FOREST LEAVES — Oct. 20, 2004

Nicaraguan students entertain at Roosevelt

BY CHRIS LAFORTUNE

STAFF WRITER

A choir of Nicaraguan students performed at Roosevelt Middle School Wednesday during its tour of three cities in the United States.

The 34 students with Coro Fabretino from San Jose de Cusmapa, Nicaragua, performed twice at Roosevelt last week. The group sang songs in Spanish and Portuguese, as well as a rendering of the song, "America," which the choir sang in English.

The choir arrived in the United States Oct. 6 and performed in Denver and Des Moines before coming to Chicago, director Brian Gonzales said. They will head back to Denver before going home to Nicaragua.

"Last December we recorded a CD," Gonzales said. "One of the recording engineers liked how it turned out and he turns to me and said, 'Every CD has some kind of tour.' That's kind of where the idea began."

Gonzales traveled to Nicaragua in 2000 as a Jesuit volunteer and formed the choir, fellow Jesuit volunteer Josh Lynn said.

River Forest resident Vicki Holdren helped arrange for the choir to come to River Forest. Holdren and her son Graham, a Roosevelt graduate, went to Nicaragua in August of 2003 as part of a church service project.

They met the group while working there.

"When we came back, Chicago was having its world music festival," Holdren said. "They were working on their CD. I e-mailed Brian and said, 'Wouldn't it be great if you participated (in the festival)?' We're not there yet, but we're here."

A group from Denver, where Gonzales is from, helped raise money for the choir's trip to the United States, Holdren said.

For the students, who range in age from 12 to 21, this is their first trip outside of Nicaragua, Gonzales said.

While in Chicago, they are staying in homes throughout River Forest. The performed at St. James Church in Maywood on Saturday and Old St. Pat's Church in Chicago on Sunday.

On Friday, they visited classes at Oak Park-River Forest High School.

"It's been a trip, in all senses of the word," Gonzales said.

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