The traffic on this site has certainly dwindled since the tour has ended and we have resumed our normal lives. Thank you all for your kind words about this site - I have done my best, but also a far from perfect job, so thank you, too, for your patience.
I'm still in the process of getting back to my life in Waltham, including my several part time jobs and school, but I will continue to add to the websites as I am able to. I just added some photos to the other website:
http://njysirelandtour.myphotoalbum.com
I would be happy to add more that any students/parents would like to send, as well as any other comments/memories/etc. that would be appropriate. I am sure there are some fantastic photos that deserve to be posted online for all to appreciate - please send them to me!
Thanks, again, for reading along on our adventure.
Sunday, July 29
Wednesday, July 11
Jet Lag, Anyone?
I apologize for the silence - between getting readjusted to Eastern Time and "real life" I've been a bit behind everything lately. However, I have been making at least a little progress posting photos on at the other website: http://njysirelandtour.myphotoalbum.com
It is a labor of love, however, and it will be quite a while before everything is posted, so be sure to check back often. On that note - if there is anyone (student or parent) who may be interested in helping out by posting/organizing photos on the site, I would be happy for the help! Moreover, it means that more will get done faster, and make these great photos available and appreciated sooner.
But - here are a few more photos and a quick recap of our final day in Ireland!
Our last day was very similar to the rest of our days, in that it was jam-packed with places to go and things to see! We left Tralee early and headed toward the coast, crossing the Shannon river on a pretty cool ferry, stopping for lunch not far from the beach. It was only a short drive further that we were at one of the most photographed areas of Ireland - the Cliffs of Moher:
Perfect for photo ops:
After spending time at the cliffs, and with freshly wind-blown hair, we headed off to see the mysterious Poulnabrone Dolman:
Another bus ride before we got to the Falls Hotel, checked in, and got ready for our farewell dinner. Unfortunately, I didn't get photos from the dinner or the party - quite frankly, I was just as exhausted as the rest of the people on the trip, and took some time to enjoy myself. We did get to see some traditional Irish stepdancing while listening to some traditional music - and some of us even learned (or attempted to learn) some of the fancy footwork. We also got to hear the Irish version of "Take Me Home, Country Road"...
The 11:30 curfew arrived earlier than desired, but it was for the best - we had a 5:45 wake up call scheduled for Saturday morning. Unfortunately, not everyone got the call, and this blogger almost made the bus late to the airport for just this reason. whoops. But we all got there safely and on time, and only had one or two glitches getting through security and on to the plane. And - as all of you already know - we arrived back in the states safely and on time. The two hour bus ride from Philly was the longest bus ride of the whole adventure, and I doubt few people were so excited to see the symphony building (especially those who had parents waiting with pizza).
After 17 (or was it 18?) years staying put in New Jersey, the Youth Symphony completed an incredible international tour - and I know everyone is looking forward to the next adventure!
This blog will be maintained as long as there is information to share regarding the trip - including student memories/stories/prose/poetry/etc. Just email it my way and I'll make sure it is shared!
It is a labor of love, however, and it will be quite a while before everything is posted, so be sure to check back often. On that note - if there is anyone (student or parent) who may be interested in helping out by posting/organizing photos on the site, I would be happy for the help! Moreover, it means that more will get done faster, and make these great photos available and appreciated sooner.
But - here are a few more photos and a quick recap of our final day in Ireland!
Our last day was very similar to the rest of our days, in that it was jam-packed with places to go and things to see! We left Tralee early and headed toward the coast, crossing the Shannon river on a pretty cool ferry, stopping for lunch not far from the beach. It was only a short drive further that we were at one of the most photographed areas of Ireland - the Cliffs of Moher:
Perfect for photo ops:
After spending time at the cliffs, and with freshly wind-blown hair, we headed off to see the mysterious Poulnabrone Dolman:
Another bus ride before we got to the Falls Hotel, checked in, and got ready for our farewell dinner. Unfortunately, I didn't get photos from the dinner or the party - quite frankly, I was just as exhausted as the rest of the people on the trip, and took some time to enjoy myself. We did get to see some traditional Irish stepdancing while listening to some traditional music - and some of us even learned (or attempted to learn) some of the fancy footwork. We also got to hear the Irish version of "Take Me Home, Country Road"...
The 11:30 curfew arrived earlier than desired, but it was for the best - we had a 5:45 wake up call scheduled for Saturday morning. Unfortunately, not everyone got the call, and this blogger almost made the bus late to the airport for just this reason. whoops. But we all got there safely and on time, and only had one or two glitches getting through security and on to the plane. And - as all of you already know - we arrived back in the states safely and on time. The two hour bus ride from Philly was the longest bus ride of the whole adventure, and I doubt few people were so excited to see the symphony building (especially those who had parents waiting with pizza).
After 17 (or was it 18?) years staying put in New Jersey, the Youth Symphony completed an incredible international tour - and I know everyone is looking forward to the next adventure!
This blog will be maintained as long as there is information to share regarding the trip - including student memories/stories/prose/poetry/etc. Just email it my way and I'll make sure it is shared!
Sunday, July 8
Pictures
Hello again, everyone.
I have started to upload pictures to the official photo site: http://njysirelandtour.myphotoalbum.com/ There are currently several to look at, but certainly many more to come.
Eric, one of our dear violinists, has already contributed to the collection with some pictures Ankush. I encourage anyone who is interested in sharing their photos to feel free to send them to me via email - I will post as many as I can.
Please also know, however, that as of tomorrow morning I must return to my other life as a graduate student at Brandeis University. Consequently, my time to post and edit photos is going to be rather limited. I promise to do my very best to make sure that photos/comments/etc. get posted in at least a somewhat timely manner.
I have started to upload pictures to the official photo site: http://njysirelandtour.myphotoalbum.com/ There are currently several to look at, but certainly many more to come.
Eric, one of our dear violinists, has already contributed to the collection with some pictures Ankush. I encourage anyone who is interested in sharing their photos to feel free to send them to me via email - I will post as many as I can.
Please also know, however, that as of tomorrow morning I must return to my other life as a graduate student at Brandeis University. Consequently, my time to post and edit photos is going to be rather limited. I promise to do my very best to make sure that photos/comments/etc. get posted in at least a somewhat timely manner.
Saturday, July 7
home again, home again
Hello faithful readers. The members of the New Jersey Youth Symphony have returned again to the states - all arriving safely and soundly (though many tired, hungry and just a bit cranky) after a 7 hour flight.
I'm sorry I wasn't able to update before we left the Green Isle, there wasn't wireless internet access at our last hotel. I do have much to update on our last day in Ireland, including more sightseeing and a farewell dinner. However, this blogger is a bit too jetlagged to do much of anything right now except get reacquainted with my bed.
I do, however, want to say hello to all the students who are just seeing the blog for the first time. I also want to invite you to email me you pictures/stories/memories that you want to contribute to the blog so that we can all share our experiences. You can find my email address in my profile.
There are more updates to come, as well as the status of the long-awaited photo page (where student photographs will also be posted) so stay tuned!
I'm sorry I wasn't able to update before we left the Green Isle, there wasn't wireless internet access at our last hotel. I do have much to update on our last day in Ireland, including more sightseeing and a farewell dinner. However, this blogger is a bit too jetlagged to do much of anything right now except get reacquainted with my bed.
I do, however, want to say hello to all the students who are just seeing the blog for the first time. I also want to invite you to email me you pictures/stories/memories that you want to contribute to the blog so that we can all share our experiences. You can find my email address in my profile.
There are more updates to come, as well as the status of the long-awaited photo page (where student photographs will also be posted) so stay tuned!
Thursday, July 5
Greetings from Tralee
We left Cork for good this morning, and bright and early. We traveled through Kenmare on our way to Molls Gap and then the Muckross House.
Unfortunately, today was not a great photo-day. There was lots of fog throughout the hills and lakes which impeded the view, but added an ambiance, too.
We arrived at the Muckross house just in time for our scheduled tour. The mansion, which has an amazing history, was restored and amazing to see. Queen Victoria stayed there for two nights and one day just before the death of her husband, and her suite of rooms are still intact. No pictures were allowed to be taken in the house itself, so as to not disturb the value and quality of the artwork, wallpaper, and other furniture. But I think the outside of the home is quite lovely too.
After the tour we got some lunch at the onsite restaurant and did a bit of shopping before exploring the grounds in Jaunting Cars. There’s no better way to take in the countryside on a windy, rainy, day that in a horse drawn buggy. The drivers were all lovely, though, and gave us some history, told stories, and some even sang songs for us.
The Jaunting Cars brought us to the Torc Waterfall. Some students felt strong and brave enough to do a 2 km hike around the falls while others chose to stay closer to the busses.
After another short bus ride we found ourselves in Tralee at the Brandon Hotel. We checked into our fourth set of rooms and immediately had dinner. The greatest disappointment for the accommodations is that the pool has restricted hours – but I am told that several students intend on waking up especially early tomorrow to be there when the doors open at 7am.
Once we were finished with dinner we traveled literally across the street to watch a performance by Simasa Tire, the national folk theatre of Ireland. Tonight they told the story of Clann Lir through traditional song and dance. It was a beautiful show, but maybe a bit too quiet for many of the tired kids on the trip.
We leave Tralee first thing in the morning to head towards Ennistymon and complete our last full day here in Ireland. All of the kids, and adults, are expressing mixed feelings about the quickly approaching flight home. I am discovering that one of the favorite topics of conversation as of late is what American food is being missed the most.
I don’t know yet if we are going to be able to have access to the Internet while at Ennistymon. Hopefully you will hear from me tomorrow before we depart Ireland Saturday morning. Regardless – those interested should continue to check back in to the website after we have returned home, especially as I get the photos from Wendy Robinson posted online. She is going to get to me well over 2000 images to post for all to see and enjoy – all I ask is for your patience!
Unfortunately, today was not a great photo-day. There was lots of fog throughout the hills and lakes which impeded the view, but added an ambiance, too.
We arrived at the Muckross house just in time for our scheduled tour. The mansion, which has an amazing history, was restored and amazing to see. Queen Victoria stayed there for two nights and one day just before the death of her husband, and her suite of rooms are still intact. No pictures were allowed to be taken in the house itself, so as to not disturb the value and quality of the artwork, wallpaper, and other furniture. But I think the outside of the home is quite lovely too.
After the tour we got some lunch at the onsite restaurant and did a bit of shopping before exploring the grounds in Jaunting Cars. There’s no better way to take in the countryside on a windy, rainy, day that in a horse drawn buggy. The drivers were all lovely, though, and gave us some history, told stories, and some even sang songs for us.
The Jaunting Cars brought us to the Torc Waterfall. Some students felt strong and brave enough to do a 2 km hike around the falls while others chose to stay closer to the busses.
After another short bus ride we found ourselves in Tralee at the Brandon Hotel. We checked into our fourth set of rooms and immediately had dinner. The greatest disappointment for the accommodations is that the pool has restricted hours – but I am told that several students intend on waking up especially early tomorrow to be there when the doors open at 7am.
Once we were finished with dinner we traveled literally across the street to watch a performance by Simasa Tire, the national folk theatre of Ireland. Tonight they told the story of Clann Lir through traditional song and dance. It was a beautiful show, but maybe a bit too quiet for many of the tired kids on the trip.
We leave Tralee first thing in the morning to head towards Ennistymon and complete our last full day here in Ireland. All of the kids, and adults, are expressing mixed feelings about the quickly approaching flight home. I am discovering that one of the favorite topics of conversation as of late is what American food is being missed the most.
I don’t know yet if we are going to be able to have access to the Internet while at Ennistymon. Hopefully you will hear from me tomorrow before we depart Ireland Saturday morning. Regardless – those interested should continue to check back in to the website after we have returned home, especially as I get the photos from Wendy Robinson posted online. She is going to get to me well over 2000 images to post for all to see and enjoy – all I ask is for your patience!
Wednesday, July 4
Final Concert Day!
Happy 4th of July! I hope all is well in the U.S. We didn’t get to see any sort of fireworks today, which is for the best, to be sure. We did have a busy day, though.
After a 7:30 wake up call we ate breakfast at 8:30 and climbed on the bussed at 9:30 head towards Kinsale. We arrived around 10:30 and unloaded the instruments at St. Multose Church before getting some free time to spend in town.
Kinsale sits right at the edge of the Atlantic and has a beautiful tidal river and bay full of sailboats, as well as gorgeous green hills and the quaintest houses and roads I’ve ever seen. The narrow streets were very interesting to travel down with our tour busses, but our excellent bus drivers managed to avoid any collisions.
There were a bunch of shops to be nosey in and we were given lots of time to also get lunch before a 2:00 rehearsal. St. Multose was built in the 12th century and is the oldest working parish in all of Ireland. The stained glass windows were gorgeous:
After rehearsal we went to Maureen Lewis’ house for dinner. Mrs. Lewis, former NJYS Board President, acted as tour liaison in Ireland and was the first person to think about a tour for the symphony. She welcomed us all to her home for a picnic dinner before the final concert, and we couldn’t resist. I mean – just look at the view from her backyard!
The final concert, which was very enthusiastically attended by the people of Kinsale, as well as Dr. Spratt from the Irish Youth Choir and some of the choir members. The concert, which was mostly chamber music with a two full orchestra pieces to end the night, was a great success! The only minor snag in the evening was the forgetting of one violist who forgot his dress shoes and had to borrow a chaperone's black socks for the concert:
We were very well received and appreciated, and the concert acted as a benefit for a local child-care center. The students wore red, white, and blue in honor of the holiday, and played “Stars and Stripes” as the final piece of the evening. I don’t suppose St. Multose has had Sousa played within its walls in the past few centuries, but it carries the sound quite well!
Here are the students waiting for the concert to start:
Everyone seemed to have a good time, and we made it back to the hotel by 11:00ish. Curfew was midnight, with all the kids in their rooms with (hopefully) lights out for a 6:30 wake up call tomorrow (Thursday) morning.
After a 7:30 wake up call we ate breakfast at 8:30 and climbed on the bussed at 9:30 head towards Kinsale. We arrived around 10:30 and unloaded the instruments at St. Multose Church before getting some free time to spend in town.
Kinsale sits right at the edge of the Atlantic and has a beautiful tidal river and bay full of sailboats, as well as gorgeous green hills and the quaintest houses and roads I’ve ever seen. The narrow streets were very interesting to travel down with our tour busses, but our excellent bus drivers managed to avoid any collisions.
There were a bunch of shops to be nosey in and we were given lots of time to also get lunch before a 2:00 rehearsal. St. Multose was built in the 12th century and is the oldest working parish in all of Ireland. The stained glass windows were gorgeous:
After rehearsal we went to Maureen Lewis’ house for dinner. Mrs. Lewis, former NJYS Board President, acted as tour liaison in Ireland and was the first person to think about a tour for the symphony. She welcomed us all to her home for a picnic dinner before the final concert, and we couldn’t resist. I mean – just look at the view from her backyard!
The final concert, which was very enthusiastically attended by the people of Kinsale, as well as Dr. Spratt from the Irish Youth Choir and some of the choir members. The concert, which was mostly chamber music with a two full orchestra pieces to end the night, was a great success! The only minor snag in the evening was the forgetting of one violist who forgot his dress shoes and had to borrow a chaperone's black socks for the concert:
We were very well received and appreciated, and the concert acted as a benefit for a local child-care center. The students wore red, white, and blue in honor of the holiday, and played “Stars and Stripes” as the final piece of the evening. I don’t suppose St. Multose has had Sousa played within its walls in the past few centuries, but it carries the sound quite well!
Here are the students waiting for the concert to start:
Everyone seemed to have a good time, and we made it back to the hotel by 11:00ish. Curfew was midnight, with all the kids in their rooms with (hopefully) lights out for a 6:30 wake up call tomorrow (Thursday) morning.
Tuesday, July 3
Still catching up
So much happens in any one day that it is hard to capture all of it and then post it online - especially when it's happening to almost 100 different people at a time, and our days are very long and internet-free. By the time we return to our rooms and I can sit and type, my brain has often stopped processing for the evening - which by that time is sometimes already early morning.
As I am reminded of things I will fill you in, even if it is very much after the fact.
One of these items is how well the orchestra was received at all of the concerts. Since I was performing with the ensemble I didn't get to hear many comments after the performance, especially with having to look after my instrument and assist in the packing of the percussion instruments. However, we were told that the audiences were shocked to learn that the students were only in highschool - they wanted to know what college ensemble we were.
Jan Munch, our trusty travel nurse, also heard some great comments she wanted to share:
After the Friday concert in Limerick she was approached by a gentleman who said, "You should be immensely proud of these wonderfully talented young people - they are a treasure."
After the Saturday concert at the Cork City Hall an audience member told one of our musicians that, "You have restored my faith in America."
Let's hope we keep the good work up!
As I am reminded of things I will fill you in, even if it is very much after the fact.
One of these items is how well the orchestra was received at all of the concerts. Since I was performing with the ensemble I didn't get to hear many comments after the performance, especially with having to look after my instrument and assist in the packing of the percussion instruments. However, we were told that the audiences were shocked to learn that the students were only in highschool - they wanted to know what college ensemble we were.
Jan Munch, our trusty travel nurse, also heard some great comments she wanted to share:
After the Friday concert in Limerick she was approached by a gentleman who said, "You should be immensely proud of these wonderfully talented young people - they are a treasure."
After the Saturday concert at the Cork City Hall an audience member told one of our musicians that, "You have restored my faith in America."
Let's hope we keep the good work up!
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