Last week, six BYU performing groups—the Ballroom Dance Company, the BYU Singers, the Chamber Orchestra, Living Legends, Vocal Point, and the Young Ambassadors—set off on their first extended tours since 2019.
Having departed on April 23, the Ballroom Dance Company is now in Europe, where they will perform in nine cities spread across Belgium, France, and Germany. Garnering national and international acclaim, their new show, Come Alive, presents ballroom dance in a theatrical environment, with innovative choreography and a contemporary point of view. Complete with romantic waltzes and infectious Latin rhythms, the performance will show audiences why Brian McDonald, president of the National Dance Council of America, named the BYU Ballroom Dance Company “one of the ballroom world’s greatest treasures.”
The BYU Singers will tour and perform in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Directed by Dr. Andrew Crane, the Singers are known for their remarkable artistry and distinctive style, having attracted international acclaim since the group’s formation. Their program includes music from a variety of genres and promises to be an extraordinary concert. Eastern Europe also offers a wealth of cultural experiences for the Singers as they visit the Estonian National Opera House, Naissaar Island, and the Gediminas Castle Tower Museum in Lithuania.
BYU’s Chamber Orchestra—composed of 46 students, director Kory Katseanes, and several tour leaders—is performing in seven cities across the Czech Republic, Austria, and Italy. Continuing their reputation as one of the most traveled university orchestras in the world, they will present a meticulous classical repertoire that showcases the ensemble’s energy and refinement. From the moment Katseanes drops the tip of the baton, the next 90 minutes are sure to be sensational. Along with performing, the group will have opportunities to visit some of Europe’s finest, such as Hofburg Palace, Old Town Prague, and Michelangelo’s David.
On April 25, Living Legends departed for Mexico. They’re scheduled to perform in seven cities, including Cancún, Guadalajara, and Mexico City. Their show, Storytellers, presents nine stories that celebrate and honor the native cultural heritage of North America, South America, and the South Pacific in a vibrant spectacle of energy, music, costume, and dance. The talented performers of Living Legends dazzle with lavish attire and intricate choreography that celebrates their heritage.
Vocal Point, BYU’s renowned nine-man a cappella group, is starting off the first week of performing their show, Magic, in Wichita, Kansas. Following Kansas, the group will have performances in Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and California. With a wide range of vocal possibilities—and seeming impossibilities—the Magic tour will cover it all: rock, pop, country, jazz, hymns, and R&B. Along the way, Vocal Point will host a high school workshop, sightsee in Chicago, and shoot a video in Los Angeles.
Currently touring South Korea, the Young Ambassadors will perform in six cities, including Seoul, Busan, and Daejeon. Their show, Thank You for the Music, is a celebration of the great musical hits of radio, stage, and screen. Presented in a fast-paced and tender-hearted musical escapade, Thank You for the Music features classics by Queen, ABBA, and Whitney Houston, with contemporary touches of Ed Sheeran, BTS, Disney, and more. The group also plans to split their time between performing and sightseeing with multiple culture tours and museum visits.
In addition to performing, the groups will each hold devotionals, firesides, and community outreach events while on tour.