While the students had rehearsal Sunday, the chaperones snuck off to Warwick Castle.
In the afternoon the kids had a wonderful rehearsal with Paul McGrath:
In the evening our musicians were the audience, as they attended a Big Band concert — part of the festival they will be performing in tomorrow afternoon. After the concert, many of the kids played card games back at the hotel.
The afternoon was filled with sectionals, in preparation for their joint concert with the University of Warwick Orchestra.
Following sectionals rehearsals with the UW Orchestra, we played sports with the U Warwick Orchestra. Some well-known sports…
Four Square:
Frisbee:
Basketball:
Soccer:
And a few lesser-known sports….
Ball levitation:
Ye Olde Cards Against Humanitie:
Interpretive Dance:
Competitive Fence Climbing:
We returned to U Warwick and mingled with the orchestra members during lunch.
We started the day off again with english breakfast at the hotel and then headed to Coventry for shopping and sightseeing. Coventry is best known for the story of Lady Godiva as well as the Coventry Cathedral and the theme of reconciliation.
Perfect opportunity for a photo outside Coventry Cathedral.
Our kids played a spectacular concert to a packed house at Coventry Cathedral. It was exciting to see the line wrapping around to the back of the Cathedral and the audience was a-buzz with praise for the musicians — YPSO, adult and children’s chorus, and soloists.
After the concert, we received the following message:
I sang with Warwick University Chorus at last nights concert (Carmina Burana) at Coventry Cathedral and would like to say how wonderful your orchestra is. They were musically extremely impressive and also were totally professional and good-humoured during the two rehearsals and the performance. Our choir has sung with different orchestras over the years including London Philharmonic and Warsaw Philharmonic but this was something very very special. The energy and musicality of your young people lifted all our spirits and voices and David Ramanadoff was great too. It felt like a rare privilege to be part of the concert. Thank you — Kathy Webster
What a privilege to perform in Coventry Cathedral! Coventry Cathedral was built after World War II bombing reduced to an empty shell (which you can still see outside). After rehearsal, we had a light dinner of sandwiches in the green room.
For lunch we took over an entire restaurant (ironically named “Cafe Rouge”) and enjoyed a traditional English meal of “bangers and mash”.
Young People's Symphony Orchestra 