Aloha from day 4 of Vivace's Hawaii tour! Today was full of wonderfully contrasting experiences and challenges. We began the day hiking Diamond Head. It was a hot, demanding hike, but a gorgeous view at the top. After hiking back down, many of us rewarded ourselves with shaved ice.
Then we went to Hanauma Bay to explore the depths of the coral reef. Actually, the water was fairly shallow, but the beauty of this nature preserve was profound. Coral, gorgeous sand and water, experienced snorklers to help the novices, and countless fish from many species made our time at Hanauma Bay rewarding and memorable.
Pali lookout was our next stop. The incredibly strong wind took our breath away. Our tour bus driver, Cousin Dwight, told us that this was the sight of an important battle in Hawaiian history. As the legend goes, some warriors feared capture and tried to commit suicide instead by jumping off the cliff at Pali. The wind was so strong, however, that it blew them back up, returning them to the battle where they died warriors' deaths. Not nearly so dramatic an end - it just gave us very bad hair.
So, on to the evening concert site we went. Calvary by the Sea is literally on the edge of the beach, as you can see in the pictures. Our audience not only heard great music, but enjoyed the backdrop of sunset on the ocean. Vivace has truly reached new heights of musicianship on this tour. The music is so much a part of these singers that it shows more and more in their faces and in their bodies - a little casual movement to "Run Children Run", more overt physical expression in "Oye", and in every piece, faces reflecting the depth of emotion and understanding of the texts. This is an exceptional group of young women, bonded together in this exceptional experience.
Our hosts invited us back any time. Our driver was astounded that these young women - sweaty, goofy, salty and wind blown - could produce such varied and beautiful music. Our audience, though small, was moved by the performance. We returned to our hotel lifted to new heights.
More later, Beth Ann
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