LAKE GARDA MUSIC TOUR LAKE GARDA MUSIC TOUR

At the end of June, we embarked on our highly anticipated tour to Italy, Lake Garda! The day prior, we showcased our well prepared pieces to parents and got packed for the trip. Our 24hr+ journey took us on a ferry from Dover to Calais, and through France and Switzerland. Travelling by coach allowed us to see the varied landscapes as we progressed on our journey, like the vast green mountains of Switzerland.

After the time spent travelling it was nice to settle into the hotel and relax by the pool, welcome in the warm weather. I was happy to find the hotel so accommodating for my dietary requirements and the staff on the trip supportive. It was a great learning experience, especially with trying to find suitable food in foreign service stations, theme parks and restaurants. Overall, I found accessing suitable food abroad easier than expected and would be more confident with tackling something like this again in the future.

During the tour, not only did we perform in concerts, but we also got to sightsee and explore different areas. On our first full day, we explored Verona, and saw Juliet’s balcony, the Capulet house and the Verona Arena from ‘Romeo and Juliet’. It was really interesting to see these historical places and fun to get our picture taken. My favourite place to visit was the Arena.

I also enjoyed the freedom we had, especially at Garda Land. It allowed us to spend time with friends and go on lots of rides, with roller coasters aplenty for thrill seekers.

On our final full day we set-off on a cable car that took us over 2200m in elevation up Monte Baldo. The view from cable cars was really cool, and the day was topped off when we all had ice creams at the end.

My favourite part of the trip was of course performing in the concerts. We performed in three in total at different venues to encouraging audiences. This was my first music tour and it was beyond my expectations. Above all, the tour was a brilliant experience and I can't wait for next year’s!

Thank you to Mr Buxton and all the staff who made the tour possible.

Thomas Pass

ENGLISH, HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY AND ENGLISH, HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY AND ART TRIP TO SCARBOROUGH ART TRIP TO SCARBOROUGH

Our year group couldn’t wait for the exciting residential trip to experience and learn about the Gothic literature (which we have been studying in English), history, geography and art at Scarborough and other areas of Yorkshire, organised by Mr Chadwick, and other teachers, between Monday 3rd July to Thursday 6th July.

Starting off day one with enthusiasm and excitement, our first stop was at the majestic mansion, Castle Howard, within the Howardian Hills (an area of outstanding beauty at the foot of the North York Moors national park) which is still the seat of the Howard family today. We saw art, opulence and heritage in an ancestral form. We compared the great house to Manderley from DuMaurier’s Rebecca – one of the great houses of Gothic literature. This was followed by an immersive slapstick comedy masterclass, provided by the Stephen Joseph Theatre company in advance of our trip to the theatre the following day; we enjoyed throwing fake cream pies at our friends and getting messy (just a little bit!). The day was not complete until we had some fun and frolics at the beach with friends where we played games, dug holes, and took in the view and sea air before bed. The second day started with a sun-drenched morning at the magnificent Scarborough Castle where we saw the main keep of the castle, and a medieval site surrounded by cliff sides as a natural defence.

We later went onto discover the grave of the renowned Yorkshire born writer, Anne Bronte, one for the three famed Bronte sisters, before devouring the delicious famous fish and chips of Scarborough. We had a refreshing walk along the seaside to view the disaster site of Holbeck Hall, which we were given some expert analysis by Mrs Dille and Mr Lee from geography as part of our learning about coastal erosion, to finally finish the day with an engrossing theatre performance of the play 39 Steps at the renowned Stephen Joseph Theatre; some of our troop even managed to be interviewed by the press to state our critique, and even meet some of the cast.

On the following day, we had a thrilling journey across the North Yorkshire Moors national park in a traditional steam locomotive from the town of Pickering to Whitby, which Mr Page gave us great insight to, where we visited the famous Whitby Abbey and the Gothic decaying graveyard which inspired the creation of the work Dracula by Bram Stoker. To experience more spooky events, we had a private ghost walk in groups, touring around all the eerie parts of Whitby. To bring some light relief, and to end the scary night, we indulged ourselves in bowling – which, it must be mentioned, was extreme fun!

To end our trip, we visited the breathtakingly beautiful Yorkshire Sculpture Park which was filled with unique artworks by some of Britain’s, and the world’s finest sculptors. We saw the works of Barbara Hepworth, Damien Hirst and Henry Moore, where with Mrs Rowlands' expert knowledge, we delved into the deeper and hidden meanings. We created our own interpretations of the art.

My highlight of the trip was our visit to Whitby Abbey as I believe it helped me understand the idea of Gothic conventions. The uncanny and derelict monastery that stood on top of a hill influenced and developed my Gothic writing style, showing me how Gothic conventions, such as isolation, can impact the reader, causing them to feel scared. And on a less academic note, it was also quite enjoyable as my friend and I gave each other piggy back rides whilst roaming around the monastery and learning about its secrets - climbing 199 steps to reach the abbey had taken its toll, so it had to be done, of course!

Srujan Swaroop