A group of young Iowa singers is headed to Germany for an international competition next month. The Iowa Youth Chorale has 30 members, 21 girls and nine boys, representing 21 Iowa high schools. They range in age from 13 to 20. The group’s conductor, Cristian Grases says they’re all feeling a mixture of fear and excitement, prepping for the International Choir Olympics in Bremen, Germany. It’ll be a lot of work, he says, with little time for being tourists.In the 12-day trip, there’s only a day-and-a-half for sight-seeing. The rest of the time, they’ll be rehearsing, competing and giving concerts. The Iowa chorus is one of only four from the United States invited to the Choir Olympics, so Grases says it’s a big honor. Some 300 choruses are taking part, totalling 30-thousand voices. Grases says the youngsters know the competition will be tough.Grases has members of the Youth Chorale rehearsing four times a week to prepare. They’ll be featured in a free “farewell concert” June 27th at the Temple for the Performing Arts in Des Moines.
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