By Casey Pigg

Quincy University’s Chamber Choir and Vocalocity took a trip to the St. Louis area this past April to recruit potential students for the university. On this trip, the choir members sang for 30 minutes to band and choir students in Pleasant Hill, Bowling Green, Hardin, Festus and Farmington. While passing through, the choirs also took the opportunity to sing at an alumni event in St. Louis.

“We try to take two days out of every semester to tour schools,” Amy K. Stollberg, director of the Quincy University choirs, said. “This spring’s tour was special because our choirs had their first overnight tour to the St. Louis area.”

This trip was not only special because it was the choirs’ first overnight tour. According to Stollberg, the location of the recruitment tours had very special ties to one of the music students, Mary Argana, who had a hand in the tours.

“I chose Festus, Missouri because we have had three members of the Argana family attend QU, with another one coming in the fall,” Stollberg said.

When asked what it was like to be able to visit and sing for her old high school, St. Pius X, and her younger siblings, Argana said it was a super positive experience.

“It was awesome because we got to experience some of the city and we spent a lot of time together,” Argana said.

All of the time spent together on trips like this really help students bond together. This was actually one of Argana’s favorite parts.

“You get a lot of hours in the car together. We sang a lot of songs and not in pitch or key, which is funny because we are a choir. It’s great bonding time,” Argana said. “We got to stay in a hotel together, we went to the pool, we hung out. So, just good quality time together.”

The QU students are not the only ones who benefit from a tour like this. The university benefits as well.

“I think that overnight visits like this benefit the university because we expose ourselves to surrounding high schools that are close to Quincy University,” Argana said. “This can expose students to seeing our choir and wanting to be in the choir here. So, they would be willing to come for a visit and might fall in love with the university. So, I think there is definitely some connections for future students.”

While this was the first overnight tour for the choirs, it was not their first tour. According to Stollberg, the choirs have visited close to 50 schools since she first took over the position as the choir director four years ago.

While Stollberg has been the point person for planning these tours, she most certainly did not act alone.

“I would like to thank Julie Bell and the advancement office for their assistance in securing funding for these tours,” Stollberg said. “Each tour, whether it is a choir tour or instrumental ensemble tour, costs around $2,000. We could not have visited close to 50 schools without her help.”