Just before they broke up for the summer holidays, a group of music pupils from Bennett Memorial’s Music Academy took part in a special concert tour to Austria.
“The event was a great success,” the school’s Director of Quality, Julia Mills, told the Times.
“The students gained a huge amount from it, not just in terms of their performance, but also from the opportunity it gave them to explore a different country and culture, and the music was exceptional as usual.”
One of the lucky musicians to have taken part in the trip, 16-year-old violinist Jonathan Hayward, added: “Our concert tour to Austria was one of the most enjoyable and exciting trips ever.
“We enjoyed beautiful scenery and music all week, whilst also experiencing the food and customs of another culture. Travelling to different venues every day gave everyone an insight into the lives of professional musicians.
“This was a trip we will never forget.”
The Bennett Memorial Music Academy travelled to Austria after winning the National Pro Corda Music Competition earlier in the year. Whilst there, they performed a series of open-air concerts in Salzburg and Zell Am See, and enjoyed visits to historical and cultural sites such as Mozart’s Residence, the Hohensalzburg Fortress and the Salt Mines at Berchtesgaden.
Paul Showell, the school’s recently departed Director of Music, summed up the success of the trip, saying: “It was fantastic in every way.”
