I am still on cloud nine from the Tour. It was fantastic! I really can’t begin to tell you how impressed, satisfied and excited everyone was about the Tour. Thank you, thank you thank you all.
Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra at Schönbrunn Palace
Tour Managers: They were absolutely fantastic! Knowledgeable, accommodating, extremely polite and especially good with our musicians. Really terrific! They will be remembered fondly always. In a way, the Tour Managers are ambassadors. Julia and Pascal represented Austria and MCI superbly. Many thanks. Please share our continued gratitude and forever memories.
Performances:
Minoritenkirche: What a full and enthusiastic audience. The orchestra felt supported and appreciated. Beautiful church!
Haydnsaal: Once in a lifetime opportunity and simply awesome!
Oberndorf Town Hall: For something totally different, this actually worked out quite well. Seemed like a friendly and full crowd. We were glad to be part of the music festival they have going.
Sightseeing: Nice balance of sightseeing, guided tours and time to wander. Of course we could not see everything but we truly felt like we hit the highlights and know what to come back to see next time. As always, there were places that will be remembered always for their importance or impressiveness. Then there will be the Sound of Music Gazebo best honored by Mr. Kemp on one knee re-proposing to Mrs. Kemp, his bride of many years. Then, being so near a park and having bought a kickball in the last town we were in, a huge game of kickball was started and ended up including local children, too. So, the planned sightseeing was just right; the unplanned adventures were just as fun, too!
Personal Highlight: New places, fine performances, applause, encores, new food, getting to know Julia and Pascal, Toboggan Day (salt mine), Alps and other grand places, memories of togetherness as orchestra friends and parents getting to know each other. Happy orchestra members; satisfied parents. For anyone who had not gone on the tour two years ago, now they understand how fantastic it is. Feeling of safety and enthusiasm everywhere and with everyone.
Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra in the Haydnsaal
Ruth Gates, Orchestra Manager
Hochstein School of Music and Dance
Rochester, New York