Armenia Day 10 - Off to Home

On the last day, the NKClers started loading their luggage at the Prince Hotel at 09:15, while the Imperials were picked up shortly before. It was time for the long drive back to Yerevan. After a few short breaks, we stopped at a food court at noon to grab lunch and get some fresh air. Our next stop a few hours later was the Novarank Monastery, dating back to the 13th century, located in the Amaghu gorge southeast of Yerevan, known for its brick-red cliffs. Tzov led us through the monastery complex and once again amazed us with many interesting facts. Afterwards, we sang “Immortal Bach” and had some time to explore the monastery grounds and the impressive surroundings.

The long drive continued, interrupted by more or less pleasant stops (stories that will stay with us for a long time), and after about 5 hours of travel - 8 hours of journey - we arrived in Yerevan around 6 PM.

There, we were already awaited by the Little Singers of Armenia, with whom we spent our last evening in Armenia, where plenty of food was provided! We played volleyball together, sang, and talked a lot. They also taught us two Armenian dances, and in turn, we taught them the dance from “Rock mi.” Around 8 PM, we bid farewell to Tzovinar with a loud applause, and we were all very sad about the farewell as she had grown dear to us over the few days we spent together. However, she promised that she would come to visit us in Heidenheim, which we would be very happy about!

About four hours later, just before midnight, we said goodbye to the Little Singers of Armenia and their impressive conductor Tigran Hekekyan and set off for the airport. On the way, it was time for our second birthday serenade, as Jannik Schmid turned 16 that night. Upon arriving at the airport, we had to kill some time before check-in started at 01:30 AM. Finally, we took off at 04:35 and landed 15 minutes before the scheduled arrival time at 7 AM (German time) in Frankfurt.

We took the bus back to Heidenheim, with a brief stop at a rest area to grab something for breakfast. Around 12:15 PM, we arrived at the SG in Heidenheim and were joyfully awaited by many parents.

At the end of this blog, we want to thank everyone involved: The success of this trip and its smooth execution is largely thanks to Daniela Burkart! With your months of planning and organizing, you gave us a wonderful journey; without your Padlet, I think we would have all been lost ;), your constant exchange of images with Fabienne significantly enriched this blog, and we can only sincerely thank you! A big thank you also goes to our pianist Kyoko Kanazawa, who accompanied us outstandingly at every concert, whether it was on the E-piano or a out-of-tune piano, bringing a lot of good cheer along the way! A huge thanks also goes to Carmen Roese, who always had an open ear for us, Stefania and Giovanni Bergamasco and Karin Mühling-Beckh, who enriched the trip, among other things with their contacts in Armenia, and who all supported Daniela in every aspect, enabling us to enjoy this wonderful journey! And last but not least, of course, a heartfelt thank you to Thomas Kammel, who always brought out the best in us and stood with us during the concerts!

This concert trip is thus coming to an end. The last days have been very impressive and eventful, but they also demanded a lot of energy from us. Thanks to Tzovinar, we learned a lot about the land and its people, tried new culinary delights, and were able to admire a very impressive and beautiful nature. We will never forget this journey with bus breakdowns in border areas, the fate of three sheep, and revived chamber choir traditions, and we are very grateful to have been a part of this trip this year!

Thank you very much for this wonderful concert trip!

Fabienne & Paulina