Cranbrook Hosts Guests from Across the Pond

Music was the link that brought Cranbrook Kent of England together with Cranbrook Schools USA. When Janet Kapala, Katie Lorts, Anna Speck and Shirley Nuss visited England in June 2006, they planned a visit to Cranbrook. During their visit, they met Malcolm Riley, the director of music at Cranbrook Kent. Riley proposed a visit by his choir, and after a lengthy planning time, the visit became a reality in October 2007. Forty-two students (aged 13 to 18) plus six adults made the trip to our campus and were hosted by twenty-one Upper School families for an entire week.

During their visit, Cranbrook Kent performed at the Cranbrook School for Boys 80th Anniversary, during Evensong at Christ Church Cranbrook, for our middle school music students at the Boys’ Middle School and in conjunction with the Madrigals and MasterSingers on October 24th. The Wednesday night concert at Christ Church was an emotional and moving event, filled with traditional, classical, ethnic and popular songs. It will long be remembered as a wonderful evening.

Our visitors were kept busy throughout the week touring our campus with Cranbrook Archivist Mark Coir and exploring the Cranbrook Institute of Science, the Cranbrook Art Museum, Greenfield Village and The Henry Ford Museum. The students also were given the opportunity to swim at the Natatorium, shop at Somerset Mall and, of course, spend time with their host families. The connections and friendships that our students developed with their English counterparts will continue as many promised to stay in touch.


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