Eric Hung interviews Ron Standring, choir member during the Westminster Choir’s World Tour in 1956-1957. This tour was sponsored by the U.S. State Department as a part of Cold War cultural diplomacy efforts. Ron shares his impressions of the multitude of countries which they visited, the experiences that he had, and how the choir was affected by the experience.
- 0:00: Introduction and overview of career
- 1:25 Childhood and musical background
- 2:30: Introduction to John Finley Williamson
- 4:03: Audition process, special attention from faculty
- 5:11: Introduction to world tour
- 6:07: Rehearsal process, concerts at home versus concerts on tour
- 8:58: Sponsorship from State Department
- 9:50: Non-musical preparation for touring
- 10:41: Behavioral expectations
- 11:56: Beginning the tour in the U.S.
- 12:47: Removal of fourth tour program
- 13:53: Reflections on Williamson
- 14:21: Departure from the United States
- 15:11: First stop in Japan
- 16:33: Reception of concerts in different countries
- 18:10: Experiences in Korea and Japan
- 19:19: Interesting food and sight-seeing in Korea and Japan
- 20:54: Thanksgiving in Japan
- 21:45: Discussing a few other choir members
- 23:00: Treatment in Japan
- 23:42: Memories of Southeast Asia
- 26:30: Aftereffects of First Indochina War, memories of Vietnam
- 29:17: Further discussion of Southeast Asia
- 32:11: Learning to communicate without a shared language
- 33:29: Collecting souvenirs
- 34:20:Performances and shopping in India
- 38:24: Choir gets the flu, exhaustion on the road
- 39:10: Pakistan and climate changes
- 41:00: Changes in cuisine from country to country
- 43:16: Military presence in Iran and Iraq, effects of Suez Canal crisis
- 45:20: Effects of exhaustion, concerts in Greece and Zagreb
- 48:44: Return flight, post-tour recovery
- 51:50: Octet performances in India, reflections on diplomacy through music
- 52:48: Attending musical performances in Japan, India, and Pakistan
- 55:30: 50th reunion of World Tour choir, discussion of living choir members
- 1:01:26: Influences of the tour on his career, further education
- 1:05:28: Career in construction and carpentry
- 1:06:58: A look at photos and memorabilia from the tour
- 1:22:25: A humorous anecdote from a rehearsal, closing thoughts
