This fall, Dennis Coleman and a group of adults from the First Congregational Church of Bellevue will travel to Peru for 10 days to perform. To get ready for his adventure, Dennis traveled to Peru with our very own James Knapp on a site inspection to visit possible venues, meet with the locals, and to get acquainted with this awe-inspiring destination.

Site inspections: To familiarize first-time group leaders with Encore, we give directors/organizers the opportunity for an advance, in-person tour. If you're interested in a site inspection, a member of the Encore team would be happy to work with you on the details.

Q: Why did you choose Peru as a destination for your tour?

A: I like destinations that give the choir an experience they cannot get in the normal tourist destinations like Europe. Traveling to Peru is a trip to another world, time period and a completely different culture. As in other countries where tourists are not an everyday occurrence, the native population is also more engaging and excited about our concerts.

Q: What kind of experience do you anticipate for your group and for yourself?  

A: I'm anticipating a real connection with the people and an immersion into a culture and history that is alien to our own.

Q: What role did Encore's Artistic Director, James Knapp, play in your trip planning process?

A: James is a choral conductor who, first and foremost, understands the needs of a group like mine. He worked for years in churches, taking groups on tours like this. Not only is he helpful with the financial and practical matters of the tour, he is knowledgeable about programming for these trips.

Q: Tell us about your site inspection experience.

A: Taking the inspection tour allowed me to customize the tour for my particular group and their interests. Since we have a number of older singers, location and comfort in the hotels is very important. I was able to visit each hotel in depth. I met local musicians who will participate in our concerts, met the priests in the churches we will use, talked with local teachers and residents who will help us promote the concert and identified an orphanage and a small village where our gifts can make a difference.

Enrique Velasco [Encore's contact in Peru] knows Peru and is particularly excited about the mission elements of our trip. He deeply loves the country and its people and has extensive experience in the tourism industry for the region.

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Meet Enrique Velasco, a tourism representative for Peru. In collaboration with James Knapp, Enrique worked with Dennis to ensure the highest quality in hotels, transportation and performance venues.

Q: Why is Peru a good destination for performance groups?

A: Historically, groups have gone to Europe. Peru is an absolutely different experience. Performance groups will be exposed to certain communities and villages that are living today just as they have for centuries. In Peru, you may be the only group to perform in decades. The concerts generate so much excitement that—in some areas— the whole town will stop and attend. In Huaro village, police officers will attend and schools will close. The locals are honored and amazed when visitors perform in their villages.

Q: What's one misconception about Peru that you'd like to dispel?

A: People might think because Peru is a third world country that service might be bad, but it's quite the opposite. [Dennis Coleman's group will be staying at 4-star hotels including the Hotel Casa Andina in Miraflores and Puno Jose Antonio, which is situated in front of majestic Lake Titicaca.]

Q: What kinds of audiences do you expect?

A: The group has several performances, including a concert at a beautifully preserved chapel at the Orient Express Monasterio Hotel. The audience will be a mix of tourists, guests of the hotel and upper class citizens of Cuzco city.

They will also perform in chapels in more remote villages. As a sign of appreciation, the locals have been known to perform back with a song or dance. These concerts will be the highlight of the year for them.