The orchestra program at Arcadia High School (AHS) attended the National Band and Orchestra Festival at Carnegie Hall in New York City (NYC) from Apr. 16 to 19. This four-day trip not only allowed students to perform on this prestigious stage, but also gave them the chance to explore the city. They visited famous attractions such as the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, New York University (NYU), and even enjoyed a Broadway show. This “trip of their lives” allowed them to discover the many wonders of NYC while building friendships that would last forever.
“If I had the chance to do it all over again, I would jump at the opportunity,” said junior Nathaniel Lim. “This has been a chance to rediscover my love for both orchestra and music in general while having a good time with friends in a historical city.”
Kicking off the trip on a strong (but early) start, on Apr. 16, the AHS music room was lively and bright. Though the call time was 4:30 a.m., there were no complaints to be heard from the students. Instead, the room buzzed with excitement as they cheerfully greeted their friends and chatted while waiting for the buses to arrive.
After a five-hour plane ride, the students arrived at the Newark Liberty International Airport. They enjoyed their first meal at the rock ‘n’ roll themed restaurant Hard Rock Cafe, located in the middle of bustling Times Square. Students were served hearty American classics with a twist, including twisted mac, chicken & cheese, and tupelo chicken tenders, before turning in for the night at the New York Marriott Marquis hotel.
Day two began at 7 a.m. with breakfast at Margaritaville and a quick subway trip to Pier 16. Students braved the swift winds and boarded the Liberty Super Express to view the iconic Statue of Liberty. After taking galleries worth of photos, they returned to Times Square for lunch on their own before heading to the Carnegie Hall tour. Students were split into groups with guides that walked them through Carnegie Hall, exploring the rich history of the venue while learning about the famous figures that have performed there. Many were fascinated by the original pieces of music written by familiar composers such as Antonin Dvorak and Ludwig van Beethoven that were still on display in the Hall.
“Being able to see the physical, original copies of music on display made it feel so much more personal,” said freshman Ashley Zhang. “I, among most of the other orchestra members, grew up playing pieces by these composers, so seeing it in first person brought a whole new layer of depth to it. It just made it more real.”
After the tour, students were allowed free time to wander around the city, exploring places like Central Park and 5th Avenue. They settled for a quick dinner at Ellen’s Stardust Diner, where all the servers were up-and-coming singers and performers, with some having booked their first Broadway show. Students sang and clapped along to the familiar tunes while enjoying a delicious meal. The night ended with an amazing Broadway show of Aladdin at the New Amsterdam Theater.
The next morning, students had the opportunity to attend a clinic with professional conductor Dr. Tanya Chanphanitpornkit, where she worked with the orchestras separately to improve their skills. She worked especially carefully with the Concert/Symphony orchestra, who would be performing at Carnegie Hall that same night.
Students then got a tour of Radio City Music Hall before climbing all the way to the Top of the Rock. They were determined to take countless pictures of the view of the biggest city in the country from up top despite the high speed winds that rushed through the city. After spending the afternoon on their own, exploring, shopping, and eating, students regrouped for dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Concert/Symphony orchestra finished the evening off strong with a performance of “Irish Tune from County Derry”, “Hoe Down” from Rodeo, and “Simple Symphony” at Carnegie Hall for the National Band and Orchestra Festival, while Premier/String orchestra watched in the audience.
Day four was spent touring NYU and spending time in Washington Square Park before heading to the airport to depart for Los Angeles (LA). However, things didn’t exactly go as planned, as the flight was delayed for seven hours, leaving the entire orchestra department waiting at Newark Airport.
Determined to make the most of their situation, though, a group of students found a piano in the airport and played a series of pieces on it for two hours, drawing crowds and giving the students one last chance to perform for an audience in New York. These pieces included pop music and classical pieces with violin accompaniments from students who had their instruments on hand. To some, this was the most memorable part of the entire trip.
“It just feels like it was meant to be. We got to extend our trip for seven hours and spend more time with our friends before departing, and it didn’t feel like such a long time after all. I was bummed at first, but time really does fly when you’re doing what you love,” said Lim, who was among the group of students playing the piano. “This setback really showed me just how well music brings people together, and I was surprised at the sheer number of people who gathered to watch us play. I’ll definitely remember that moment for years to come.”
As a result of the unfortunate (or perhaps destined) delay, the group didn’t arrive back in LA until 1 a.m. on Sunday, Apr. 20, but despite the fatigue, there were nothing but smiles as students waited to be picked up alongside friends.
