Six members of the Stow Festival Chorus attended an intense two-week program of voice and music classes, which concluded with a series of performances at historic Urbino University in Urbino, Italy. The University of Urbino, has a rich musical tradition that began shortly after it was founded in 1504 as one of the first Free Universities of the Renaissance.

Under the direction of Barbara Jones and Dr. Linda Mack, Director of Choral Activities and Professor of Music at Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO, the Stow Chorus participants and eight others from Illinois, Colorado, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire, performed in three concerts at the Istituto Musicale in Urbino. The music ranged from chant and church music by Vivaldi to spirituals and contemporary pieces by Hoiby. “A highlight of the musical experience was performing chants in three of the large churches in Urbino,” stated Dee Glorioso, alto, “The sound we created in those ancient buildings was both exciting and moving.”

The participants from the Stow Festival chorus included: Ruth Lull, Heidi Keeley, Laura Troisi, Margaret Wong, Dee Glorioso and Bob Glorioso.