later, excerpts from this Hamilton Academy Youth Choir recording continue to be broadcast. In June 1967 the planning began for 52 pupils from Hamilton Academy's choirs, together with Mr. Peter Mooney, to go on a three-week tour of North America, reciprocating the 1966 European tour of the Bel Canto choir of Franklin High School, Seattle, United States, when on the Scottish leg of their tour, the members of the Seattle school's choir had stayed with members of the Hamilton Academy choir. Plans were made for Hamilton Academy's choir to perform at Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, Washington D.C., Williamsburg, Arlington and New York. The three-week tour of the United States in 1968 by Hamilton Academy's (mixed) Choir, under the direction of Peter Mooney, began with concerts at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, New York. In Washington it was arranged that the choir sing on the steps of the White House, and in Seattle the choir sang at Seattle Opera House with colleagues and hosts, the Franklin High School Choir. At Seattle airport the choir was greeted by hundreds of singing well-wishers. Dubbed "the ambassadors of song" the choir and Mr. Mooney appeared on American television and were granted honorary citizenship by Washington State. In 2008 members of that Hamilton Academy school choir of forty years before came together in Hamilton in a reunion. In October 2009 members of the Bell Canto choir from Franklin High School, Seattle, who had been welcomed by Hamilton Academy's choir during their European tour in 1966 came together in Seattle in a reunion, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels declaring 11 October 2009, "Bel Canto Day" in honor of Dr. Richard Kohler, director, and those who participated in that choir's European tour of 1966, "Seattle's ambassadors to the world." The North American tour by Hamilton Academy's mixed Choir in 1968 was reciprocated in 1969 when the Bel Canto youth choir of Franklin High School, Seattle, United States re-visited and undertook a month-long series of engagements in Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales. Arriving at Glasgow Central Station from London at the commencement of their tour of the UK and Ireland, the 110 members of the Bel Canto Choir were met by bag-pipes and a 200-strong welcoming party from Hamilton Academy. After engagements in Lanarkshire, the Bel Canto Choir was joined by members of the Hamilton Academy Choir for performances in Belfast and