The Upper Arlington Symphony Strings Orchestra, formed by music students out of Upper Arlington, Ohio, was one of only three American high school bands to be offered the chance for a series of school visits to China to perform concerts for the locals.
This tour, starting on June 24 and encompassing a total of six cities, comes as a reward for the hard work of the current members of the Orchestra, which honours the storied tradition of the outfit. The Upper Arlington Symphony Strings Orchestra’s recent past includes performances in New York’s Carnegie Hall, among other noteworthy venues across the United States – in locations such as Detroit, Boston and Kentucky, where the pupils received a standing ovation after their performance at the National Symphony Festival. The Orchestra has also travelled to Canada, to perform in Toronto, and is now being given the opportunity to venture even further afield.
In order to support the considerable costs of these school visits to China, the school and the parents of the students have been organising a number of fundraisers, which have so far met with considerable success. The latest of these, dubbed Bears To Beijing, takes place mid-March and sees a neighbouring orchestra, the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra and Columbus Symphony Orchestra, join the kids from Upper Arlington for an afternoon of classical musical. Profits will revert towards paying the 12-day trip.
During the afternoon, attendees will also have the chance to bid on a number of items, including memberships to several of the school’s clubs, sports tickets and admissions to local events, gift certificates to local restaurants, and a violin worth roughly $1800 (£1000). These items will either be raffled off or auctioned in a number of silent auctions, all of which should further help the students’ fundraising objectives.
About School Travel Service:
School Travel Service is the UK’s largest educational travel company, providing school trips for secondary schools and colleges. Find them at http://www.equityschooltravel.co.uk/
Contact Details:
School Travel Service
One Jubilee Street
Brighton
East Sussex
BN1 1GE
+44 (0)1273 645 862
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