Performing arts groups travel
across the country
-Helen
Anderson and Annie Valliant
Orchestra
On
April 3-6, 110 students from the Chamber, Philharmonic
and Symphony orchestras will take their spring trip to Colorado to
compete in the
American Classics Music Festival. This is their second year to
participate in the
contest. The orchestra students will also have the opportunity to go
skiing
over the weekend as well as partake in a cooking contest with other
members of
the Westlake orchestra.
“I'm not sure how smart it is to send a bunch of orchestra
kids to a ski resort, but as long as we don't get any broken bones,
we'll
consider it a success,” sophomore Michelle Suh said.
“This
kind of experience teaches students many things in addition to
preparing the
music: how to live and get along with one another over a period of
several days
in rather close, confined travel and living accommodations; how to stay
focused, disciplined, and prepared to perform the music at a very high
level;
and finally how to interact with one another in a social setting away
from
family and home,” orchestra director Jimmy Edwards said.
“It is a maturing experience
musically, emotionally and socially.”
Hyline
For
the first time in more than 15 years, the Hyline will travel
out of state for its spring trip. From March 27-30, the Hyline will
perform some
of its Zenith dances at Disneyland in California. In addition to this,
the
group will take two rigorous dance classes at world renowned dance
studio The
Edge. After their hard work the girls will attend the musical Wicked, as well as going shopping and
sightseeing.
“We
are all really excited about our trip to L.A,” senior
Allison Wong said. “It will be a fun way to end the year and
enjoy a vacation
together!”
Choir
For 100 members of the
mixed and treble chorales, the
destination is New York City. The trip, which will take place April
5-8, is the
first out-of-state trip that the choir has taken for several years and
will
offer a vast variety of performance and cultural opportunities for
those going.
As well as performing at the United Nations, the choir will also get
the chance
to sing at St. John the Divine, known for its great acoustics. They
will also
participate in a school exchange, in which they will trade performances
with
choir students from another school. The choir will also visit most of
the major
sights of the city, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the
Statue of
Liberty and Times Square. For students who have previously performed in
musicals, New York also offers the unique cultural experience of
Broadway
shows. The choir will see both Mary
Poppins
and The
Phantom of the Opera.
All of these events will combine to create a memorable and enlightening
trip
for the choir.