Young Naperville Singers Perform in Naperville's Sister City, Nitra, Slovakia

Naperville, Illinois-July 23, 2017- Bella Voce, the advanced girls' choir of Young Naperville Singers (YNS), is currently touring in Europe until July 29. The choir is conducted by YNS Artistic Director Angie Johnson, and accompanied by Matthew Gemmill, who are both leading the tour through Austria, Germany and Italy, featuring a special stop in Nitra, Slovakia, Naperville's sister city.

On July 21, the choir sang for the local residents of Nitra, Slovakia, in the town's cultural center, where they were met by dignitaries, including the Deputy Mayor of Nitra, and the US Ambassador to Slovakia, Adam Sterling. The concert repertoire included a variety of pieces ranging from Franz Josef Haydn to American gospel songs. The highlight of the evening was a song native to Slovakia, "Mila Moja", in which the Bella Voce girls performed in the Slovak language. The song was thoroughly enjoyed by the Nitra audience, who so appreciated hearing their native language sung by an American choir. This performance was highly anticipated by the local residents who filled the hall to standing room only and who demonstrated their love of the music with a standing ovation.

"Performing in Nitra was special not only because of the sister city relationship and the attendance of the US ambassador and Nitra mayor, but especially because of the enthusiasm of the audience and their genuine appreciation for our music", Sarah Wheeler, Age 18.

The tour also included a stay in Vienna, where the girls performed at St. Stephen's Cathedral during the Saturday Mass. Other stops will include Salzburg, Innsbruck, Bolzano, Oberammergau, and Neuschwanstein. Highly anticipated by the choir is a performance in the Court Church of Salzburg, which is featured in the film, "The Sound of Music".

In addition to performing, the choir is enjoying the beautiful landscape of Austria and Slovakia, with Germany and Italy to come, taking in museums, palaces, and learning about the rich history of the region. Many of the cultural visits relate to music, including a special stop at Beethoven and Schubert's final resting place.

For more information about YNS, please visit their website at http://ynschoirs.org or contact the YNS office at 630.369.9679.