By Brett Buckner 

The Jacksonville State University A Cappella Choir recently competed in its first European event, the prestigious CantaRode International Choral Festival in The Netherlands. The 40-member choir had an impressive fourth-place finish, just one point shy of third. “I was elated and relieved at the same time,” said Dr. Eliezer Yanson, Director of the A Cappella Choir and Director of Choral Activities. “I am so thankful for our strong finish.”  

The festival drew 22 choral applicants from around the world. Of those, 10 were invited to compete in two rounds at Parkstad Limburg Theater in Kerkrade, where an international panel of renowned choral experts judged the contest. The opportunity to receive individual feedback allowed Yanson to grow as a conductor and be more effective as a teacher. 

“For me, a placement in an international competition serves as a gauge as to where the JSU choral program currently stands in international standards,” he said. “I hope our recent success at CantaRode will attract prospective students and that JSU will be a place for them to continue their choral singing experience regardless of major.” 

Hayden Medley is a 19-year-old sophomore in his first year in the choir, where he is a tenor II. When he first learned about the opportunity to perform in the Netherlands, it fulfilled a dream. “I was absolutely awestruck,” said the communications major from Jacksonville. “I’ve always had a desire to travel abroad and immerse myself in different cultures, and when it dawned on me that I’d be doing that while doing what I love so dearly and competing in such a high-caliber environment, life seemed simultaneously real and unreal.”  

But that excitement was nothing compared to the actual experience. “Initially, my excitement for the experience paled in comparison to how nervous I was to travel without my family for the first time,” he said. “I’m still very young, so I had little to compare this experience to in my mind. Once I got there, every negative feeling I had immediately melted away. To say this experience changed me is a heinous understatement.”  

The competition taught the students the value of hard work and the reward that comes from performing at a high level. They also learned how differently foreign audiences react. “For example, Europeans tend to be conservative and careful when giving praise. But when a performance is extremely well done, they show their appreciation with extended applause, ovations, and even chase you down the street to offer kind words about the performance,” Yanson said. “We have experienced that, and I think that is something we will remember for a long time. Watching other choirs perform was such a motivation to sing and be at our best.” 

Having such a unique opportunity helped to reinforce the members’ love and dedication to choral singing,” Medley said. “I think a decent few of us were feeling as though we might not be good enough or ready for such an enormous performance, but we were swiftly proven wrong. Furthermore, we proved to our current audience and those who’ve now heard our music that we deserve to be heard. It also brought the group closer as a team. We’ve bonded both in our sound and our connection to one another, which is so crucial to the success of a choir.” 

It was the group’s first time touring Europe since its founding in 1960, but it won’t be the last. “The competition has transformed us,” Yanson said. “It was a very positive experience for all of us.” His choral colleagues had told Yanson that participating in international competitions and festivals would improve his program, something Jax State is already experiencing. “Interest in joining the A Cappella Choir is high, and we cannot wait to start rehearsing in the fall,” he said. “And to keep the momentum going, the plan now is to tour internationally every two years.” 

But there was enough time in between performances to enjoy some sightseeing. In Kerkrade, the host city, all the American choirs stayed in the Abdij Rolduc – a large abbey-turned-hotel “that felt as though we were living in a fantasy,” Medley said. “We became very close with Georgia Southern University and University of Louisiana-Lafayette and were all mutually impressed by each other.”  

After CantaRode’s closing night, a party was held near the hotel where all the choirs could hang out and destress. The group also toured Bruges, Ghent and Brussels and crossed the border into Herzogenrath, Germany. “I truly cannot find enough words to describe how insane this experience was,” Medley said. “So much packed into two short weeks.”