MUSIC TOUR TO HOLLAND

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1 MUSIC TOUR TO HOLLAND Wednesday 25th-Sunday 29th March 2015 After endless hours of rehearsals, 42 excited students and 5 excited (but slightly anxious staff), set off on a Gordon s first: A Music Concert Tour. Our destination was Holland, for 5 days, 4 nights, 3 fabulous concerts and an awe-inspiring amount of music. In between concerts and rehearsals we packed in an amazing amount of sight-seeing, a few games and competitions, lots of laughter and even more pancakes! Would we go again? We re already starting to look at possible destinations Getting Packed Wednesday 25th March As you can imagine, with so many people and musical instruments, loading the coach wasn t a straight forward job. We did manage to fit everything on, just about. music@gordons.surrey.sch.uk Holland Music Tour P1

2 When we arrived at Dover, security thought they would choose our coach to check. They took one look inside and regretted their decision! We thoroughly enjoyed the calm waters and blue skies of our first crossing. Our first service station stop and Mrs Heathcote thought it was time for our first coach selfie: Although some took the time to polish up their card skills: Music Newsletter P2

3 (If only the return crossing was the same being as close to the floor as possible made it slightly easier!) I saw a mouse, where? Thursday 26th March After a full days travelling, we needed some time to explore and recover, so set off to Amsterdam. Our first excursion was a canal boat ride so we could really see the city. We had to wait a little while for our boat, so filled the time with some more selfies music@gordons.surrey.sch.uk Music Newsletter P3

4 But we were soon off! (Although we didn t let Mrs Heathcote steer all the way)! Back on dry land we immersed ourselves in the culture and visited The Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum. Music Newsletter P4 music@gordons.surrey.sch.uk

5 It was quite tiring work sight-seeing But a taste of the local cuisine made us feel better! We tried to get a group shot to finish the day. The weather wasn t on our side but we enjoyed trying! music@gordons.surrey.sch.uk Music Newsletter P5

6 After heading back to the hotel for dinner, we got into the competitive spirit and headed to the local bowling alley (some of us were more competitive than others!). But we managed to stay friends, and make some new ones. Down to Business Friday 27th March Feeling revitalised after our day off, we got focussed and began the day with our final rehearsal. Music Newsletter P6

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8 Sounding good, we reloaded the coach and headed off to Delft market square for our first concert! The sun was shining and we managed to attract a supportive audience. Careers Newsletter P8 music@gordons.surrey.sch.uk

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10 After we finished, there was time for a quick refreshment before packing up and heading to our second concert in Delft old Church. The building was beautiful and the sound amazing, with an echo that seemed to go on forever! It was colder inside than it was outside, but we entertained another appreciative audience some people even followed us from the market square to listen again! Careers Newsletter P10 music@gordons.surrey.sch.uk

11 We managed to squeeze in a little more sight-seeing and had time to explore the town. After finding some delft pottery and trying the local cheese, staff took the opportunity to re-fuel and warm up! We had to have a group shot in the beautiful market square before heading back to our hotel. music@gordons.surrey.sch.uk Music Newsletter P11

12 Friday evening saw us get in the competitive spirit again quiz time! Mr Knight was a highly enthusiastic quiz master, and although some of the humming from the staff in the Name That Tune round was a little dubious, at least some students got the answers! Another Jam Packed Day Saturday 28th March After another hearty breakfast (and time for a mid-morning snack) we set off to see De Valk (The Falcon) windmill. Having seen so many whilst driving, it was great to finally see inside one! (Although we weren t expecting so many stairs...!) The most delicious apple cake we found and Cecil s boys always on the hunt for coffee. The weather was against us by this point; it was cold, wet and windy and there was no audience to be seen so rather than sit and perform to only each other and risk ruining our equipment we decided to abandon our afternoon concert, and instead found time for a sandcastle building competition! The challenge to build 3 sculptures that represent Holland! The stairs got so steep at the top we couldn t take pictures. Some people got all the way to the 7th storey and then wondered how they were going to get back down Careers Newsletter P12 music@gordons.surrey.sch.uk

13 Our Final Concert Sunday 29th March After exploring Noordvijk town and trying to drum up some business for our evening concert. We headed to our final concert venue, Maria ter Zee Church in Noordvijk. We were made to feel extremely welcome and having a rehearsal in the space we were going to perform helped us to focus on the task in hand. The acoustics were fabulous and everything was sounding superb. The opening few bars of Pirates of the Caribbean set the standard for the whole concert; it felt as if I was conducting a professional band. The students excelled themselves in every piece and we couldn t have finished on a better note! The standing ovation from the audience said it all (as do the smiles from everyone in our after concert photo!). music@gordons.surrey.sch.uk Music Newsletter P13

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15 Celebrations Still buzzing from excitement, we made our way to the local pancake house for celebratory pancakes definitely thoroughly deserved! Music Newsletter P15

16 Our Favourite moments were: Going to the beach and building Mr McCready s mansion - Artur Qadir Having free time and preparing for Tia s birthday surprise - Eleanor-Rose Prince The free time in the different towns - Emily Garner Going bowling, free time, final concert in the church and bus banter! - Archie Oliver The last concert, bowling, shopping, playing cards, the canal boat and being with everyone - Maddie Roberts Exploring Holland with everyone; shopping for surprisingly fashionable Holland merchandise and the last concert - Freya Smith The canal boat trip Freya Anning Choosing Cecil s present Harrison Prince Dancing with the girls; spending time in Amsterdam - Annabel Phillips Last concert, food (pancakes), buying a watermelon, going around with Maddie, Annabel and Freya (a great provider of quality banter) - Hannah Hailu Tambourine time Daniela Beck Exploring Holland and being with amazing people and teachers Anna Dunbar Going to the beach, chasing pigeons and going to the pancake house Tasha Gerrard Learning new I loved playing drums in the last The sand castle competition on the beach card games; concert Will Blackburn Jess Thomas eating a massive Going to Amsterdam and hanging out with Carys, Becca, Tilda and pancake Beth Zara Cracroft Tia s birthday party Victoria Heater, Tia Jasani, Katie Beet Funlola Tijani The quiz; having free time in the towns; bowling; PANCAKES; the canal boat tour was so nice! Carys Aspden Playing cheat; going to the beach and building sand castles Matilda Bradford Eating 20 chicken nuggets and regretting it halfway up the windmill Henry Gray Free time Will Hopkins Playing cheat and piggy Liana Parry Trying to come up with group names (The Blainettes!) and exploring everywhere; especially trips to McDonalds; sandcastle building and trying to decide what was most representative of Holland; but especially the concerts during the afternoon! Cards, last concert, bus banter, bowling, first day out, time change, misfits banter, Funlola and her bag Sophie Armitt The last concert and the sandcastle competition on the beach; and the sing-along on the coach journeys Lauren Kemp The pancake house Ditte Wikke Looking around the towns; Amsterdam; going to the beach; playing cards and particularly the last evening with concert and pancakes! Becca Dovener Playing cheat (the card game) with Cerys, Sophie, The last concert as the acoustics were Phil, Maddie and Archie and when Maddie had to amazing and building sandcastles cheat she said I ll pass, I can t play this round ; it Rebecca Ginn was hilarious Olly Platts Going to the beach and sight-seeing Albany Ogunbufunmi Giving Cecil his present Ed Lee Playing games at the hotel and setting sale to the paper boats at the beach Phil Day Going on the canal boat tour in Amsterdam and learning all about the history Beth Anning Eating two massive pancakes and going on the canal boat Helena Luke Last performance, cards, the time difference, Lola s bag choices (brown not green), misfits banter, Barbaran, Wrong direction, Peanut M&M McFlurry Cerys Carson Careers Newsletter P16 music@gordons.surrey.sch.uk