Dresden

Our 2.5 hour drive back to Germany on Friday was very lovely. Almost the entire way was scenes of rolling hills and bright green pastures. It was a very calm bus drive. Kids slept, read, talked silently or enjoyed the views. It was a perfect day of mild weather and partly cloudy skies. Are you getting the impression it was almost perfect? We spent part of the morning and lunch in the small town of Meissen, touring the Albrechtsberg Castle. It was a quaint place and the kids had about two hours after the tour to wander around and shop, eat, and explore.  We arrived in Dresden and had been a bit weary about the hotel but we soon found it to be alright. It was built during the Socialist reign but had been updated somewhat. You could still see bit of the old way but over all, I think pretty good. No air conditioning! But the weather has cooled and the windows open. We had a nice fun dinner at the hotel, it was Ben Chilton's Birthday so several of the kids surprised him with a performance of happy birthday (on instruments) in the restuarant. Dinner was a buffett and we had a lot of choices.  After dinner we took a night tour of the city of Dresden. The soccor game was starting at 8:45 and people were all over dressed in German colors. We had a nice walking tour of the city and I am ready to move here. The river Elba runs through the city and it is filled with lovely buildings. Almost 70 percent of them were destroyed during the war so everything we have seen was reconstructed and they did an amazing job recreating the look of the old buildings and churches. After the tour we came to the hotel to relax, watch the game and just hang out. I think everyone enjoyed it. Saturday - We took a walking tour of the Semper Opera house and then headed to the Saxony School of music for a rehearsal. The school is a mix of old and new. In some ways it reminds me of Booker T. in Dallas, but with no theatre, dance, or art department. But it is very nice and all the GDYO students are making some new friends. The Junges Sinfonieorchester Dresden opened the concert with a piece written for them - Tierische Variationen by Johannesburg Wulff-Woesten. I would describe it as a mix of jazz, american folk and Gershwin all combined together. It is different. We have a few of our kids performing with them as they needed a few extra players - Sam Guu, Aakash Patel, Caroline Magee, Daniel Chilton, Megan Wright, and Trevor Meagher. GDYO performed after a brief break. They started with the Copland and then the Mussorgsky. Some very nice solos from Christopher Pawlowski, bassoon and Brian Geise, saxophone. This hall is not made for large orchestras and so everything is double the sound. You have to imagine how the big parts sound, filling the room with this enormous wall of broad waves of vibrations. During the piece I was moving around taking photos and noticed the students from Dresden fingering along or nodding with approval. They ended with the Dvorak and the small audience liked it.  After the concert we went to the school of music and it was located in a beautiful area of Dresden. Lots of large, ornate homes. The school has a park as part of the property and they had an outside buffet of food geared toward American teenagers. Fries, Chicken nuggets, pizza and a salad. At first everyone was separated and then you begin to see them mingle and before we knew it, friendships had been made and the kids did not want to leave. There were impromptu games of soccer, catch and tag. I think a great time was had by all. Later we returned to the hotel for down time. My laptop has been kidnapped.... Daniel and Ben are the coolest people ever. Like seriously, you don't even know. and I scored a goal against them and its still Chiltons 0. proudest moment of my life. 

Comments of Prague from GDYO members

Comments on Prague:  I learned that everyone here is very appreciative of classical music. It really surprised me how I was going down the hallway while humming "The Great Gate of Kiev" and a random lady hummed along too! and even the little children and teens really like classical music too. - Michelle Yang I didn't so much learn, but really realized the political past of the country. It seems things don't hit you until you're in the middle of the issue. I really enjoyed the Czech Republic and, as always, loved their appreciation for the arts. I thought it was very interesting that even though this country is so old and has such a rich history, it is a relatively new democracy. Living in America, we take the "democracy" way at living for granted. I liked how our tour guide explained to us that the people's mind sets have yet to change to match the new government. It's a concept I've never really thought about before. - Harini Suresh I was sort of surprised (pleasantly) that some stores accepted Euros Maybe just in tourist areas though. Still, why keep Kournas if you accept Euros? I thought is was really cool how so much history is crammed together in the Czech Republic. In any given city you can see ancient churches and buildings next to communist flats next to modern hotels. Also the wildflowers are really pretty. I really liked the buildings and all but it seemed like a poor county because of the communism and everything. I liked some of the people though, but I think while a lot were friendly, some Czechs were hardened by the Communists' rule.  I learned that Prague is beautiful yet very uncomfortable. I was surprised by how receptive the crowd in Litomysl was.  Prague was beautiful. It was hard to be at ease sometimes because of pick-pocketing, but all-in-all I had a great time seeing all the history. Prague was a beautiful city with a few rough places. I loved the cathedral that went to on our city tour! But I am looking forward to German food again. The Czech Republic is definitely much different than anything I'm used to. There were many beautiful aspects and I was fascinated by the country The Czech Republic was a very interesting place to visit. It was a little bit creepy to see buildings and flats from the time of communists rule. Prague was awesome. I was not as impressed with Prague as I had thought I was going to be. The area next to our hotel was a bit sketchy and Prague was very very crowded and touristy. That being said, the old churches and castles were very beautiful for sure. I really enjoyed Litsomyl. The Czech Republic was an interesting city, although somewhat dangerous in terms of pick-pocketing. Visiting Smetana's birthplace was a mind boggling idea. Still, the best part of being on tour is the fact that music can bypass the language barrier. I'm shocked to see how this country is still stuck with some of communist's foot print. (the apartment buildings) My favorite part was the concert: beautiful outdoor stage setting and the people were just so nice and happy! I really enjoyed walking around and seeing buildings that were older than our nation. They were beautiful. Prague was beautiful, you just had to look past the communist imprint on the city. Pretty things and rich culture. Bad food and sketchy people. Still liked it though. My stomach didn't.  There is beauty in the most unlikely places. At first Prague did not seem that pleasant, but considering it's political past I can totally see the improvement. It's fascinating seeing the transformation throughout the country. Although the Czech Republic is not on the top of my list, I will still appreciate the arts in Prague, the classical arts are still alive in the hearts of those in the Czech Republic.  A Poem: Rain on pavement An open countryside sprawls before me. then, out of nowhere: a bustling city,  beautiful lights. The world here tastes a bit fresher. 

Thank you to stage crew

Patrick would like to give a huge thank you for his crew on this tour.  These people have been making sure all the instruments and equipment get loaded onto and off the stages. They have been invaluable in what is essentially a thankless task and Patrick would not have been able to do it without them. Loading crew Percussion Chris Hadley Kaleen Colvin Adam Holmes Dylan  String Bass Troy Tippawang Ian Simpkins Pete Walsh Trevor Drew Lower brass Preston Beck Trevor Meagher Zakery Lewis Kevin West Harp Ina McCormack Chaperones David Olson Brad White

Day 7 and Concert 3 in Litomysl

On the road to Litomsyl This has to be one of the most beautiful drives this writer has done in a long time. Rolling hills, long lines of fields and patches of tall tress all in the many shades of green with patches of yellow and white thrown in. The white, I learned is poppy seed (not opium) used in a special pastry called Kolache. We arrived in the small town of Litomsyl (pop. 10,000). It is lovely and very quaint. It was probably the most relaxing day we have had since we arrived. A picnic in a beautiful park for lunch. People kicked off their shoes and enjoyed the cool breezes. Kids didn't have balls to play with, so the lunch apple became a tossing toy. It was fun to watch them throw them back and forth to each other. A little free time to wander around and then a short tour of Smetana's house and then off to rehearsal. Kids really loved the venue. I personally am very jealous and would love to be up on stage with them.  After rehearsal a little fun around city spending all their money as we are leaving tomorrow and it is best to spend the Kournas then keep them.  Dinner was at a school cafeteria and it wasn't bad. A chicken soup that was very delicious, beef with rice and sauce, salad, sweet carrots and watermelon. It was prepared for us by the ladies who do the school lunches and honestly it was very fresh. We were told by our guide that all the cooks at any school are professionally trained and started going to school for cooking at 16. They are trained to cook with only the freshest ingredients. Gotta love that. After dinner we headed back to the hall to prepare for the concert.  Concert 3 - Litomsyl Festival I am sitting in an upper balcony section. The area is square shaped, the orchestra is below in the square in an outside stage but they are covered. In front of them are rows and rows of seats. Behind me is a view of the city and Smetana's birthplace. I have gorgeous views of so many things. It is a beautiful evening. The air has cooled and there is a slight breeze. Clouds float through the sky and the setting sun is behind us kissing another part of the castle. Birds are flying all around and dogs are barking off in the distance. It is truly surreal. The air has a clean smell and is most relaxing.  And all this is happening while the Copland is being performed. I'm going to say it - I love my job, you cannot get much better then this. Next they performed the Xi Wang, a nice performance but I'm still not sure if the audience is warming up. The Dvorak is really starting to come together and by the end of the tour it should be close to perfect. Once again the audience loved it.  Pictures at an Exhibition was much better tonight, the kids seemed more relaxed so the solos were lovely. I want to say nice job to Trevor Meagher for the Euphonium solo. One very cool thing to tell you about - in the lobby there are a series of paintings, each represent the movements of Pictures at an Exhibition. They were painted just for this concert and were only on display for one night. Also, the artist was there and people could meet him. I have pictures and promise to post. Four encores were performed. This audience loved them. After every encore they were on their feet, cheering and clapping. On Stars and Stripes people were clapping and dancing. It was really fun to be a part of this and if there was one concert I could bring you all to, it would have been this one.  Fantastic!

Day 6 - tour of Prague and Concert 2

Day 6 - tour of Prague This was a long hot day but we made it. The day started with a bus ride into the town of Prague. Our tour guide pointed out just about every building and there were many stories. Almost too many. Stories starting from 900 AD all the way up to the end of Communists rule in the 20th century. Every building had a history. Our walking tour started at the bottom of the hill and we slowly walked our way up to the castle and Saint Vitus. Beautiful but very crowded. There were tour groups everywhere. Luckily we were wearing our blue tour shirts and you could spot GDYO members easily. It was hard to hear the guide at times but overall I think everybody learned a little of something about a lot of stuff. We walked through the old town - up and down and finally came to the Charles Bridge ending at the Astronomical Clock. And again, people everywhere. We were warned to watch out for the pick-pocketers as this was where they would be. GDYO did well, not a single thing lost or stolen.  We had an hour break for lunch in groups and then met up to go to the rehearsal at the hall.  It's a beautiful space and I will talk more about it in my review of the concert. After rehearsal it was off to dinner. We crammed into a small restaurant and were served - ham wrapped with cream cheese and onion. It was different and I'm not sure how many people liked it. For the main course, we had chicken, potatoes and small salad and dessert was a wafer cookie with whipped cream. The kids found the meal to be okay. Everyone tried to find something they liked and we all discussed the secret ingredients. We headed off to the concert. We got back to the hotel later then we wanted as the loading of the truck took awhile. Poor Patrick had his work cut out for him. The elevator up to the stage was very small and would usually only hold one, maybe two things as it had to be operated by someone from the venue. I would guess it took 20 trips or more to get all the stuff up. But he had a great crew of GDYO parents and students and staff from the venue. All were very tired after our day and as I write this we are on the way to Litomsyl and I think they are all asleep.  These kids are working hard and doing a great job. And the chaperones are magnificent. Everyone is running on little sleep but pulling together to create some amazing things.  Concert 2 After a very hot day and lots of walking, the GDYO had to perform their second concert. Many of them kept telling me they didn't think they would make it. But I knew they would and they did. Another fabulous performance! The hall is Baroque in style. Two beautiful chandeliers hang from the ceiling, decorated in gold with leaves and flowers. A large balcony wraps around the building which is a perfect square. The ceiling is decorated in paintings of gods and the windows are round with small angels around them. To see an 80 piece orchestra is truly breath-taking. You can just imagine people dancing around the wooden floors.  GDYO started once again with the Dvorak. There were some lovely solos from the winds and the Concertmaster, Samantha Guu and Principal Second, Hannah Price.  The audience loved it, although this audience is much different than the Munich audience. I would say much more reserved.  Next they did the Copland and once again the American sounds filled this 19th century hall and it was fitting. Tonight instead of performing the Xi Wang they did Capriccio Espanyol. Very nice solo from Aakash Patel on violin. Orchestra took us to Spain and I think all the audience enjoyed the trip. It is a very quiet and reserved audience but every so often I will see someone sit up in their chair. I'm up in the balcony and people keep standing to get a look. There are many smiles. Intermission And now onto to Pictures at an Exhibition It is such a hard piece and I keep getting impressed with how well they play. I'm watching the audience throughout the performance and their eyes are glued to the orchestra. It's quite intense. I think I may have even seen a few tears. Encores Nimrod - lovely and moving  - a few kids thought that was the highlight of the evening They ended with Overture to Candide and a standing ovation.

Day 5 on the road to Prague

Day 5 A visit to Dachau and onto Prague. We started our morning fairly early and left Munich. Our first stop was the Concentration Camp of Dachau. It is, to say, sobering. The GDYO kids were extremely attentive to the guides and in all I think they learned a few new things about an important piece of history. From there we headed to Prague. We stopped at a bus stop for lunch and I must say they food was not bad. At the border of the Czech Republic we had to stop so that the driver could pay fees and get papers checked. We were told we might have to show passports, but we did not. Crossing the border there was a definite change in buildings. We stopped at a rest stop and the bathrooms were, to say, interesting. For those of you who don't know, most, if not all, public restroom require a fee to use. Usually around .50 The drive to the city was pleasant. Mostly countryside with a few buildings here and there. Because it is no longer required to stop at the boarder and beyond, many of the businesses have shut down.  Once we entered the city, it was building after building of apartments. It was not what we imagined Prague to look like. Tall, long buildings that are the homes of the 1.5 million people that live here. Most cannot afford homes and this is what the Russians built for the people to live in and they continue to stay there, most have no choice.  It took us a while to get to the hotel as there was no direct way. Twist and turns, u-turns and criss-crossing, I was lost by the time we got to the hotel.  The hotel is okay. It's clean, there are several restaurants and some beautiful outdoor areas.  But it is full of groups (youth groups) from all over the world. The kids are loving it, but trying to sleep is not easy. It is an older hotel and still has features from the communists days.  Dinner was starch, starch and more starch - we had a choice of four meats, four different versions of potatoes and pasta. There was also a mushroom soup, which was pretty good and a small salad bar. There was a lot of white on the plates of kids. We stayed at the hotel that evening as it was late by the time we finished dinner. The kids wandered around and like all good GDYO members, they entertained the tourists in the lobby with an impromptu performance. Several kids played games and most found the free computers and got on Facebook. 

More comments from GDYO about tour

Excited to see Prague and to play our next concert, which hopefully will be a bit more cohesive than our last. Excited to be on the road to Prague. I thought that the Mussorgsky was the best part of our first concert. Undecided about the Xi Wang.  The trip so far has been amazing and its only been a few days. I'm sure Prague will be life changing and I can't wait to see everything there. As this is my first trip in Europe, I am only beginning to realize the true beauty of the outside world. I aspire to in courage any family to travel here someday, to experience the new found love I have developed for this place. Though the trip has only begun, every aspect has captured my attention and I can only imagine how many more are waiting in the near future. Not only have the sights made this trip extraordinary, but the music has as well. Never before have I played in a group with such high caliber, and I am honored to play with and listen to some of the best musicians I will ever meet. My only request is that the trip last 1 more day.... I really enjoyed seeing all the scenery! The castle was beautiful. I can't wait to see Prague! Salzburg was beautiful. All the places we've been have been lovely, and the first concert was a lot of fun. Can't believe it's already day 5. Wow! This has been amazing. I feel like by the end of the trip I will be a somewhat different person. The scenery is just stunning and the culture is magnificent. It's fun to see the difference between Europe and the U.S. I love Europe! I think Munich is on of the coolest cities ever. It's so clean and chic and very international. The food here is delicious, and it's very modern.  Salzburg was my favorite! McDonald's was not. - Chris Germany is awesome possum - Erin This is a great trip, and the concert was fantastic! - Ujwal I'm glad people chose our concert over watching Euro Cup Soccer. - Lawrence McDonald's tasted so much better in Germany. - Daniel I love Germany! The tour's been great so far. Can't wait for Prague! - Allison Beck Germany is such a beautiful country. All the trees are so gorgeous. I like the noise deflectors on the highway. The U.S. needs to invest in some more of those - Megan Wright Note to self: Don't fall asleep on the bus; subject to victimization and unflattering photos. - Rooha Khan This bus ride is significantly more scenic than one in Texas - Holly With all of the delicious bread here, I don't understand how these Europeans stay so skinny. - Caitlin Clapping, so much clapping! Stop clapping..I don't even have Capriccio  out -  I open the door to a store. German: Danka! Me: De Nada? - Drew This trip is incredible! Germany is beautiful and the history behind everything intensifies the experience. - Trevor Meagher The McDonald's here is delicious - Christian Olson This trip is an experience these kids will never forget. Kudos to their parents for making sure their son or daughter has gotten to do this! These kids are so precious to me and I'm loving getting to know them as much as I'm loving Germany and it's sights, culture and people - Laura Olson