Team Putte Update
On Saturday evening, staff and students watched the “Clash of the Choirs” Swedish TV show in the Holsby chapel – the same chapel where the “Team Putte” choir had practiced just a few days earlier.
On the nationally televised show, before each choir sings, they include a brief segment showing them practicing and doing some activity near their hometown. “Team Putte” chose Holsby for their activity and it resulted in some very good free advertising for us and a chance to partner with our local community.
Because of copyright considerations, we are unable to post a video of the TV show and the visit to Holsby. But I will try and describe the general content of the part that was filmed here at Holsby. It begins with Putte (the choir leader) saying: “We are here at the Torchbearers (Fackelbärarna) school just outside Vetlanda. Here you can take part in so many good group initiatives that are good for team building. Singing in a choir is a team sport, something you do together…” Then Putte climbs the Pamper Pole and catches the trapeze before being belayed down to his waiting choir.
The video also shows one of the choir members enjoying the giant swing after which she says, “This kind of activity is so much fun for the choir. To do something like this helps us get to know each other even better, and that is good…”
There is also a good deal of footage of the choir practicing in our chapel with the cross showing prominently in the background.
Although we obviously want people to come to Holsby for more than just team-building activities, these tools do provide us with an opportunity to present the life of Jesus Christ to those who perhaps wouldn’t otherwise have that chance.
Just a bit of info about Putte Nelsson, the choir leader: He is a committed believer and has a very good reputation in Sweden and in the music business. He has toured with well-known artists like Ricky Martin and Mary J. Blige as a keyboard player. In the video, he notes that he is not a singer and was very nervous during this last week’s performance, where the format of the competition required each choir leader to do a solo part. The “Team Putte” choir was among those that survived elimination and will continue the competition next week.