Von Trapp children to sing in the holidays
They rode a bullet train in Japan, held rare New Zealand kiwi birds in their laps and learned how to write their names in Korean this year.
They've also performed well over 100 concerts around the world over the past 24 months.
It's been a whirlwind year for the four von Trapp children of Kalispell. They arrived home today and will close out the year with a Christmas show at Majestic Valley Arena on Tuesday.
"My head is still spinning. It's been an amazing year," said Annie von Trapp, mother of the kids, who are captivating audiences everywhere with the same wholesome appeal of their "Sound of Music" predecessors.
The von Trapp children - Sophia, 16; Melanie, 14; Amanda, 13; and Justin, 10 - are the offspring of Stefan and Annie von Trapp of rural Kalispell, and the great-grandchildren of Capt. Georg and Maria von Trapp, whose singing family was portrayed in the popular musical "The Sound of Music," set against the spectacular Alps surrounding Salzburg, Austria.
The foursome has been touring almost nonstop for the past two years, in places as far away as Seoul, Korea, and as close as Glacier National Park. Performing at Seoul Square and at the Sydney Opera House in Australia are among the more memorable shows of the past year. Their trek has taken them into churches, symphony halls, theaters, community centers and even the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn.
Along the way, nearly every major national television news network has featured the children, from NBC's "Today" show to "Good Morning America" on ABC.
They'll sing their novelty song, "Please Don't Send Me Fruitcake," in a segment that will air Christmas morning on the TV show "Fox and Friends." The QVC network will also feature the von Trapp children on Christmas Day.
Reporters routinely ask the children if they fight or tire of being together all the time.
"That's a funny question for us," Annie said. "The kids get along so well. What I love is the bond we have together as a family."
Homeschooling is done on the road, and the long flights overseas provide ample time for doing homework.
The children are also growing up on the road. Justin has had to get bigger lederhosen twice since they started touring, to accommodate his growing frame. Their voices have also gotten stronger and more mature, though their mother says "they still sound like children."
Their manager rounds up voice coaches whenever they have down time in the larger metropolitan areas.
It's not only the harmony of their voices that mesmerizes audiences. It's also the stories they tell about their famous ancestors. They recently learned from their Aunt Agatha that the Captain and Maria von Trapp once sat next to German dictator Adolf Hitler at a cafeteria in Munich, Germany.
"Hitler was so crude that Captain von Trapp said he would never have him in his living room," Annie recounted. "He was so appalled by Hitler. The family refused to sing for Hitler's birthday."
The von Trapp children's "Opa" (grandfather) is Werner von Trapp, 90, of Waitsfield, Vt., the fourth child of Capt. von Trapp and his first wife, Agathe, who died of scarlet fever at 32.
As the story goes, the flamboyant Maria was sent from a convent to tutor the seven motherless von Trapp children. She eventually married the captain and they had three more children. After their escape from the Nazis in 1938, the family toured in America and abroad until the late 1950s.
Even though the children launched their singing career on the coattails of their famous family, it hasn't been a cakewalk.
"The door was open because of the name, but it didn't mean you could go through the door," Annie said. "We had to prove ourselves and that was one of the most valuable lessons the kids could have learned."
The e-mails the family receives reflect the connection they have with their audiences.
"People are so moved that children can sing about God and not be embarrassed," Annie said.
Their repertoire of songs includes gospel and folk songs, old hymns, tunes from the "Sound of Music" and contemporary songs. They even sing a 12th-century Gregorian chant. Many of their concerts involve an outreach element, often to schoolchildren.
The holiday concert Tuesday evening at the Majestic Valley Arena will offer a cross-section of music, including some Broadway tunes.
"It's wholesome folk music, a Christian-based show," Annie said. "We requested they make the tickets reasonable prices here."
While their concerts typically have ticket prices ranging from $50 to $60 and higher, the cost of the local show will be $20 for adults and $18 for seniors, with a general-admission family rate of $40. The concert begins at 7 p.m.; call 755-5366 for ticket information.
A high-quality sound system is being brought in for the performance.
The von Trapp children have committed to at least one more year of touring, with offers already in hand from symphonies in Detroit, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Minnesota and Phoenix. They'll sing in Belgium next September and just received an invitation to a tour that includes historic churches in Switzerland, Austria and Germany.
Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com