Having a chance to take a trip abroad doesn’t come around very often. Receiving the opportunity to travel with 73 other serious musicians and friends is even rarer. Every four years the Gustavus Wind Orchestra, under the direction of Douglas Nimmo, travels internationally during January Interim Experience. This year, the ensemble will travel to Europe, touring through the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, and Germany. Touring from Jan. 20-Feb. 4, we will visit cities such as Prague, Krakow, Kety, Pomaz, Vienna, Salzburg, and Munich.
Preparations have been underway for months, but the real rehearsal takes place during the first few weeks of January. Musicians undergo a rigorous rehearsal schedule, playing for several hours each day to prepare themselves for quality performances. We also attend a class each day, taught by Gustavus history professor Tom Emmert, to learn about the history and culture of the regions where we will travel.
The Gustavus Wind Orchestra will perform a variety of pieces, including the fast-paced, intense, Machine by William Bolcom; the poignant A Hymn for the Lost and the Living by Eric Ewazen; and the well-known Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves by Michael Kamen, among others.
As Dr. Nimmo says, this trip has the potential to be an “ILCHE,” or an incredible life-changing experience. In order to share a bit of that ILCHE, I will write a blog from Europe. Hopefully, I will be able to relay some of the amazing experiences to come.
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