Groups to Travel to Europe

Members of two campus music groups will cross the remains of the crumbling Berlin Wall this summer and perform in the fledgling democracies of Eastern Europe.

The Radcliffe Choral Society and the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra are both planning tours including concerts in Poland and Czechoslovakia.

The orchestra was originally scheduled to visit Eastern Europe last summer, but their plans were postponed after Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III issued a travel ban on student groups during the Persian Gulf war.

The choral society, which consists of approximately 60 women, traditionally travels abroad every five years. In the past, the group has visited England and Wales.

Nadine Yap '92, president of the choral society, said that the members of the group will perform at universities and churches over a two-week period in Poland and Czechoslovakia. The students will live with host-families during the tour.

If the students can raise enough money, their journey may also include concerts in Russia and the Ukraine, said Rebecca M. Boggs '95, a soprano in the chorus.

Exchange With the West

Yap said the Polish and Czechoslovakian university students were looking forward to their performances. "They're very excited. They want to do exchanges with the West," she said.

Several corporations have expressed an interest in sponsoring the Eastern European tour, Yap said.

"We're singing in Posnyn, Poland, when there will be a major business conference. This helps with corporate sponsorships," she said.

The orchestra, which is also relying on funds from corporate sponsors, is planning a three-week tour spanning Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria, Denmark and Poland, according to Richard J. Jim '93, the orchestra's tour director.

"We wanted to do a very good tour. We hired a tour company in New York to guarantee that we'll play good halls," Jim said.

The Eliot House junior said the musicians are excited about the trip, pointing out that a survey indicated that nearly all of the orchestra members are interested in participating.

Canning Yu '93, president of the orchestra, said group is planning several fundraising events to help finance the tour, which is expected to cost approximately $300,000.