View of New York from Rockefeller Center. Andrew Cahall’20/Staff
Tired yet excited, we departed from Academy on two busses bright and early Wednesday morning. Instead of taking the straight-shot to New York, we stopped at Sewickley Academy in Pennsylvania along the way. Here our choir and orchestra joined with those of Sewickley to perform the music we had been working on. We were surprised to find out just how similar our music programs were.
With the long bus ride broken up, we arrived in Allentown, Pennsylvania, for the night. There was nothing special planned, but we quickly entertained ourselves with a late-night pool party.
Up early again, we set out from Allentown on Thursday determined to reach New York. Our first taste of the city was a tour of the legendary Radio City Music Hall, followed by some free time to explore the city. Next, both the choir and orchestra participated in separate master class clinics to hone our pieces. Following these helpful sessions, we met up again for dinner at Gossip Bar and Restaurant.
From dinner it was off to iconic New York performances. Choir students attended a performance of the award winning musical Waitress, starring its own writer Sara Bareilles. Meanwhile, orchestra members were treated to a performance by the New York Philharmonic at the Lincoln Center, showcasing world-renowned pianist, Yuja Wang.
In contrast to the previous day’s lighthearted atmosphere, Friday began with a somber part of the New York experience as we travelled to the 9/11 Memorial at Ground Zero.
Later, the choir performed several pieces inside the massive Cathedral of Saint John. Following this, the orchestra performed at the nearby Church of St. Paul.
In the evening, we joined up to see the musical, Come From Away. Taking place directly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the show tells the story of a small Canadian town which had to host thousands of strangers after all planes had been diverted. It focused on expressing the unexpected unity and compassion found in the midst of such a global tragedy.
After visiting the Rockefeller Center and the Brooklyn Bridge, we boarded the bus on Saturday, March 3, and made our way home.
On behalf of all the students, we would like to thank the chaperones Mrs. Brooks, Mrs. Bush, Mr. Dillon, Mrs. Kristoff, Mr. Bolognese, Mr. Farrenkopf, and Mrs. Hoagland. They kept us safe and made this amazing experience possible.
