Blog: Choral & Current

With Glowing Hearts: Singing for the Olympic Torch Relay

February 11, 2010 | 12:27 AM

With Glowing Hearts: Singing for the Olympic Torch Relay

When Chor Leoni was approached to sing the official song of the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay at the West Vancouver Celebrations for day 104 of the relay, we have to admit that we were a bit worried.

We'd have just sung our big Cultural Olympiad performance (Welcome the World: A Choral Gala) the night before so maybe we'd be tired.

There was the whole "Is traffic going to be a nightmare and can we even get over to West Vancouver, and where would we park?" question.

Then there was the aspect of singing outdoors - something that no choir particularly likes doing.

Nonetheless, we summoned up the courage and in true Chor Leoni fashion, agreed to do it.

Today was the big day, and from all over the Lower Mainland, the lions (joined by several of our PROMYS guys) carpooled in order to be at our designated gathering spot, the West Vancouver library, by 6 pm. My carpool left from the West End. Should we try the Port Mann? What if it was a nightmare? What if we got stuck on the causeway? Well, we sailed over the Lions Gate in record time, drove up Marine to 19th, turned left – and behold, a free parking spot, not more than 150 feet from the library! Clearly this was going to be a good night.

We met the Torch Relay personnel assigned to be our guides, rehearsed in the Welsh Hall of the library, and then were lead out to the Celebration plaza at the West Vancouver Community Centre. What an amazing site! Thousands of people decked out in red and white, waving maple leafs and Canadian flags, music blaring. It was all very exciting – and that was before the torch arrived! Once it appeared the noise escalated to a roar.

After the singing of the national anthem and the requisite speeches, Chor Leoni filed onto the risers. What a rush to look past the cauldron to the crowd beyond. The bedlam that rolled over us as we introduced as "Your Chor Leoni Men's Choir!" was truly humbling, and quite spine-tingling.

During our warm up we'd been reminded to focus on the audience, "break down that fourth wall" the way that CL loves to do, and to sing out. Just before we went on stage, one of the Torch Relay folks (who had been with us during the rehearsal) reminded us to also take a moment for ourselves to look at the flame, because it was our moment as well.

We began singing, illuminated only by the glow of the Olympic cauldron, and I have to admit I started tearing up. The lights brightened, the sound track swelled, our voices rose – and then we were bowing in front of a huge and cheering crowd. From beginning to end, the Torch Relay folks were unbelievably patient, kind, and encouraging, and it was an unforgettable experience.

Let the Games begin!

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Posted by bruce hoffman, 2nd tenor | Comments (0) | File in: arcana, performances | Permanent Link