The Voices of Bahá tour in the summer of 2010 will be to India, not China.  We are sorry that we cannot arrange a tour of China, but after thorough consultation it was decided that it is not wise or timely to plan a trip there in 2010.  We hope to do so sometime in the future, as soon as time and logistics permit.  

 For 2010, however, the friends are excited and thrilled about the Voices of Bahá coming to India.  This is a country rich in musical traditions and the arts.  They greatly appreciate all forms of music, have a strong Baha’i community, the freedom to teach, and are able to take full advantage of a choir tour.  Furthermore, the population of India is familiar with the Faith because of the House of Worship in New Delhi, known to most as “the Lotus Temple.”

 The tour will visit three areas – 1) New Delhi (where the Temple is, and not far from the Taj Majal) – 2) the city of Chennai (formerly Madras), the 4^th largest city in India, in the southernmost province - 3) the region around Mumbai (formerly Bombay).  We will spend approximately 5 days in each region, performing several concerts in each.  There will likely be more than one performance in the House of Worship in New Delhi, and perhaps additional concerts in the city.

 The choir program will include new arrangements of music composed by Ravi Shankar for the Dedication of the House of Worship in 1986.  Some of these beautiful pieces have not been performed much since, and in fact some were not even performed at that time, due to the fact that Ravi Shankar composed so many fine pieces, all to the writings of Bahá’ulláh.  Some professional Indian musicians who participated in the Dedication will be rejoining us for this tour. 

 Since India is on an easterly route from the North America and Europe, those coming from that part of the world could have an optional add-on, to stop for three days in Haifa before returning home.   There will also be the option of stopping in the city of Istanbul, either at the beginning or the end of the choir tour, at no additional air cost, due to the fact that our flights to India refuel in that historic city, and the airline permits free stopovers there.

 The dates and price of the tour will be announced soon, and singers are welcome to apply to join, or express interest, by emailing Barbara at bababa@global-music.org

Additional information will be posted on this website in the future, and also on the Voices of Bahá Facebook Group.  If you are currently using Facebook, please join the Voices of Bahá group to keep up-to-date with plans and contact other singers.  If you are not yet using Facebook, we encourage singers to join for free by going to www.facebook.com and set up a profile of yourself.  Then apply to join the Voices of Bahá facebook group.