This October, the East orchestra traveled to Los Angeles for a tour of the city! The orchestra spent their four days learning about movie and music connections through a myriad of activities! The trip was jam-packed with sights and sounds, and it was an amazing experience for students and chaperones alike.
On the first day, my flight group, Flight Group Two, landed at LAX around midday. We then went to the Grove Farmer’s market for lunch, where there were plenty of lunch options to choose from. We then traveled to UCLA (University of California- Los Angeles) to observe a Philharmonic rehearsal. In our downtime, we were permitted to explore the UCLA campus, where we took the picture at the beginning of the article. The picture was taken in the UCLA anthropology museum. After UCLA, we went to Universal CityWalk, which was very interesting with all the characters from different Universal movies.
The next day, we woke up bright and early to go to Disneyland. Before we hopped on any rides, we did a recording session of Disney music, and my group played music from The Lion King, which sounded pretty good! After that, we were permitted to do what we pleased for the day. Junior Gina Cabino said that her favorite ride in Disneyland was the Incredi-coaster and her favorite part of recording was adding in extra instruments (sweetener) when listening. We ended the day with beautiful (and spooky) fireworks at Cinderella’s castle, then went home.
On Saturday, we went to the Getty Art Museum. I am not a huge fan of art museums, but I saw these gorgeous Victorian-era tea sets painted with intricate flowers, and they were so well-made. After the Getty, we went to the Hard Rock Cafe on Hollywood Boulevard. The food was amazing, and after we explored the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I did see the Green Day star, but unfortunately did not get a picture. After the Walk of Fame, some people went on a hike in the Santa Monica Mountains. Freshman Emmett Knaack said his favorite part was the waterfall at the end. Others (myself included) went to the Santa Monica Pier, where we enjoyed a breathtaking view of the pier on a Ferris wheel, and did so much window shopping.
On Sunday, we started our day with a walking tour of Los Angeles. We explored different movie sites, including Blade Runner and La La Land. After that, we went to the Grammy Museum. I really enjoyed this part of the trip. Along with learning about the history of the Grammys and who won what, there was also an opportunity to explore music-making yourself. There were booths to explore rapping, singing, instrument playing, and even voice acting! After the Grammy museum, we went to Les Misérables at the Hollywood Pantages Theater, and it was absolutely amazing. I hadn’t seen Les Mis before, and I am so glad I got introduced to the musical in such a show-stopping way.
On Monday, our last day, we departed for the Griffith Observatory, a cliff edge where you can very clearly see the Hollywood sign. The view was absolutely stunning, and it was a great photo opportunity. I thought it was a great way to end the trip, and after that, we got on a plane for four and a half hours and returned home to the cold Wisconsin weather.
Overall, I believe I speak for many musicians when I say that the trip was extremely memorable, and I am so happy I went. My favorite part of the trip was Les Mis, and I’m sure that the experience will stick with us for a very long time.
