A music tour is definitely the high point of our musical calendar

We interviewed a Director of Music from a school in Hertfordshire about his multi-ensemble school music tour to Tuscany.

It was great to hear how much his students – and his teachers – gained from the experience.

So why are you so keen on touring?

“The great thing about music is that is really does break down the divides between year groups, school houses or whatever it is. A music tour in particular does this and is great for bonding a group as well as improving musical standards.”

“We tour every two years and it’s definitely the high point of our musical calendar. If I know it’s a tour year, I can plan the repertoire around my musicians, especially the vocal or instrumental soloists. I can make sure for instance that the year 13s get as many solos as possible.

“We have been to Salzburg, Lake Garda and Barcelona and every tour is a great motivator. It galvanises my students and definitely builds a sense of teamwork in the group. This year was no different. In particular a couple of our young bassoonists really gained in confidence and performed so well.”

And why did you choose to tour in Tuscany this year?

“Tuscany is a wonderful region and the travelling was superb. We had a super deluxe coach, which felt more like a plane than a coach. The drivers were the best we’ve ever had and made fantastic time. They were great at communicating with us and nothing was too much trouble. I’d ask for them again if I could.
“The hotel was excellent – safe and pleasant for touring parties with plenty to see and do there. It was also good to be able to swim in the hotel nearby.”

Where did you perform and what did you do when you weren’t performing?

“On the first day we visited the Galileo Museum in Florence and performed our first concert in St Mark’s Church. We were able to bring the coach right up to the steps of the church, which was great and the concert was wonderful, attracting a lot of passing traffic. We also gave another concert on the steps of the cathedral, another great experience.

“We spent the second day in San Gimignano, which is so beautiful; our concert in a lovely walled garden – the Chiesa di San Agostino – was a great success.

“After spending the next morning in Montecatini, we headed off for Sienna which is another beautiful city. It was lovely to soak up the Italian culture – food, ice-cream, café society – and then we gave a very unusual concert in a former fortress, where we also had an evening meal. It was such a beautiful surrounding for a concert.

“The next day we went to Lucca and Pisa where we visited the Field of Miracles. On our last full day we went to the Grotta de Vento and visited Puccini’s House before giving our final concert in San Zeno Cathedral in Pistoia. This was the highlight of the tour and the audience was fantastic. We had performed a different variation of our repertoire for each concert. Here it was mostly sacred music. Our cello soloist performed the Rococo Variations and the choir sang pieces by Rutter and Elgar.”

How would you sum up your music tour?

“There was a very happy, nice atmosphere throughout our tour and already on the coach back, the students were asking me about the next one. They can’t wait, which is a great sign.”

We love organising school music tours to Italy. The beautiful landscapes, wonderful outdoor venues and delicious food ensure our groups are never disappointed.

Click on the links for more details of our school music tours to Italy and our Tuscany school music trips.