Carnegie Hall a success; students love New York life

On March 8, the school’s String Orchestra and the Symphonic Wind Ensemble walked onstage into the bright lights of Carnegie Hall, nearly shaking with apprehension. After playing pieces by Ginastera, Mahler and a solo accompaniment of Mendehlssohn, proud faces beamed as an audience consisting of band ensembles, parents and teachers gave the young musicians a standing ovation.

“Everyone was pleased with the results, as the performance went really smoothly,” said concertmaster junior Daniel Hsu. “Most of us were glad to play at Carnegie Hall because of its great resonance and clarity of sound.”

The evening performance was the highlight of a 5-day tour in New York City which also included a dinner cruise, a Manhattan tour and the Broadway musical “Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark.”

“The music sounded great and the audience liked it so everything went really well,” said sophomore Melodie Bellegarda. “It was everything we had expected, and overall it was a fun trip.”

Around 140 students were immersed in the busy New York culture while they stayed at Sheraton Inn, only two blocks away from Times Square. Because the students themselves were responsible for most of their meals, students gained a lot of independence living on their own.

“We had a lot of free time to do stuff on our own so we got to explore much of New York City,” said sophomore Maya Nag. “I love New York! The trip definitely seemed too short.”

After getting a taste of life in New York, students had a hard time adjusting to life in Saratoga.

“In New York, you can practically go anywhere within walking distance,” said junior Peter Chen. “But in Saratoga, we live in a suburban area so there’s not really much you can do here.”

Although students greatly enjoyed their stay in New York, the trip did have a few downsides.

“We didn’t get that much sleep and we missed a couple of days of school,” said junior Mason Lee. “We also had to walk back and forth in the pouring rain and that wasn’t too fun.”

After a five hour flight from New York, many students arrived home at around 11 p.m. on a Wednesday night and had to get ready for school the next day.

“It felt like the wrong time because it took place at the end of a 6-week grading period, so everyone had a lot of work to make up and many people fell behind,” said Nag. “But since the trip couldn’t really be moved, it was worth it because playing at Carnegie Hall really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”