The annual international tour of the King’s College Choir was set to end in Mexico City, but has been relocated to finish in Midland, Texas due to the economic difficulties caused by Donald Trump’s victory in the recent US elections.

The Mexican promoter has “withdrawn the invitation in light of the economic climate in the country following the US election result”, according to the email sent out to the choristers.

The email announcing the change to the itinerary of the tour, which is scheduled to leave on Wednesday, 22nd March and return on Monday, 3rd April, gave no further details to the members of the Choir.

The world-renowned choir was set to perform concerts in Berkeley, Vancouver, Seattle, Logan (Utah), and Salt Lake City, finally ending the tour in Mexico City. Coincidentally, the move to replace the Mexico City concert with one in Midland, Texas, significantly reduces the amount of travel.

Intermusica, the company that organises the Choir’s tours, confirmed to Varsity, “The concert by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge on 1 April at Festival del Centro Histórico, Mexico City, has been cancelled, due to a change in the Festival's funding circumstances.”

The Festival del Centro Histórico, one of Mexico’s most important cultural celebrations, which takes place every year to bring together artists and shows from all over the world, has already seen financial difficulties in recent years.

In 2015 more than 5 million pesos (approximately £185,000) was cut from the festival’s budget meaning that concerts and presentations had to be cancelled. At the time, financial difficulties were blamed on a the very low value of the Mexican currency, due to falling oil prices and a stronger dollar.

Evensong: King’s College

Intermusica, the company that is running the Choir’s tour, has been responsible for organising tours for the group in the past. In summer 2016 they organised a return tour to China after their debut in the country in October 2010 and in the same year they also set up concerts in Sweden in recognition of the 80th anniversary of their first ever international tour to Stockholm in 1936.

The last time the King’s College Choir toured the US was in 2015, when they visited New York City, Washington, St Paul, Chicago and Dallas.