From sightseeing at Times Square to performing for veterans on the USS Intrepid, the Walnut High School Performing Arts Department went on a five-day trip to New York from March 4 to 9.
In New York, band and choir students performed at the USS Intrepid, a United States aircraft carrier, for veterans. As a monumental venue, students played at the USS Intrepid because it allowed students to perform at a historical vessel and honor troops with their songs. For their performance, band students played five songs in total, one of which was performed alongside choir. For their music, all of their songs included patriotic elements to demonstrate respect toward the veterans.
“I think [being able to perform on the USS Intrepid] was really nice. It was nice to respect and honor the people who previously served the military,” sophomore Bethany Yu said. “The band director told us that a lot of the tunes we played are songs that veterans are familiar with, so it’s really nice to be able to contribute to all of that.”
During the trip, students visited a variety of landmarks like the Museum of Broadway and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Students explored other places such as Liberty Island, where they got to see the iconic Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Students also had the opportunity to not only watch “Hamilton,” but “Maybe Happy Ending,” an award winning musical, where former Walnut Highschool alumni, Plato Seto currently works as the stage manager. Having received exclusive backstage access to meet the cast, the musical was a memorable highlight for many students.
“[The overall trip] had a bunch of ups and downs, there were some good parts and some bad parts, but I think there were a lot of memorable parts, like watching “Maybe Happy Ending.” I thought that was one of the best shows ever,” clarinet band captain senior Nathan Yu said. “I really liked walking around and being there because it was my first time in New York. I thought it was very exciting seeing the different landmarks like the Statue of Liberty or Times Square. I thought it was a very memorable experience.”
After a year of planning, Choir Director Andrew Perez and Instrumental Directors Katie Takahashi and Corey Wicks have worked diligently to arrange the trip to New York. They’ve worked on delegating which instruments to carry onto the airport and which to rent at New York. Beyond getting school approval or coordinating with a tour company to create the itinerary, the directors not only hoped students will utilize the trip to explore the vast city but also look forward to directing the band and choir students in their performance.
“[With the trip], I hope they get to see a different part of our country and see different cultures. It’s really great to get outside of your comfort zone and see other parts of the world,” Wicks said. “[Being able to go to New York] is amazing since it’s one of the musical towns of the world. So we’re really excited about not only performing but seeing some great performances too.”
