Voices in the Laurel was one of seven children’s choirs from across the United States selected to create a mass choir of 200 voices that rehearse, performed and toured in Madrid and Barcelona. The mass choir was conducted by internationally recognized choral director Henry Leck, conductor of the Indianapolis Children’s Choir.

The singers rehearsed for two to three hours to prepare for the concerts. They performed their concerts in the beautiful Cathedral de San Fransisco in Madrid, the magnificent Segrada Familia in Barcelona and the Cathedral de San Maria del Pi in Barcelona. This mass choir was the first outside group to ever perform at Segrada Familia, the architectural masterpiece by Antoni Gaudi. Consecreated by Pope Benedict in 2010, it took two years to receive the permission needed to perform in what most Voices in the Laurel choristers agreed was their most amazing concert experience. Liam Youngwood said he liked “singing in Sagrada Familia with the awesome architecture.”

“It was an amazing experience,” said Voices in the Laurel director, Martha Brown. “The concerts were stunning, and the rehearsals even brought tears to my eyes. Unless present, one cannot imagine the ethereal sound of 200 children singing together with the backdrops of Gothic cathedrals and Gaudi’s mosaics. None of us will ever be the same.”

Voices in the Laurel will host its annual Summer Music Quest Camp, July 30-Aug. 3 for rising first- through ninth-graders in the community. Membership in Voices in the Laurel is not required. Register at www.voicesinthelaurel.org or call 828.734.9163.

For singers interested in auditioning for Voices in the Laurel for the 2012-2013 season, visit www.voicesinthelaurel.org or call 828.734.8413.