Kellogg Community College experienced an unprecedented summer of the arts abroad, sending more than 50 performers overseas for international choir and theatre tours.
The music area took nearly 40 participants to the Baltics in June, touring Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on an international concert tour running June 16 through 24. A little over a month later, more than a dozen KCC Theatre participants left to experience the famous Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland, traveling and performing on a trip that ran July 29 through Aug. 10.
For many, the experiences were transformative.
KCC Music Area Coordinator and Vocal Arts Director Dr. Gerald Case-Blanchard said the culturally immersive choir tour “was more than a performance journey; it was a deeply personal musical and cultural pilgrimage” that left a lasting imprint on every participant.
“The tour’s core themes – unity through music, shared humanity and cultural discovery – echoed across every performance, every conversation and every quiet moment of reflection,” Case-Blanchard said. “Beyond the music, the most enduring memories were the human interactions with audiences, hosts and one another.
“Many shared stories of touching cross-cultural exchanges that revealed the universal language of kindness. From elderly audience members moved to tears to impromptu friendships shared over dinner with Latvian and Lithuanian choir members, the tour affirmed the power of connection.”
KCC Theatre Coordinator and Professor Brad Poer said that as an educator and encourager of humans discovering new things about themselves, one of his favorite aspects of the theatre tour was seeing how the participants had noticeably changed by the time they arrived home.
“Hearts, minds and personalities were opened up and relaxed,” Poer said. “Bodies moved with a bit more confidence and smiles and tears of mixed emotion came easier. Nothing inspires artists and learners like being immersed in a place alien to you and being shown ways of life and perspectives you’ve never encountered.”
Among those deeply affected was KCC alumnus Patrick Lucas, who participated in both tours. Lucas said he learned new techniques and styles to improve his skills while also gaining new friends and perspectives.
“The memories we’ve made together will stay with me for years to come,” Lucas said.
For more information about international travel opportunities and upcoming trips available through KCC, visit kellogg.edu/travel.
This article first appeared in the September 2025 edition of BruIN magazine. To read the issue online, please visit kellogg.edu/bruinmagazine.
