Following exam week, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel to Europe with the orchestra. The two-week GEO (Global Education Opportunity) that followed was truly life-changing. Although I had done plenty of traveling, I had not crossed the pond into Europe before.
The first destinations included Milan, Cremona, and Venice. As we approached Milan, I couldn’t help but notice the luscious Italian landscape. The only things that broke up the bright green were a variety of terracotta-tiled homes. Over the next few days, we did a thorough job of sightseeing and performing in Milan. Traversing through the countryside, we briefly stopped in Cremona and then continued to Venice. The famed city did not disappoint. The group fully embraced the tourist lifestyle, even going as far as haggling with local street vendors. A boat cruise around Venice to finish the day left us in awe of such a wonderful city.
The group continued through the mountains toward Slovenia, which has been a big question mark for many of us heading into the trip. However, Postojna Cave Park, Ljubljana, and Lake Bled did not disappoint. The variety that Slovenia offered—from its natural beauty to the monstrous castle that overlooked its capital city—left everyone blown away. The fresh produce served every morning in the Ljubljana farmers market quickly became a crowd favorite. Aside from exploring the city, we spent a large portion of our time at the local music conservatory. The joint rehearsal with conservatory students and the guest conductor proved to be the highlight of the GEO for me.
Continuing into the second week, we visited Salzburg, Prague, Dresden, and Leipzig. It was city to city, playing shows and exploring new places. Each city presented its own unique beauties. I tend to measure their beauty by their churches and castles. With that being said, I can confidently say that Prague had the most impressive castle (although it took 287 steps to reach the top), and Salzburg had the prettiest church. Another bonus highlight was experiencing Germany during the 2024 Euros. The loud bagpipes and passionate fans provided a unique experience when navigating Leipzig.
Looking back on the GEO experience from the beginning of the summer, I smile. The two weeks of exploring new cities and playing the instruments we all love created memories and friendships that cannot be taken away from me. The commitment from everyone, including the participation of all returning students and many graduating seniors, speaks to how special Groton really is. The group remains close-knit and looks to continue to improve heading into the upcoming school year.