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July 8, 2004 (Thursday)— Hradec Kralove

video: warming up for the opening ceremony (5.7MB movie courtesy of Mr. Kula)
video: towers and the river (9.1MB movie by Tim Hunt)
video: more towers and horses (5.5 MB movie by Tim Hunt)

We had the morning free, then our billets dropped us off at the dorms where we checked in for the festival. We went to rehearse where we will be singing Saturday.Carol Stewart, Executive Director of the festival, and Jim Litton, retired director of the American Boychoir, stopped in to say hello. We went back to the dorms for a rest period and to make signs for our doors. After dinner was the opening ceremony of the festival. Most choirs (there are 17) took the bus, but we walked (about 20 minutes) to walk off dinner and save waiting for the bus. Each choir sang one song for the opening ceremony. We sang Brothers Sing On! arranged by Mr. Kula for us. At the beginning and end of the ceremony, boys from each choir came in with flags from their state or country, and with candles. At the end of the ceremony, we went outside on the square where everyone was given ice cream. It looked like it was going to rain, and the buses weren't coming for 30 more minutes, so we walked back to the dorms. We got ready for bed, and about 11:00 a thunderstorm rolled through,with lightning and all. Tomorrow is our first full day at the festival.