Singing Hoosiers to perform in China

When former Singing Hoosier Ali Tuet suggested a trip to China, music director Michael Schwartzkopf then had auditions with current Singing Hoosiers to decide on the most balanced group.

Forty members of the 90-member choir made the cut in November to go on a 13-day tour through three major cities in China. With the tour of Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong less than a month away, the Singing Hoosiers are rehearsing to show off IU abroad.

The exchange is one of many things Tuet organized for the Singing Hoosiers. Tuet, who was a Singing Hoosier in 1970 through 1972, organized the entire tour, from housing and meals to shows and sightseeing.

“All we have to worry about is getting there,” Schwartzkopf said.

The group added three Chinese songs and a medley from the rock band Queen to its repertoire for the trip.

At the latest rehearsal, Schwartzkopf verified trip attire, consisting of collared shirts for men and blouses for women, before working on articulating the Chinese language and the Queen medley choreography and vocals.

This is not the first trip to China for sophomore Singing Hoosier Morgan Rawlings.

Rawlings spent her 2008 summer in Beijing’s Olympic Village in an intensive Chinese language program. She helped the Singing Hoosiers enunciate songs properly for their upcoming trip across the Pacific Ocean.

“I’m majoring in Chinese,” she said.

The Singing Hoosiers begin their tour May 9. Schwartzkopf said he hopes China will be receptive to the group’s singing styles.

“China is, of course, a communist country,” he said. “It will be a totally different experience for everyone who grew up in a democracy.”

Schwartzkopf went to China from March 6-12 to scope out the concert sites and finalize housing plans with Tuet. IU alumni living in China will be hosts for the students and Schwartzkopf and his wife.

Freshman Julian Ramos has never been to Asia before and is looking forward to meeting other singers.

“We are doing gift exchanges with high school and ladies’ choruses,” he said. “It’s going to be great to have all 40 of us together doing this.”

Ramos is also ready to immerse himself in a new culture.

“I’m so excited,” he said. “We’re all so excited.”

In the rehearsal room, Schwartzkopf watched as choreographers Laurel Crutchfield and Kyle Straub taught moves to the choir.

The exaggerated dance moves and hot air from the singers’ voices made the already humid room steamy. With a smaller number of members traveling than what makes up the usual Singing Hoosiers, each move must be precise.

“There are only 40 of you,” Schwartzkopf said. “Your legs are going to show.”