Lynn youth to sing in Middle East

LYNN – Lynn Vocational and Technical Institute student Christopher Barreda, 16, will be taking the trip of a lifetime this summer when he joins the members of the Boston Children’s Chorus on a trip to Jordan at the invitation of the country’s king.Inspired by a performance by the chorus during a 2007 trip to Boston, His Majesty King Abdoullah II invited the 55-member group to tour his country this summer from June 30-July 11.The singers, ages 11-18 from over 35 Massachusetts communities, will join 10 chaperones on the trip, giving five to six performances at different venues in Amman and surrounding rural towns in the kingdom along the way.The group will also participate in cultural and musical workshops and may have an opportunity to perform for the king.”This is an unprecedented opportunity for these kids to foster cross-cultural understanding in a country that continually represents peace in one of the world’s most conflict-ridden regions,” said Artistic Director Anthony Trecek-King. “It also provides the singers with an unforgettable chance to learn about a foreign culture and its history by forming friendships across global boundaries and gives them a new stage on which to celebrate diversity and unity.”The singers have been participating in a pre-tour educational program to learn the customs and history of the country. They will be posting live blogs and pictures during the trip, updating the BCC Facebook page and the BCC Web site, www.bostonchildrenschorus.org, as well as keeping journals and filming various activities.