This morning Singers brought their bags to the front desk so they could be kept in a secure place before checkout. We had the morning free to explore Milan! A large group went to see La Scala, a gorgeous opera house. Others braved the lines at the Duomo or went shopping. It was a favorite city for many!
At 2 pm, we met up to gather for the bus to depart for the airport. Due to a scheduling misunderstanding, we arrived quite early for our flight to Brussels. Singers milled about the airport before checking bags in pre-assigned groups and going through security.
A short flight later, we arrived at another lovely hotel in Brussels. There were lots of food options nearby, so we split off into groups to grab a late dinner. Then we were off to bed after reading our choir president’s “nightly epistle” in which Singers received instructions for the following day.
We all enjoyed a scrumptious final hotel breakfast and were given the entire morning free in Brussels. Almost the entire choir went to go find some waffles (as revealed during our concert by Dr. Crane’s “get to know the Singers” segment). There were lots of fun shopping options and beautiful architecture to admire.
At 4:30, Singers trickled back to the hotel to prepare for the final concert of the trip. Since this would be a high-profile event, we were instructed to make sure we looked extra nice. We had a short walk over to the museum concert venue where we rehearsed logistics. They were a bit different this time since our program was interspersed with solo numbers.
During our rehearsal, volunteer choir members went to greet and mingle with the attending dignitaries. They were very welcoming, and we enjoyed talking to leaders from around the world!
Our final concert was a hit. The solo numbers were amazing, and the audience loved the program. Many Singers became emotional during the concert, as it was our last time singing together as a group; and for many, our last time performing with BYU Singers. It has been such a blessing to travel together and share our music in Europe! We loved every minute, and will cherish the memories of our time in BYU Singers, and our strong friendships through the coming years.
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Our journey home was as smooth as it can get with a 7-hour layover in Amsterdam. Some chose to stay and rest in the airport, but we were given the option to explore the city for a while. We wished Nick, our awesome photographer, a happy birthday on the way home and expressed gratitude for his superb work making us look awesome.
Upon landing in the USA, the official tour chat, usually strictly reserved for official logistical messages from tour leaders, descended into chaos, signaling the end of another BYU Singers tour. Some of us got picked up from the airport, but a large majority rode the bus back to the Music Building and parted ways.
We are so grateful for everyone who made this possible, and are glad to be home.