Concert Choir offers yardwork service

Spring break means different things to different people: beach bacchanal, service trip, research and study intensive, or deposits into an overdrawn sleep account.

For students in the Concert Choir, the 2009 spring break was a tour of Germany and France with performances in Freiburg and Paris, with stops and concerts in-between. While in Paris, the choir met with UW–Madison alumni and, of course, “Varsity” and “If You Want to be a Badger” were on the program.

“The tour was a chance for the students to see the history of the places where some of the music they perform was composed and also to show their amazing talent to appreciative audiences,” says Beverly Taylor, Concert Choir director and director of choral activities for UW–Madison.

The choir tours every year but has been abroad just three times, most recently in 2001. Financing the trips is an issue, says Taylor. Even with economizing home stays, the tour cost $2,650 per person. With the help of donations, scholarships and student fundraisers, such as singing valentines, the choir was able to whittle the cost down to $1,800.

To pay off some of the tour costs and replenish the fund for the next tour, students in the Concert Choir are available for spring yard chores, or whatever needs doing. Raking leaves, preparing gardens and garden beds, trimming, planting, cleaning a garage or basement, or even help moving are all tasks the students can do.

The price is negotiated for each job based on the tasks, but the costs typically range from $10-$20 per hour per student. Taylor says it is always acceptable to pay more, and many customers do as a way to support the choir and its tours.

To schedule a single student or a crew of workers, e-mail a job description of what you’d like done along with your contact information to concertchoiryardwork@gmail.com. Someone from the choir will respond to your request.