Sunday 3/11
Cannot believe what a day we've had! We spent the first couple hours on the bus traveling to Costa Brava. Our first stop was lunch where were secretly very happy to be served and American lunch - burgers, hot dogs, french fries and Coke! Just a note of food - we've had a wonderful culinary experience here. We've tried everything from traditional tapas to Spanish calamari! We were shocked to discover that french fries are served at pretty much every meal and are often topped with olive oil. Anyway, after lunch we had a little bit to walk around, shop, and yes...even play in the water. It was FAR too cold to get in but there were a couple brave souls who put on bathing suits and got in anyway. It was terribly windy, Cesar tells us that the wind makes the people of this region a little crazy - I thought he was kidding until I got knocked over by a gust of wind and a shop owner cheerily remarked - "what a lovely light wind today! So much better than yesterday when the wind broke one of my windows!" Hmmm - perhaps Cesar was right! After out afternoon excursion we left for our final concert at the Basilica in Castelo de Empuries. The basilica was huge, stunning and had the most amazing acoustics! Here we sang our full set. The concert was well attended and received. We even sang several encore numbers! The highlight of this concert, however, was getting to watch Mr. Berryman fill with glee when the priest asked if he would like to play the organ. Mr. Berryman accepted the offer and filled basilica with some gorgeous music - he even improvised on our school hymn, "Sun of my Soul!" After the concert the town hosted a little party for us. I think we all gained about 20 pounds from the pastries but we worked it off afterwards in a little game of "football" in the town square. Back to the bus and "home" to Barcelona we went - it was a late night and so it's off to bed!
3/21
It was strange waking up thinking that this will be our last day in Spain! With no concerts left we were able to enjoy a nice relaxing morning. We started with breakfast in the hotel and then it was off to explore Barcelona some more. Several went shopping, others went Gaudi hunting and still other spent their time leisurely walking about. (I myself spent a delightful afternoon basking in the the sun, sipping WAY TOO cafe con leche in a very cute little cafe in total shock that I was actually "working") In the early afternoon we met as a group and joined our city guide Rosa for a final tour of the historic districts of Barcelona. On our tour we made a special stop at Palau de la Musica Catalan, the Palace of Catalan Music. Here we walked through the opera house and even got to hear their organ! (We all agreed that, in our HUMBLE opinion, Mr. Berryman's impromptu concert the night before was far superior!) After our tour we enjoyed some gelato and then went off to our farewell dinner. Here we ate WAY more food that any one person should in a lifetime, enjoyed each others company and reflected on what a wonderful tour it has been! Tomorrow will inevitably bring stress as we travel from Barcelona, to Paris and finally back to Boston but right now...we really would rather not think about that.
This trip has been amazing in so many ways - I can't believe how much we've seen, done and experienced. It has been a joy to travel with these students. They are interested, engaged and as always entertaining - I have been amazed at their level energy, their willingness to try something new and their enthusiasm for even the most mundane things. There is so much educational and personal value in trips like these and I feel very lucky as a first-year teacher, a musician and a conductor to have had the experiences of this trip - I am confident that our students feel the same.
Buenos Dias!
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Gaudi, The Olympic Village and our Television Debut!
Today (3/10) we explored the city of Barcelona! We started our morning with a short concert in one of the old churches. Expecting to sing a sacred concert (an odd expectation given that the church was across the street from a none other than a Starbucks!) we were delighted when the parish priest allowed us to sing “profane” music as well. (In the states we would refer to this music as “secular!”) Not only did we have a wonderful audience but a TV crew came, interviewed one of our students and then taped the concert. We were on TV at 2p.m. - we were unable to get to a TV but our guide Cesar says we will forward us the video when it becomes available.
Following our concert we spent some time right outside the Olympic village. The sun was shining, our spirits were very high and we were all eagerly anticipating lunch. (The schedule at St. Mark’s is such that we are all very well trained to expect lunch at 11:30 - this business of eating lunch at 1 or 2 in the afternoon has been QUITE the adjustment!) We ate a delightful lunch and then boarded a bus for our panoramic tour with our city guide Rosa.
With Rosa we toured all around Barcelona looking at the buildings and sites. We focused mainly on the architectural influence of Gaudi and were lucky enough to get to spend some time in Guell Park. The weather today is just stunning and so I know we were all extremely happy to get to spend so much time outside today.
Tomorrow we are off to Costa Brava where we will spend some time in the coastal region. We’ll sing a concert in the evening and also spend some time in Castelo de Empuries. For now, we are off to dinner. Tonight Barcelona plays Real Madrid in Barcelona - we are hoping to find a place to watch the game! Wish us luck!
Friday, March 9, 2007
Last Days in Madrid!
After ALL day one the bus, we are finally in Barcelona. We have only unpacked and eaten dinner so I will fill you all in on details of Barcelona - for now, I want to finish up Madrid!
We started out Wednesday (3/7) very early. We boarded a bus and began our hour long trek to the town of Avila. From the bus we walked around and explored the medieval town. We took about an hour to wander our, taste test the cafe con leche and take in the city. Most of us paid 2 euro to climb the stairs to stand on top of the walls of the city. Quite the feat for those of us scared of heights! We boarded the bus and then continued on to Segovia.
Our day seemed to be plagued by bad weather - if it wasn't wind it was rain! In Segovia - it was rain. So we trekked through the town - damp, cold and surprisingly happy. It's amazing what a beautiful town can do for the spirits! Some of us treated ourselves to Hot chocolate while others indulged their shopping habits before meeting up for lunch. After lunch we continued on to see the Royal Alcazar. It was here that we were amazed to see a real castle - drawbridge and moat included! Alcazar was an amazing experience filled with history, art, and yes...even a dungeon.
After this we walked to the Church San Andres where we sang a sacred concert. (Many of the churches have requested that we sing only sacred music). This church, however, demanded an encore and allowed us to sing some secular music! It was quite the treat for all of us.
We spent most of yesterday (3/8) at the S.E.K. College Cuidalcampo. This is a private day school. We started the morning with a rehearsal with their choir - it was here that we combined forces to sing Edelweiss and Somagawnza. This was a great experience for all involved. In addition to making music together, we got to practice our spanish and they got to practice their english. After rehearsal it was out to the basketball courts for a little game - no score was kept and the teams were mixed so it ended up being a fun little release of energy. It was then off to lunch where we continued to get ot know each other.
After lunch we sang a joint concert with the S.E.K choir. This was quite a success - loads of fun, lots of good music and tons of good spirits! Following the concert, the students of S.E.K treated us to a mini dance recital! We saw some classical ballet and some flamenco! I cannot tell you how many St. Mark's students came up to me afterward begging me to take them dancing that evening. It made quite the impression and I know that many of our students are hoping they will be able to find somewhere in Southborough to take lessons!
We spent our last evening in Madrid exploring the city some more. Some of us went to the Prado (AGAIN!) others visited the various sites and museums. Ten of our students even met up with some of the students from S.E.K to enjoy tapas and revelry. It was a great end to a wonderful city.
Here's to hoping Barcelona will be even better!
We started out Wednesday (3/7) very early. We boarded a bus and began our hour long trek to the town of Avila. From the bus we walked around and explored the medieval town. We took about an hour to wander our, taste test the cafe con leche and take in the city. Most of us paid 2 euro to climb the stairs to stand on top of the walls of the city. Quite the feat for those of us scared of heights! We boarded the bus and then continued on to Segovia.
Our day seemed to be plagued by bad weather - if it wasn't wind it was rain! In Segovia - it was rain. So we trekked through the town - damp, cold and surprisingly happy. It's amazing what a beautiful town can do for the spirits! Some of us treated ourselves to Hot chocolate while others indulged their shopping habits before meeting up for lunch. After lunch we continued on to see the Royal Alcazar. It was here that we were amazed to see a real castle - drawbridge and moat included! Alcazar was an amazing experience filled with history, art, and yes...even a dungeon.
After this we walked to the Church San Andres where we sang a sacred concert. (Many of the churches have requested that we sing only sacred music). This church, however, demanded an encore and allowed us to sing some secular music! It was quite the treat for all of us.
We spent most of yesterday (3/8) at the S.E.K. College Cuidalcampo. This is a private day school. We started the morning with a rehearsal with their choir - it was here that we combined forces to sing Edelweiss and Somagawnza. This was a great experience for all involved. In addition to making music together, we got to practice our spanish and they got to practice their english. After rehearsal it was out to the basketball courts for a little game - no score was kept and the teams were mixed so it ended up being a fun little release of energy. It was then off to lunch where we continued to get ot know each other.
After lunch we sang a joint concert with the S.E.K choir. This was quite a success - loads of fun, lots of good music and tons of good spirits! Following the concert, the students of S.E.K treated us to a mini dance recital! We saw some classical ballet and some flamenco! I cannot tell you how many St. Mark's students came up to me afterward begging me to take them dancing that evening. It made quite the impression and I know that many of our students are hoping they will be able to find somewhere in Southborough to take lessons!
We spent our last evening in Madrid exploring the city some more. Some of us went to the Prado (AGAIN!) others visited the various sites and museums. Ten of our students even met up with some of the students from S.E.K to enjoy tapas and revelry. It was a great end to a wonderful city.
Here's to hoping Barcelona will be even better!
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Madrid and Toledo
I can't believe how much we have fit into the last 48 hours!
We started out Monday morning (3/5/07) - bright and early at 9 a.m. - with a 3-hour walking tour of Madrid. Our guide, Isabel, shared many fun facts and lots of history. We walked through the Plaza Mayor on to Plaza del Sol and over to the Royal Palace where we were greeted another tour guide. Here we split up into 2 groups and got a full (and thorough!) tour of the Royal Palace. I cannot even begin to describe the beautiful things we saw, but I will tell you one little story:
As we were nearing the end of our tour, it was very clear that everyone was getting very tired. We were all suffering from jet lag, we had been on our feet for almost 4 hours straight, and we were not yet (correction - STILL are not) used to taking lunch at 3 p.m. The group was visibly out of energy when Isabel said, "Only 4 more rooms, we will be quick!" There seemed to be a communal sigh as she energetically pranced off leaving us in her dust! As we walked into the first room I heard a bit of commotion and was surprised to see everyone perk up a bit. Little did we know that he had just walked into the music room. Little did we know what was waiting for us. We were standing among 2 violins, 1 viola and 2 cellos all handmade by Antonio Stradivarius! The students were doubly impressed that it is estimated that only 19 originals still exist - and we were among 5!!! It was quite cool.
After our walking, we dined together for lunch. From there we went straight to the hotel to change and prep for our first concert of the tour! I will spare you the details of our rehearsal at the Conservatory but I am happy to report that we sang VERY well. We had a crowd of about 100 and we were well received. "Ave Maris Stella," "Little Birds" and "Seasons of Love" were among the favorites! After the concert we were treated to tapas with the faculty of the conservatory - it was quite a treat!
We started out today (3/6/07) with another early morning tour! We were on a bus by 9 a.m. on our way to Toledo. Here we walked around, up, down, over, and under the windy and narrow roads! Some of the roads were so narrow that cars were unable to get through! The highlight of the tour was our trip through the Primate Cathedral of Spain. This gorgeous Baroque cathedral took 266 years to finish, houses several Caravaggio originals, 13 original Greco paintings and contains 77 stained glass windows and 3 separate organs. It is quite the sight to see and I'm not sure we could have covered everything if we had spent the whole day there! After that was lunch and a bus ride back. We will spend the evening on our own - exploring the city and taking some time at the Museo del Prado
One hopes bedtime will come early tonight as we have 2 big days of touring and singing in front of us - wish us luck!
We started out Monday morning (3/5/07) - bright and early at 9 a.m. - with a 3-hour walking tour of Madrid. Our guide, Isabel, shared many fun facts and lots of history. We walked through the Plaza Mayor on to Plaza del Sol and over to the Royal Palace where we were greeted another tour guide. Here we split up into 2 groups and got a full (and thorough!) tour of the Royal Palace. I cannot even begin to describe the beautiful things we saw, but I will tell you one little story:
As we were nearing the end of our tour, it was very clear that everyone was getting very tired. We were all suffering from jet lag, we had been on our feet for almost 4 hours straight, and we were not yet (correction - STILL are not) used to taking lunch at 3 p.m. The group was visibly out of energy when Isabel said, "Only 4 more rooms, we will be quick!" There seemed to be a communal sigh as she energetically pranced off leaving us in her dust! As we walked into the first room I heard a bit of commotion and was surprised to see everyone perk up a bit. Little did we know that he had just walked into the music room. Little did we know what was waiting for us. We were standing among 2 violins, 1 viola and 2 cellos all handmade by Antonio Stradivarius! The students were doubly impressed that it is estimated that only 19 originals still exist - and we were among 5!!! It was quite cool.
After our walking, we dined together for lunch. From there we went straight to the hotel to change and prep for our first concert of the tour! I will spare you the details of our rehearsal at the Conservatory but I am happy to report that we sang VERY well. We had a crowd of about 100 and we were well received. "Ave Maris Stella," "Little Birds" and "Seasons of Love" were among the favorites! After the concert we were treated to tapas with the faculty of the conservatory - it was quite a treat!
We started out today (3/6/07) with another early morning tour! We were on a bus by 9 a.m. on our way to Toledo. Here we walked around, up, down, over, and under the windy and narrow roads! Some of the roads were so narrow that cars were unable to get through! The highlight of the tour was our trip through the Primate Cathedral of Spain. This gorgeous Baroque cathedral took 266 years to finish, houses several Caravaggio originals, 13 original Greco paintings and contains 77 stained glass windows and 3 separate organs. It is quite the sight to see and I'm not sure we could have covered everything if we had spent the whole day there! After that was lunch and a bus ride back. We will spend the evening on our own - exploring the city and taking some time at the Museo del Prado
One hopes bedtime will come early tonight as we have 2 big days of touring and singing in front of us - wish us luck!
Madrid and Toledo
I can't believe how much we have fit into the last 48 hours!
We started out Monday morning (3/5/07) - bright and early at 9 a.m. - with a 3-hour walking tour of Madrid. Our guide, Isabel, shared many fun facts and lots of history. We walked through the Plaza Mayor on to Plaza del Sol and over to the Royal Palace where we were greeted another tour guide. Here we split up into 2 groups and got a full (and thorough!) tour of the Royal Palace. I cannot even begin to describe the beautiful things we saw, but I will tell you one little story:
As we were nearing the end of our tour, it was very clear that everyone was getting very tired. We were all suffering from jet lag, we had been on our feet for almost 4 hours straight, and we were not yet (correction - STILL are not) used to taking lunch at 3 p.m. The group was visibly out of energy when Isabel said, "Only 4 more rooms, we will be quick!" There seemed to be a communal sigh as she energetically pranced off leaving us in her dust! As we walked into the first room I heard a bit of commotion and was surprised to see everyone perk up a bit. Little did we know that he had just walked into the music room. Little did we know what was waiting for us. We were standing among 2 violins, 1 viola and 2 cellos all handmade by Antonio Stradivarius! The students were doubly impressed that it is estimated that only 19 originals still exist - and we were among 5!!! It was quite cool.
After our walking, we dined together for lunch. From there we went straight to the hotel to change and prep for our first concert of the tour! I will spare you the details of our rehearsal at the Conservatory but I am happy to report that we sang VERY well. We had a crowd of about 100 and we were well received. "Ave Maris Stella," "Little Birds" and "Seasons of Love" were among the favorites! After the concert we were treated to tapas with the faculty of the conservatory - it was quite a treat!
We started out today (3/6/07) with another early morning tour! We were on a bus by 9 a.m. on our way to Toledo. Here we walked around, up, down, over, and under the windy and narrow roads! Some of the roads were so narrow that cars were unable to get through! The highlight of the tour was our trip through the Primate Cathedral of Spain. This gorgeous Baroque cathedral took 266 years to finish, houses several Caravaggio originals, 13 original Greco paintings and contains 77 stained glass windows and 3 separate organs. It is quite the sight to see and I'm not sure we could have covered everything if we had spent the whole day there! After that was lunch and a bus ride back. We will spend the evening on our own - exploring the city and taking some time at the Museo del Prado
One hopes bedtime will come early tonight as we have 2 big days of touring and singing in front of us - wish us luck!
We started out Monday morning (3/5/07) - bright and early at 9 a.m. - with a 3-hour walking tour of Madrid. Our guide, Isabel, shared many fun facts and lots of history. We walked through the Plaza Mayor on to Plaza del Sol and over to the Royal Palace where we were greeted another tour guide. Here we split up into 2 groups and got a full (and thorough!) tour of the Royal Palace. I cannot even begin to describe the beautiful things we saw, but I will tell you one little story:
As we were nearing the end of our tour, it was very clear that everyone was getting very tired. We were all suffering from jet lag, we had been on our feet for almost 4 hours straight, and we were not yet (correction - STILL are not) used to taking lunch at 3 p.m. The group was visibly out of energy when Isabel said, "Only 4 more rooms, we will be quick!" There seemed to be a communal sigh as she energetically pranced off leaving us in her dust! As we walked into the first room I heard a bit of commotion and was surprised to see everyone perk up a bit. Little did we know that he had just walked into the music room. Little did we know what was waiting for us. We were standing among 2 violins, 1 viola and 2 cellos all handmade by Antonio Stradivarius! The students were doubly impressed that it is estimated that only 19 originals still exist - and we were among 5!!! It was quite cool.
After our walking, we dined together for lunch. From there we went straight to the hotel to change and prep for our first concert of the tour! I will spare you the details of our rehearsal at the Conservatory but I am happy to report that we sang VERY well. We had a crowd of about 100 and we were well received. "Ave Maris Stella," "Little Birds" and "Seasons of Love" were among the favorites! After the concert we were treated to tapas with the faculty of the conservatory - it was quite a treat!
We started out today (3/6/07) with another early morning tour! We were on a bus by 9 a.m. on our way to Toledo. Here we walked around, up, down, over, and under the windy and narrow roads! Some of the roads were so narrow that cars were unable to get through! The highlight of the tour was our trip through the Primate Cathedral of Spain. This gorgeous Baroque cathedral took 266 years to finish, houses several Caravaggio originals, 13 original Greco paintings and contains 77 stained glass windows and 3 separate organs. It is quite the sight to see and I'm not sure we could have covered everything if we had spent the whole day there! After that was lunch and a bus ride back. We will spend the evening on our own - exploring the city and taking some time at the Museo del Prado
One hopes bedtime will come early tonight as we have 2 big days of touring and singing in front of us - wish us luck!
Sunday, March 4, 2007
We Made It!!
After 3 airports, 9 hours of flying, 5 hours of waiting, 1 bus tour and several miles walked we are FINALLY settled in our rooms in Madrid! We spent a fair bit of the afternoon wndering around Madrid, taking in the sights and drinking coffee. After some down time we met up for dinner at the hotel restaurant and then promptly headed off to bed. It's been a long day and I think we are all VERY tired.
Tomorrow we are off to the Conservatory for a concert and to the Royal Palace for a tour! I hope to have some fun stories to tell about both!
Adios!
Tomorrow we are off to the Conservatory for a concert and to the Royal Palace for a tour! I hope to have some fun stories to tell about both!
Adios!
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
One More Week!
We're just over one week from our departure to Spain and plans are finally coming together. Our performance and travel schedule have been set for some time, and now the details of our tours and activities are just about done. We'll post details soon.
Some important information:
Some important information:
- The new travel guidelines for flying out of Logan Airport are very strict. Please check the Massport website (http://www.massport.com) to be sure that you know what you can and cannot pack.
- While ATMs in Spain will accept American bank cards, please be sure to contact your bank and credit card companies to let them know you'll be away. This will avoid confusion and possible rejected charges.
- Please be certain that you have submitted all necessary medical forms and spoken with Mr. Berryman or Ms. Marchman about medications you will need to take while we are away.
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