Bangalore, November 29, 2022: In what was a great exposure to and experience of another country, culture, and music, nine students of Canadian International School (CIS) were honored to participate in the AMIS Elementary Honor Choir Festival in The Hague, the Netherlands, held recently. The fourth and fifth grade students travelled with Mr. Harold Thomas, CIS Grade 5 Homeroom Teacher, and Mrs. Barbara Thomas, CIS Music and Choir Teacher, and spent two days rehearsing with guest conductor, Nyssa Brown. They also interacted with the composer of one of the songs, Douglas Beam, and worked remotely with Maria Ellis, Girl Conductor. The students performed two times – once for the public and once for music teachers at the conference.

In the midst of their concerts, the students also found time for sightseeing in Amsterdam and The Hague. The students rode a city tour bus, visited the Rijksmuseum, took a canal cruise, and saw the Escher Museum and historical windmill. They rode city buses, trams, trains and the subway together, not to mention the five nights of dinners together, sharing rooms and enjoying each other’s company.

Speaking about the experience in the Netherlands, student Seolah, Canadian International School, said: “It was a great experience that I got to sing with friends, all around the world. I really enjoyed performing in front of the audience. We met Mr. Beam, the composer of one of songs, ‘When the Tide.’ Ms. Maria taught us how we could make the song better, and she taught us the movement of Rejoice. I thank Ms. Brown (our main conductor), Ms. Barbara and Mr. Thomas who brought us to the Netherlands.”

“While I was in the Netherlands, I made new friends from different schools and it was a great experience for me. I also loved the museums. And thank you, my teachers for giving me the confidence to perform at the concert,” said CIS student Navika.

Commenting on the student’s trip to The Hague, Ms. Shweta Shastri, Managing Director of Canadian International School, said: “I am very proud and excited that our students had a great trip to the Netherlands. Participating in the AMIS Choir Festival is an enriching experience: it is an opportunity to pursue students’ passions beyond school, be better musicians, develop their understanding and appreciation of music while discovering the world and having unique, multicultural, and positive experiences. I am sure that our Choir will participate in more festivals in the future.”