Friday, September 14, 2001

TCU festival ensemble members unable to return from Germany
By Kristin Campbell
Staff Reporter

Three students and one alumna visiting Berlin are uncertain when they will be able to return to the United States due to the cancellation of international flights, but all are accommodated.

Christa Zimmer, a junior vocal performance major, Zach Collins, a junior music performance major, Jason De Water, a junior music performance major, and Nicole McWilliams, a 2000 TCU graduate, traveled to Germany to perform with the Festival Choir.

The students are staying at the Golden Leaf Hotel in Berlin until international flights are allowed to arrive in the United States.

Zimmer said she and the other Americans are at the top of the waiting list for flights returning to the United States.

“At times like this, you really want to be with your family,” Zimmer said.

Zimmer was scheduled to arrive at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Wednesday. She said she hopes to fly home on Air France as early as Friday night. De Water said he didn’t expect to return to the United States until Sunday or Monday.

The festival’s contract with the Bach-Akademie, the organization they were working for in Germany, expired Tuesday.

However, Zimmer said the academy continues to fund the choir and orchestra member’s hotel accommodations and food expenses. She said she was amazed at their hospitality because the academy is not obligated to help them.

“I thought we were going to be kicked out onto the street,” Zimmer said. “We owe so much to (the Bach-Akademie).”

De Water was equally grateful.

“(Bach-Akademie) assured us that we would be taken care of, no matter what,” he said.

For now, the ensemble members are waiting in their hotel until they have more flight information.

“We sit in the hotel and watch CNN all the time,” McWilliams said. “We’re still a little leery.”

Festival Choir artistic director, Helmuth Rilling, asked the audience of over 3,000 to stand in silence instead of clapping after the last song of their final concert, in memory those killed in the tragic attacks on the United States, Zimmer said.

Zimmer said she tried unsuccessfully to fight tears, but seeing the audience standing in memorial was extremely moving and powerful.

Kristin Campbell
k.a.campbell@student.tcu.edu