“Unforgettable” Music Tour
Over Half term, almost 50 RGS musicians went on Tour to Normandy where they participated in many activities and three music concerts, finishing with a feature in a local French newspaper.
Year Eleven pupil Sasha Penlington shares the following report:
“On Friday 9 February RGS musicians embarked on an unforgettable journey to Normandy, France. Despite missing the first ferry due to heavy traffic (which made the coach travel at a shocking speed of 1 mile per hour), the pupils’ morale remained high. After catching a different ferry from Dover to Calais and another few hours’ coach journey, we arrived just in time for a rehearsal with the French students from Honfleur and Lisieux at Greniers a Sel, which not only included friendly chatting and music with the French, but also pizza! We then departed our rehearsal (having spent nearly 20 hours travelling that day) to get back to our accommodation to get some well-deserved rest.
The next day, we all woke up bright and early to have a guided tour of the Basilica Sainte-Therese. Whilst admiring the beauty of the Basilica, we learnt about the astonishing history of the building, as well as the miracles performed by its Saint. Afterwards, we went to the Chateau Canon, which was our concert venue for the evening. There, after rehearsing with students from the Lisieux Conservatoire, we performed our first of three concerts on the trip, which included a few classy solo performances and multiple ensembles, the most popular piece of the evening being ‘Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag’ played by the jazz ensemble. We then departed the venue back to our accommodation, after a successful day.
Sunday morning was a whole other story, as pupils began mentally and physically preparing themselves for one of the greatest challenges of the day… laser tag. This originally innocent family friendly game showcased certain sides of people that no one had ever seen before, with Mr Soman trying to shoot everyone that dared to be in his path, and ideologies like ‘teamwork’ for some being completely thrown out of the window, leaving team members (like myself) confused about how even to use the guns (though this was quickly revenged upon in the next game when the teams were rearranged). Following this exciting start to the morning, we proceeded to the previous venue from Friday and performed our second concert. We then helped to clear up and transfer our instruments into a van, whereupon our tour organiser, Chris, informed us that we had “lost 2 students and a glockenspiel”. Once, the instrument and students were found, we strolled around Honfleur for a bit, before arriving at a lovely restaurant where we had a delicious three-course dinner. Before, we said our goodbyes to the idyllic town of Honfleur, a coincidental discovery was made, and a photo was taken of the band members of AKT II in front of a French restaurant with the same name.
Monday kicked off with completing our final performance of the trip, playing to Year Eight pupils from Flaubert during their music lesson – sparking engaging discussions about the differences between the British and French schooling systems, as well as enjoying some music along the way. Following the performance, we explored the town and enjoyed a leisurely lunch, complete with a hilarious misunderstanding which involved a pupil purchasing a whole chicken. We then travelled to the zoo where students revelled in the excitement of a safari train ride and marvelled at the diverse wildlife on display. We returned to our accommodation where we had another three-course meal, which included traditional French foods like Snails and Frog legs for the starter. During our meal, the ambience was elevated by the soulful melodies of a jazz trio and the rhythmic beats of an RGS drummer. Once the meal was finished, comedic prizes were given out by the teachers, and then the students and teachers performed solos with the trio, ending the evening with a fun improvisational jamming session – a highlight for many!
Departing our accommodation on Tuesday morning, we went to the Eurotunnel, where, after going through border control, a fun game of UNO was played as we headed back to England. We ended the trip with a range of songs from Miss Saigon, ABBA and a classic sing-along of Sweet Caroline as we arrived back home”.
Thank you to Mr Soman, who was Tour leader and organiser and to all the staff who attended: Mr Adlington, Dr Ehlers, Ms Hill and Mrs Newport. Well done for Sasha for her detailed report.