Around the World in 80 Anthems

Canadian schoolgirl sings Luxembourg’s anthem to help children in need

Luxembourg’s national anthem is the second-hardest to master after China’s, a Canadian schoolgirl who learned 80 national anthems has concluded.

Despite it being difficult to learn, 11-year-old Capri Everitt pulled off the amazing feat when she sang a pitch-perfect rendition of “Ons Heemecht” at a children’s home in Rosport and then at the World Peace Forum gala in Luxembourg this week.

“I think Luxembourg is a very beautiful country and it was an amazing experience to go to the World Peace Forum to meet people and sing there,” she told Wort.lu/en, adding: “Chinese was the most difficult anthem to master but Luxembourg’s was pretty hard. The melody wasn’t that difficult but the pronunciation is harder for someone speaking English and French.”

Luxembourg was the 56th out of 80 countries the talented youngster is stopping off at over nine months to raise money for the charity “SOS Villages d’Enfants”.

Capri has learned the national anthems of each country and, accompanied by her brother, Bowen, and parents, she performs the songs with children in each country to a professional standard.

Getting children to sing along

“Many children in third world countries don’t know famous pop songs. By singing the national anthem, I plan to get as many children as possible to sing with me,” Capri explained.

The Everitt family began the 80 Anthems musical odyssey in November last year, renting out their home and signing the children up for homeschooling. They plotted a schedule that would take them to almost every continent and, before leaving, Capri learned the 80 national anthems she would sing in 41 different languages.

She said: “A lot of the time I have people from the country (whose anthem I am singing) to help me because in Vancouver there are so many different nationalities.”

However, unable to track down a Luxembourger in Vancouver, Capri studied the anthem via YouTube and got local coaching when she arrived in the Grand Duchy. The family’s epic tour is due to end with a bang in August when Capri sings at two major league baseball games in Washington DC and Toronto.

Writing a book about her experiences

Capri, for whom the anthems are now engrained in her memory, said she did expect life to be dull after such an exciting tour. “We’re going to write a book. And I love speaking so hopefully we will do talks,” she said.

Capri is also selling a CD compilation of all the anthems she has and will sing with all proceeds going to SOS Vilages d’Enfants.

To find out more, visit www.aroundtheworldin80anthems.com

Alternatively, follow Capri’s 80 Anthems adventures via Bowen’s Blog