Hello students,

 

I am sure everyone is still trying to recuperate from the trip jet lag.

I just came back home from the Easter Sunday service at church and its activities a few minutes ago.

As you have some catching up with homework and other assignments, I have also performed a few house chores,
including mowing my lawn.

 

I want you to know that you all have been great on this trip!

 

Not only did we have the opportunity to explore, see, and learn about the incredible history and beauty

of the regions which we visited, but we also had the chance to bond together as one musical family during this trip.

 

As always, you performed very well and appreciated the audience.

I think it was great that you had the opportunity to interact with students from abroad.

 

In addition, performing inside the 14th century monastery provided incredible experience.

That church is one of the oldest monasteries in Prague, which was built BEFORE Christopher Columbus discovered America.

 

What about the Karlstein Castle and the Charles the IV Bridge?


The picturesque views that you can find in fairy tales….

 

Visiting the Esterházy estate (at Eisenstadt) and standing in the place where Franz Joseph Haydn

worked for more than 30 years (under Esterhazy) and composed such masterpieces like “Creation”

brought a breathtaking experience.


.

Visiting Beethoven’s house in Baden (Austria), the place where

Beethoven lived when he composed the famous 9th Symphony, was very educational.

 

While you were shopping in Vienna, Mr. Lambert and I got on the subway and visited the cemetery of

Beethoven, Johann Strauss Jr., Franz Schubert, Franz von Suppé, and Johannes Brahms.


Did you take note of the music hall in Prague in which W.A. Mozart premiered his famous opera, “Don Giovanni?”
The St. Stephen’s Cathedral that you visited in Vienna was completed in the 12th century (1160), about 850 years ago.

When you study about F.J. Haydn, you will find out that Haydn also attended that church 200 years ago.

 


How about the beautiful Schonbrun Palace in Vienna?

Attending an evening concert at the Vienna Kursalon, next to the Strauss Park, was just fantastic! 

The music of Strauss Jr. and Mozart was so euphonious and pleasurable.

 

The city of Vienna has many ties with famous composers, including:

W.A. Mozart

F.J. Haydn

Franz Schubert

Ludwig von Beethoven

Johann Strauss Jr.

Arnold Schönberg (important 20th century composer)

Antonio Vivaldi (died in Vienna)

 

Listed below are other famous musicians in the cities that we visited:

BUDAPEST (Hungary):

Béla Bartók (most famous Hungarian composer)

Franz Liszt (composer/pianist --one of the best pianists that ever lived)

Zoltán Kodály (general music teachers still use his teaching method in schools)

 

PRAGUE (Czech Republic):

Antonin Dvorak (most famous for his “New World” Symphony)

Bedrich Smetana (famous for writing “The Moldau (My Country)," and “The Bartered Bride”)

 

Reflecting back on this trip, I think the hotels were of high-class and the food/restaurants were exceptional.

We had a great time at the restaurants!  Live music provided by the local musicians while we ate local cuisines was very memorable.

I can’t wait till I see the video clips of our moments at those restaurants, where we sang and some of you danced. 
I have found that the touring of the Jewish Museum in Prague
was unforgettable---remembering the tragedy of those 80,000 Jewish victims…
Did you know that the First Lady, Michelle Obama, visited this Jewish Town and Museum a few days before our visit?

 

The tour bus driver, Stephen, was also fantastic!  He was so nice and understanding.
He sure knows how to drive that big, colossal bus!

 

And of course, our "personal travel guide" Ms. Eileen Allen.....

She was just amazing!

I am sure you have already realized this, but Eileen Allen is a highly competent, professional,
knowledgeable, and understanding person.

She was able to lead and transform a bunch of students and adults who knew little about the specific tour,
into a group of confident individuals.

Ms. Eileen did so much to ensure that we were treated well and was very caring and flexible!

She made this trip really fun and memorable!

I already miss her very much as many of you do as well….

For those of you who wish to thank her, please send her an email.

Ms. Eileen Allen’s email address is: eileenallen@bluebottle.com

(NOTE: Her account is protected, so you will have to confirm the return message
to allow your message to be delivered to Ms. Eileen Allen)

 

Most importantly, please don’t forget to thank all the chaperones
for their tireless efforts in ensuring the safety of all of you.

Without their care and efforts, this trip would not have been successful.
Again, thanks for being such a wonderful group of kids on this trip!

I hope you will cherish this memory as I will….
I can’t wait till we get those thousands of trip pictures  J
(literally thousands when we compile everyone’s pics and video clips together)

 

Ms. Meredith Deaver will soon compile all the trip information and will have a complete journal of our trip.
I can’t wait to read it! 

Please take care everyone, and I will see you at school.

 

Regards,

Mr. Kim

Click below to view

VIDEO CLIPS
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