Eastern High School Band -- Vienna or Bust!
My son, Matthew, plays in the Eastern High School Band, as many of you know. He's 16 years old, and plays French Horn in the symphonic band, and mellophone in the marching band.
Last week, on Sunday, April 5th, his band played at Carnegie Hall, in New York City. They really did a good job, besides enjoying all the Big City life that New York offers. Back stage, a very well known conductor was listening to their concert. His name is Peter Schneider, and he has served as a guest conductor for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as orchestras in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, and other cities.
Mr. Schneider called his colleagues in Vienna, Austria, and sent the recording of the band's concert to them. They listened, and Matthew's band has been invited to play two concerts in Vienna, and take a 10 day trip to Vienna!
HOLY SCHMOLY!
We don't know for sure if they are going to be able to go. A 10 day trip and airfare is going to cost a lot of money-- but it is an honor to be invited, and I can only dream of such a trip! (If they go, John and I are going. By golly, I'm not going to give up my one and only chance to really tell someone not to hit their head on the lamp. "Vorsicht, Karl, strosse deinen Kopf nicht on die Lampe!" High school German at its finest...)
What we know at this point is this: The group in Vienna sponsors music festivals throughout Austria and the rest of Europe, much like the contest depicted in The Sound of Music . They have decided to add two high school bands from the US to their concert schedule, the rest are choral groups.
After the Carnegie Hall concert, the conductor asked the band director if all of these children were in high school. Mr. Arthur said, "No, not all." "Aha!" he said. "I knew some of them were in college!" Mr. Arthur said, "Oh no, one of them is in grade school and we have 8 players from the middle schools." The conductor just shook his head...
I only hope that we can raise enough funds to help cover the costs of the trip, and that all of us decide to let them go... I can foresee a Rosetta Stone course in my future!
Yippee!!!
Thanks for coming by!
In addition to visiting Vienna, they will also take a day trip to Salzburg, where my friend Mary got married, so long ago... She married in Mozart's church! They will visit the two cathedrals in Vienna, see the old Roman wall, and do all kinds of wonderful touristy things! My parents went to Vienna in 1974-- and I've always wanted to go! 
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The conductor's name is Peter Schneider-- here is a link to his bio !
This is a lovely dream! It may never come true, but what fun!
What a wonderful experience for your son !
I hope it does, too! I have volunteered to help with the committee to seek corporate sponsorship help... It cost$3600/student. If the exchange rate holds up, it will be more affordable, for sure!
Thanks, Feronia!
Pat, my parents went to Vienna when I was in college-- Daddy sold enough batteries to sink a battleship, and they got to go courtesy of AC/Delco! I've always wanted to go and see the city. I hope that this works out for all of them-- I was just too excited to keep still about it!
What fun!
What a wonderful treat this would be for your son Dowser! This could be a life altering event and I hope it works out for all the kids.
I always hate to hear any time the extracurricular stuffgets cut,often the first things to go, in our under funded public school systems. These programs are very important for the kids.
I've enjoyed your postings of Matthew's band jurney, allowing us to peak over your shoulder as it were.
Your stories of Matthew's time with the band, and your obvious and justifiable pride inwhat he's doing,always bring back happy memories of the 4 years my son spent with his High School band.
His mother died when he was a freshman and I was afraid I was lossing him in the months that follewd but, in a way, the band saved him.
Texas has that "No Pass, No Play" rule. In the months after his mom died his grades really took a dive, getting low enough that his posistion in the Band was threatened, but the fear of losing his spot was enough to help get him refocusd.
He got to go to Japan whith his band, back in the late 90's, and he still stays in touch with the family that put him up during the time they were there. The only bad part of that trip was how hecame homea life long fan of sushi. lol
What a wonderful treat this would be for your son Dowser! This could be a life altering event and I hope it works out for all the kids.
I always hate to hear any time the extracurricular stuffgets cut,often the first things to go, in our under funded public school systems. These programs are very important for the kids.
I've enjoyed your postings of Matthew's band jurney, allowing us to peak over your shoulder as it were.
Your stories of Matthew's time with the band, and your obvious and justifiable pride inwhat he's doing,always bring back happy memories of the 4 years my son spent with his High School band.
His mother died when he was a freshman and I was afraid I was lossing him in the months that follewd but, in a way, the band saved him.
Texas has that "No Pass, No Play" rule. In the months after his mom died his grades really took a dive, getting low enough that his posistion in the Band was threatened, but the fear of losing his spot was enough to help get him refocusd.
He got to go to Japan whith his band, back in the late 90's, and he still stays in touch with the family that put him up during the time they were there. The only bad part of that trip was how hecame homea life long fan of sushi. lol
Congratulations
Sounds like a well deserved honor, I hope they get to go and thoroughly enjoy themselves.
Dower....
Congratulations to the school, the band, and your son. What a honor. Each and every band member, and parents too, should be overjoyed with pride about this honor. Good luck to them!
What a fabulous honor, the band must be over the moon with excitement! It will be a trip of a lifetime for the students and some parents as well. Time to crank up the funding machines so all can make the journey.
Get your go bag ready Dowser...skirt for cathedrals, underwear,great walking shoes and lots of room for treasures you'll undoubtedly pick up along the way!
Oh Dowser!!! How thrilled and proud you must be!! Those kids worked so hard. (and so did their parents) Congratulations!!!
What a wonderful opportunity for your son. I'll be more than happy to donate to the cause if you tell me what the best way to do so might be.
Great opportunity for Matthew, Dowser.
Congratulations.
That is absolutely wonderful! What a fabulous trip they got to take, and I know they fully deserved their honors!
I am so very sorry about your wife's passing, and know that your son leaned on his band family to get through those tough times. I can only hope that you, too, were able to lean on your band family. We love and help each other, and that's what matters.
Band has really meant a lot to all of us-- the whole family! We participate fully, and I'm glad we do-- it's a great family activity! (However, I am Done, as a uniform mom. I'm going to work on corporate sponsorships, now.)
Thank you, so very much, for your kind words! I was so excited, I couldn't stand it!
Thanks, dear RIO! I hope they can, too!
This time, we're going, too. I have already informed my husband, because a trip like this is worth it!
The hills are alive, with the sound of music....
Thank you, dear dd! They have worked so hard! Practice every afternoon after school and all day Saturday, for months. They deserve their accolades, and I'm amazed that they are getting them.
Of course, the school is like, "Band? We have a band?"
What a hoot! But, we have a billboard that one of the music stores put up to congratulate them, and that was really special! I'm excited about getting down to work and rounding up some sponsors!
I wonder if I can mail some of the things I get back... In all honesty! I haven't flown since 9/11, our last flying experience was to Cancun, August of 2001, right before all that. I'm hoping that I don't set off gongs...
I wonder what the weather is like in Vienna in June? Cool still? I foresee a lot of comfortable leggings in my future...
I still wear my silver Kroner that my parents brought me from Austria, (Daddy put it in a necklace for me). And we still use the beautiful wax creche scene that they bought... And the silk prints of Vienna's cathedrals, etc. One suitcase. I won't know how to act!
Thank you! All I did was drive him everywhere! And stew over his clothes and luggage, and money and food... I wonder if you can take peanut butter with you? With peanut butter, I can survive anything, anywhere! My husband requires meat, and Matthew requires pasta, but I've lived for months on peanut butter...
I'm so happy for the kids-- they worked so very hard, and are all good kids.
Bless your heart! Thank you, dear Sister Mary!
When we get it all set up, I'll be sure to post an article, detailing how! Thank you!
Thank you, dear Kavika... None of us have ever been to Europe, although my parents went. I really hope that the band gets to go, and really hope that we can all go. I can finally speak with real Austrians, perhaps a little, anyway, in my broken German...
The German we learned is so useless, so much of the time. (My uncle has a green pencil box. Watch out, Karl, don't hit your head on the lamp. I am pregnant. Help! Help! Grandmother! What big eyes you have!) Of course, I remember absolutely nothing about the 10,000 kinds of sausages they have... I'm going to have to study up on my German! (What fun!)
Dowser, don't forget to keep us in the loop on how the fund raising for the trip is progressing.
Has the Band thought of starting a " Crowd Funding " site for their pending trip?
Me personally, I'd much more prefer to help out a cause like yours than some of the ones that have made the news lately.
Top 10 Crowd funding Sites.
The big daddy of crowd funding sites, " GofundMe ".
Oh ya, I don't know why I got a double post yesterday but if you want to clean it up please fell free to knock the second one out.
We are planning on doing just that! I will be sure to publish an article about it, too! thank you!!!