On April 13th, 168 music students will depart from Boston Logan Airport, on a nine day excursion through England. A majority of band, orchestra, and chorus students will be attending and performing multiple times at different locations across England. The trip takes place every four years, giving every music student the chance to go. The first concert tour began nearly twenty-five years ago, with Gerald Dolan in charge. 

The tour contains three concerts. The first concert is on April 15th, where they will play in Saint Swithun’s Church in Bathford.  The second concert is on the 18th, where they will be performing at a local Liverpool school. Their final concert of the tour will be at St.Paul Ealing’s Church. Each ensemble will be playing three songs at each concert. The band will be performing Blue Mambo, How to Train Your Dragon, and Lincolnshire Posy. The orchestra will be performing 3 pieces: The Rutter, Amazing Grace, featuring Josiah Scarano, and The Mambo. Finally, the chorus will be performing Tarekita, Early Flowers, and I Love My Love.  Other than performances, students have many scheduled sightseeing tours on their motorcoaches, and are given time to explore on their own. 

After the students arrive at London Heathrow Airport on the 14th,  their first stop is in the historic city of Bath. Here, they will visit the Roman Baths Complex. From there, they will continue to Bristol where they will be staying for the night. The Roman Baths Complex is the location where band president Elijah Bergner, and oboe section leader Ashton Flather, are most excited to visit. They are both excited to see the beautiful complex in person, and learn more about the history behind it.

On the 15th, they will go on a sightseeing tour of Bristol to see the highlights of the city.  Bristol has played a major role in Britain’s maritime history, including having two magnificent cathedrals, a major shopping hub and being situated at the crossroads of the West Country, Wales and Cotswolds. After their tour, students will have time to sightsee on their own for lunch. They will then have their performance, and return back to the hotel for the night.

On the 16th, the music groups will depart for a full day excursion for Stonehenge and Lacock Abbey, where they will visit the prehistoric monument Stonehenge. This sight is a top hit for students on the trip. They will then continue to Lacock Abbey, which is a country house developed over the centuries around a farmer 13th century nunnery. This is the birthplace of modern photography. It is set in spacious wooded grounds and was featured in both Pride and Prejudice and Harry Potter! After their full day, students will return back to their hotel for much needed rest.

Waking up on the 17th, the groups will depart for Liverpool, stopping along the way for a sightseeing trip to Stratford upon Avon. This was the birth city of William Shakespeare! They will then continue through Liverpool where they check into the hotel and have dinner as a group. 

On the 18th, the history of the Beatles will make an appearance to the students, at the Beatles Story Museum. They will learn how the Beatles met, go undercover at Abbey Road Studios and take a trip on the yellow submarine. In the afternoon, they will rehearse for the next performance at the local Liverpool school, then enjoy dinner in a local restaurant. 

On the 19th, students will explore England on their own. They will have time to explore, before meeting for dinner all together. During this free time, many musicians, including Nadine Kelly will be out exploring and trying new foods. Nadine is most excited to try “Fish and chips and chocolate,” as they are good in the United States, but even better abroad.   

On the 20th, they will take a guided sightseeing tour of London. They will see Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, House of Parliament, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Knightsbridge and Oxford Street. For clarinet section leader Lucy Harmon, London is the site she is looking forward to most, as she is excited to try all the different teas. Similarly, orchestra member Chloe Pszenny, is looking forward to buying a teacup in London. After the tours, they will perform their final concert at St. Paul Ealing’s Church before calling it a night.

On the 21st, students will either catch the 9:40am flight or the 5:30pm from London back to Boston. The musicians aren’t the only one’s excited for the trip, as all of the music teachers are excited too. Four years ago, the last time this trip took place, the music teachers had a blast and loved exploring a new country with the students. Four years later, and the countdown for the England music adventure is on.