Festival, in which we are participating now.  

Because our boys and the KKB were singing two songs together tonight in the opening concert of the festival, they had a workshop on the two songs (one chosen song from each choir) from 10:00-12:00, then lunch of sandwiches and pastries at the church, and then a rehearsal from 13:00-14:45pm.  During their lunch, the Drakies and the boys from KKB spent some time getting to know each other, and of course, they had to have a little friendly soccer match.

At 15:15pm the boys had to all get on a tram to go to the church in which the opening concert was to take place this evening, for a soundcheck from 16:00-17:00pm in the Peterskirche.  It is a beautiful church, with wonderful acoustics.  

After the soundcheck, the boys had dinner in a venue opposite the church, and thereafter they had to get dressed for the concert.

The concert started at 19:30pm (it was still light outside).  This opening concert was one of four opening concerts around Basel tonight - in each concert about 6/7 choirs perform.  There are about 30 other choirs participating in the festival, and all these choirs were invited to attend.  The Drakies is the only choir at the festival that is not from Europe.

It was a wonderful concert, and the boys performed really well.  There were also very good performances from the Mädchenchoir Bat-Kol from Israel, and the Coro Infantil da Universidade de Lisboa, from Portugal.  And of course, the Knabenkantorei Basel did not disappoint either - they consist of 80 boys/young men, all ranging from the ages of 12-28.  Their performance was really energetic, and they sang with a lovely, round and unified sound.

The concert ended with the whole audience, as well as all the choirs that performed, singing the festival song, Music is everywhere - a truly magical experience.  

After the concert, all the choirs that took part in the concert walked with candles to the town square, - with the Drakies leading the parade by singing Shosholoza.  At the square,  all the choirs took turns to sing for each other and mingle a bit. Of course, the Drakies stole the show and was the heart of the party.  

The boys left with their hosts at about 22:30pm.  We are meeting them tomorrow morning at 09:00am for a rehearsal in the church in which service we will be singing tomorrow morning - it is Ascension Day in Switzerland, and also a public holiday.