Testimonials
Thank you to the organizers of FESTIVAL 500 for enabling me to share in this experience.
I feel bathed in joy!
Bobby McFerrin, Guest Artist / Conductor
My enjoyment at FESTIVAL 500 is too hard to define in words. As I write this, I am sitting in Mile One Stadium before our Grande Finale Concert. A jazz quartet is playing as singers file in and the audience begins to be seated. In less than an hour, children’s voices from around the world will join in singing a Maori folksong led by a Finnish conductor. Then I will be one of 1,000 adults singing Carmina Burana (with full orchestra) conducted by Bobby McFerrin. Then I hear, we will dance Irish jigs at our after-party! And all in this beautiful harbour town on the edge of the continent. And that is just today! I’ve had more than a week of these experiences. I leave here full of ideas, of inspiration, of joy and thanks for organizing this very special festival is St. John’s, I don’t believe a festival like this could happen anywhere else. There is something about this land and the people here that infuse this festival with such great spirit. It has been the icing on a very rich cake. Thank you.
Karen Anne Richardson, Come Solo, North Carolina
I was really bowled over by the week, you certainly know how to make people feel welcome: everybody I met was so charming, warm and open. As for the festival itself – apart from being a remarkable organizational achievement – it was a week of academic and artistic excellence…wonderful!
Robert Faulkner, Iceland
Festival 500 is just the best in the world, and I'm not exaggerating. Just amazingly wonderful! I am honored to have been part of it.
Leon Thurman, Guest Clinician, Minnesota
The CHC (Cultural Heritage Choir) had an absolutely fabulous time at Festival 500!! It was rewarding on many, many levels. I thank the stars above for guiding your staff to me and me to all of you. I smiled so much during my stay there that the muscles on my face started to quiver.
Linda Tillery, Cultural Heritage Choir, US
What a beautiful festival, what a fantastic atmosphere, what a beautiful time we had. My mind is still in St. John’s and I still hear the music. Your festival is really unique in the world. I am impressed with a lot of things that happened during the week. The last concert with 6,000 people in the audience, the beautiful child choruses, the party, I shall never forget. It is good to be back home, but I still hold my festival dreams.
Ben Hofuis, Netherlands