Day 2

Today was a completely full day. We started off the morning with a complimentary breakfast at the Holiday Inn in Richmond, which was delicious and filling. We left at 10:15 to go to Charlottesville and were able to walk around the University of Virginia campus. While we didn't see the famous Rotunda, we were able to see many of the prominent buildings and some of the original housing for students. After a quick lunch, we drove to Monticello and were given a tour of the grounds and the mansion. Our tour guide was excellent! He provided a lot of historical background on Monticello and Jeffersons hobbies, and often used silences to think about what he was going to say or ask us next. 

We then drove to Ashland, VA, the location of Randolph Macon College. We met their choir's director at their local chapel and each of us went with a member of the choir to the dining hall, where they used their meal swipes and generously swiped us in for dinner. We were able to meet several students from Randolph Macon and ask them what they thought of their college, their choir, and life in Virginia. At 7:00 we proceeded to the chapel, where we have a small, informal concert for them and they performed several pieces for us. We ended the night by sight reading some of their repertoire with them and taking a group photo in the chapel (which I will post when I get it!). We hopped on the bus and went to the hotel, stopping at a local Wawa on the way ( a first for many Western Pennsylvanians used to Sheetz). Tomorrow we will be heading to Roanoke, VA for our next public concert at Cavalry Baptist Church - stay posted for updates and more photos!

Monticello

Jeffersons grave

Dorm rooms at UVA

 Jefferson's gravestone