German Audience Reduced to Tears by Youth Orchestra
The Congleton Youth Orchestra returned from Germany recently, having completed their tour to the Black Forest Region. A total of 40 musicians took part, accompanied by 8 Adults, one of which was Congleton Town Mayor, Councillor Denis Murphy accompanied by his Consort Mrs. Joan Myatt, Tour Leader was Trustee Douglas Parker, along with Musical Director Eddie Garrard and Mrs. Glennis Garrard (Child Protection Officer). String Tutor Mrs. Wanda Johnson and Wind Tutor Mrs. Judith Hearson also accompanied the party along with Parent Representative Phil Boardman.
The Town Mayor commented that the Tour was a credit to the Town of Congleton and that they were a great set of ambassadors for all young people.
The trip included several excursions while they were away and the first was a trip on the Schauinsland Cable Car, which was used in the making of the film “Where Eagles Dare” taking in some spectacular scenery on the way. Their first concert followed this trip and they performed at the Musik Pavilion, Bad Krozingen.
Day two took them to Lake Titisee where the ice had finally melted and they were able to take a boat cruise on this beautiful lake. Their second concert then took place at the Kurhaus Titisee later that day, returning to the hotel for leisure time.
At one point the whole party were doing some sightseeing all dressed in their CYO fleeces and tee shirts and caught the attention of some Japanese tourists who insisted on taking a group photograph of them.
The last day was spent in Strasbourg with a canal boat trip which took in many ancient and beautiful timbered buildings along with more modern buildings, one of which being the home of the European Parliament which is, of course, all glass.
The party then made their way to Baden-Baden for their last performance. On arrival the concert hall took everyone’s breath away as they entered. It was magnificent. The chandeliers were amazing and the tiered staging really showed the orchestra off to their full potential. Only the week before President Barrack Obama had made a speech on that very stage.
The audience at this venue were used to hearing professional concerts given by the Baden-Baden Philharmonic Orchestra and they must have wondered how a group of young people from Congleton would shape up. They needn’t have worried; the Orchestra rose to the challenge and were not intimidated by their awesome surroundings. They played to a standard even beyond the wildest dreams of their Musical Director, Eddie Garrard and actually had not only the accompanying adults in the party, but also some of the German audience in tears. They were shouting for more again and again and gave them a standing ovation. In fact they would have liked them to repeat the performance the following night, but regrettably this was their last day and they were returning home to Congleton the next morning.
The young musicians were undoubtedly superb ambassadors for Congleton, not only for their playing, but also for their behaviour while on tour. Congleton should be justifiably very proud of them.
Thoughts of Orchestra Leader
Heather Procter
We departed from the car park at the lovely time of one minute past midnight. The mood was high, everyone was chatty, until we hit around the fifth hour of travelling, at which most of the coach was looking their most attractive - heads lolling on their neighbours shoulders in an attempt to sleep away the travelling hours. After a quick stop before getting on the ferry (whilst we watched the passengers on the bus in front of ours play "imaginary cricket") and we crossed the channel without a hitch. We arrived in Calais at about ten in the morning, looking a little rough around the edges!
What followed was about eight more hours of bus journeying through the lovely scenery of the French countryside, most of which was missed, as most of the coach was again attempting sleep. We arrived at the Hotel a little earlier than anticipated, and were warmly greeted by the staff, who gave us the keys for our rooms and watched in amusement as we hauled instruments, handbags and suitcases up four flights of stairs before getting to the top and noticing the lift ! Despite not getting much sleep through the journey we all made the most of the free time and most of us stayed up chatting well into the early hours in our rooms, which was quickly regretted when getting up at seven for breakfast at eight !
After breakfast we got back onto the coach (not for the last time) and departed for Freiburg. After a couple of wrong turnings and misinterpreted sat-nav messages (also not for the last time) we arrived at the Schauinsland Cable Car, which was a sixteen minute cable car ride that took us over the Black Forest, Rhine Valley and the Swiss Mountains. The views were awesome, and even the people who were a bit edgy because of the absolutely HUGE drop there was beneath us, were taken in by the amazing scenery. The only aspect that changed was that the further up the hill we went, the temperature dropped, and the people who had put shorts on that day (myself included) were a bit chilly when we reached the top and we were stepping through snow piles! After a wander around the top of the mountain, we went back down, ate our lunch in the sun, and after playing on the children's play park for a while (our choice entirely) we drove down to the beautiful town of Freiburg for some sightseeing and shopping.
We left the cobbled streets, water features and generally summery atmosphere of Freiburg a couple of hours later and headed off for Bad Krozingen, where we had a little more free time and then performed at the Musikpavilion to a lovely audience, one of which said we were the best youth orchestra he had ever heard, and we had the most prospects as a youth orchestra (or words to that effect). After playing a cracking "Pirates of the Caribbean" (our last piece of our programme) and a quick encore, we headed back to the Hotel where free time was well spent before heading off to our rooms at eleven and not going to sleep until about three (again, there was lots to talk about!)
After another early rise and breakfast, we departed for Titisee. We all walked through the town to the lakeside where we caught a boat and were taken on a cruise with a tape that informed us (in English) of the surrounding area and about Titisee in general. The sun and scenery was enjoyed by all , and several people took a pedal boat out onto the lake . The concert was at the Kurhaus at Titisee which was played well, despite water fights earlier! After heading back to the Hotel and having tea, the adults took us for a trip to the ice cream and pizza parlour down the road and we all enjoyed an ice cream at dusk. After that it was back to the Hotel, where some people made use of the piano in the Hotel, and then to our rooms and yet again, another late night.
The next day took us to Strasbourg, with another, a little longer but just as beautiful, boat cruise in a really strangely shaped boat, that got the nickname "the greenhouse boat" as it was a dome shape made of glass.s We then did some sightseeing and one thing that no-one could miss was the spectacular, ornate cathedral that shadowed the whole square in which it sat. Also the buskers that were truly amazing (we considered hiring them). This was followed by the best concert we have played yet (in my humble opinion) at the home of the Baden-Baden Philharmonic Orchestra! (Barack Obama had stood on the stage just a week before we came, which excited a few members!) This brought the tour to an exciting climax and I don't think anyone will ever forget playing there. The very stuff that memories are made of. After a photo moment (in which the skies decided to open and we all got a bit wet) we clamoured back onto the coach and headed back to the Hotel where we ate, then there was a last night disco and free time. Some decided to go for a farewell pizza at the pizzeria down the road (where we got the ice cream from the night before). After this, we all reluctantly went to bed, but stayed up and chatted all night again - it was the last night after all ! before waking up the following morning to frantic packing that had been neglected until the last minute, lugging the cases back down the stairs before remembering the lift (again) and waving goodbye to the Hotel and commencing the journey home (you guessed it ..... most of us slept right through it).
Despite the ferry strike during the week, we got across the channel and made it home at about four in the morning after some service stops. It was a trip that many wished had gone on for longer, everyone enjoyed themselves, the Germans enjoyed our playing (we think !) and an amazimg time was had by everyone, which would have never happened if not for the brilliance of the Adults who organised this. (A mention to Doug here, who kept us all well supplied with Glacier fruit sweets throughout the long bus rides). So THANK YOU on behalf of the orchestra.
Can't wait for the next tour !