Limestone College chorus students perform at Friday's dedication ceremony for the Walt Griffin Physical Education Center. A smashed piano and a rendition of “Monster Mash” will help take Limestone College to Mozart’s birthplace in Austria.

Limestone College chorus students have smashed a piano and performed the classic Halloween “Monster Mash” song to help pay for a trip to Austria next year. The chorus students are planning for a concert tour June 27-July 4 to perform at the 2010 Salzburg Mozart International Choral Festival.

The choral tour features performances in Vienna and a concert with a combined choir performing Mozart’s “Coronation Mass” work in the historical Salzburg Dom cathedral.

“This is a great opportunity for our students to perform a large work by Mozart with an ensemble of 100 voices in Salzburg, the composer’s birthplace,” Limestone Chorus Director Gena Poovey said.

Limestone College chorus students will be directed in the Mozart festival by Florida State Choral Conductor Dr. Andre Thomas and Salzburg Dom prof. Janos Czifra. Thomas has been the guest director for distinguished choral groups such as the Berlin Radio Choir in Germany, the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in England and the China People’s Liberation Orchestra.

Czifra has led numerous concert tours for the cathedral choir to the U.S., Japan and various European cities. He was admitted into the European Academy of Science and Arts in 2002.

“Our students will experience performing music by a great composer in a live setting and develop a great appreciation for culture while traveling in another country,” Poovey said.

Limestone College chorus students have been working on fundraising projects to pay for their trip to Austria since early this year. Poovey said the school’s goal is reduce the trip’s cost to $1,000 per person.

The chorus will sell raffle tickets for a drawing at its fall concert Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. A contemporary music concert benefit will be held Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Both performances will be held at Fullerton Auditorium.

“We will be available for singing telegrams and give other performances throughout the year to make this trip more affordable for our students,” Poovey said.

For more information, contact Poovey at 488- 4509.