2006 International Tour History: Spain and Portugal
The excitement was palpable at Boston’s Logan Airport on June 20th as 101 members of
Boston Youth Symphony began a twelve-day, four-concert tour of Spain and Portugal. Chatter about Spanish food, warm weather, and Mahler floated through the air as we boarded the plane.
Many hours later the musicians found themselves shielding their eyes from the glare of the warm Portuguese sun. The next morning our buses headed to the small coastal towns of Sintra and Cascias. As the noise of the city faded, the road hugged beaches of shimmering sand and aqua water; and the passengers toyed impatiently with their cameras to capture each lighthouse or boat before it disappeared. The buses finally stopped at a huge granite monument that marks the westernmost point of Continental Europe, and we peered over cliffs to see the Atlantic Ocean. Later the afternoon at the Centro Culturel de Belém, the young musicians rehearsed in preparation for the first concert.
A walking tour of Lisbon’s Castle District was the perfect way for us to start the day and experience the city. We sat on the steps of the Romanesque cathedral in a district once inhabited by the Moors. That evening an enthusiastic audience applauded the orchestra who in turn congratulated soprano Theresa Gardner on her beautiful performance during the last movement of Mahler’s fourth symphony.
In the morning we said goodbye to Portugal and began our trip to Spain. For the first concert in Spain the orchestra performed a challenging program, and was rewarded by an appreciative audience. The orchestra arrived in Granada the next afternoon. For many students the concert in Granada was the highlight of the tour. They performed as part of the prestigious Granada Festival, and hundreds gathered to watch the dress rehearsal and performance in the Plaza de las Pasiegas. Bright white lights illuminated the stage, and people emerged onto their balconies to hear the music. Shouts of “bravo” filled the streets the conclusion of the performance.
The first day of July marked the end of the tour, and a bittersweet mood lingered in the air. In the town of Lleida outside of Barcelona, we began our last rehearsal at the brand new Auditori. The final concert ended with Dvorak’s seventh symphony, and the last notes marked a poignant moment for graduating seniors who reflected on the incredible experiences of the trip. The lives of both BYSO graduates and returning students were enriched by the experiences of the 2006 tour; memories of Spain and Portugal will remain with us for many years to come.
