Pictured

Voice Box returned from a five day trip to Italy in early September 2009. They were the guests of the mayor and the local community of a small town in the Trento region. The trip, which included two concerts performed with a local male voice choir, was a huge success and has linked Witney with a beautiful area of Alpine Italy and the town of Castello Tesino.

‘It was an opportunity we could not miss’, says Musical Director of Voice Box, Lesley Morris.‘The chance not only to travel to Italy as a group but also to sing with a highly talented choir over there was something we shall remember for a long time. The local male voice choir, Coro Lagorai, are extremely talented and it proved a wonderful experience for us all because singing transcends all cultures and is a unifying force.‘

Voice Box were guests of the Deputy Mayor, Livio Gecele and made welcome by the residents of Castello Tesino who provided meals, excursions and events (such as wine tasting, an Alpine mountain walk and a trip to a museum) for the choir to enjoy during their stay.

‘The whole trip was made possible by the people of the town and the local authorities who paid for transport and did all they could to help,’ adds organiser, Frances Pike. ‘I was delighted to present Voice Box to this warm and friendly Italian community and their performances at the concerts in Castello Tesino and Borgo were superb.’

Extensive local press coverage and posters displayed everywhere in both towns mean that the English town of Witney enjoyed a high profile! The Italian coordinator Giuseppe Marchetto said: ‘Everything was wonderful. The choir, Voice Box sang so beautifully and we will always remember their visit with great warmth and affection.’