Kellogg Community College choir member Patty Pipe, 76, of Coldwater, graduated from KCC in 1972 with an associate degree in Radiologic Technology and has been a KCC choir member for the past three years.
The alto is traveling with nearly 40 other KCC choir members in June to embark on a nine-day international concert tour of the Baltics, where they’ll perform in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
This will be Pipe’s first time to the Baltics, and she said she’s looking forward to exploring the countries and meeting the people there.
“I think it’s important for us to travel to other countries for the friendships we make and the understanding we develop with them,” Pipe said. “Makes the world seem a lot smaller.”
Some of the things she likes most about participating in the choir are the friendships made and “the beautiful music we create that brings joy to others and ourselves,” she said.
Her favorite part of the program for the upcoming tour has been Bach’s “Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden BWV 230,” which she called a new and difficult (in a good way) learning experience.
“I’ve sung a lot of Bach through the years, but this is really challenging,” Pipe said. “Good for the brain cells.”
Community members can get a preview of the full program KCC choir members will perform in the Baltics this weekend at the College’s “Singing in the Spring: KCC Choral Union Tour to the Baltics” concert beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 27, at First Presbyterian Church, 111 Capital Ave. NE in Battle Creek.
The event is free and open to the public, though a freewill offering will be collected to support the tour and future music initiatives at the College. Individuals can also donate to support the tour online.
Every contribution — no matter how small — goes directly to supporting choir members like Pipe so they can experience performing abroad this summer.
For more information about the upcoming tour, concert or other music programming or initiatives at KCC, contact KCC Music Area Coordinator and Vocal Arts Director Dr. Gerald Case-Blanchard at case-blanchardg@kellogg.edu or 269-565-7859.