We began Monday on BYU campus at 7:30 am; it is now around 11 pm Tuesday in our hotel in Beijing. Though it was a long day, all went mostly well. With a 4+ hour layover in Seattle, Dr. Staheli grabbed the opportunity to have one more rehearsal with the choir in the gate area; it was a real hit with those waiting for the plane. One of our audience was a Chinese choral musician who studies with a good friend of Dr. Staheli's in China. He was enthralled, and thought the Chinese pronunciation of their folk songs was great!We arrived in Beijing a little early, got through passport control easily, and then had the fun of trying to fit all of us and all of our baggage on to two buses. It was a tight squeeze and luggage was in the aisles, but we made it to our hotel--all except one suitcase, which stayed in Seattle. Luckily it belongs to a very calm bass, and it is promised to arrive tomorrow. The Internet in this hotel is very slow, so that may affect how many photos can be posted while we are in China. Keep your fingers crossed, and I'll do my best from this end of things.We are excited to be here, and to get acquainted with this beautiful country tomorrow and start making music!
