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  • Day 35

    Student Blog - Rachel & Michael

    July 27, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Not going to lie but we really struggled to put into words everything we could possibly want to say about teachers, friends and experiences as there is just so much to be thankful for but such little time to express our gratitude. But we’ll try for you...

    Between the two of us we’ve had the pleasure of being part of the NMPAT orchestral family for 15 years and another 6 years of music centres prior to that (shout out to Welly centre)!

    This past week has been a perfect end to a phenomenal lifetime spent in the NMPAT community but obviously it wouldn’t be a tour without a few stories worth sharing.

    Rachel - It began by being labelled as ‘the one that spread her cold through the bus’ and ended with Mrs Malitskie, Mr Spinner and Hannah Allen walking a 40 minute round trip back to my hotel room after I’d thrown away my contact lenses before a concert and didn’t have my glasses with me (thanks Courtney for lending me your glasses for the first half) This definitely shows that we do not deserve the kind staff that we are blessed with. Just one highlight of the tour for me was playing with my quartet outside the Archbishop’s Palace - our first concert venue, because it further validated that chamber music is the way forward for me.

    Going from the youngest member of the orchestra on my first tour in 2014 to the oldest member this time means I had a completely different experience, despite most of the staff being on both! The tiny, reserved violinist I was then might have shown a smile at Kirkwood or Roper but the musician that they have helped make me today cracks jokes and throws shade like there’s no tomorrow, which I think shows some kind of growth in confidence (?) and for that I cannot thank them both enough. I could never begin to show my gratitude towards everyone individually because it would take so long, so please, all NMPAT staff, include yourselves in this - you have made me who I am today, and at the age of 19 this is who I will be for at least the start of my adult life. I am proud of who I have become thanks to you, and I wish for everyone making their way through the county system to feel the same pride to be a part of the best family around.

    Michael - After an incredible first concert, I had a minor wardrobe malfunction for the second. I accidentally left my concert gear in my hotel room. I noticed 45 mins before the concert and I broke down... but miss Kelly calmed a panicked Michael and told me she’d sort it. After a coach driver looked and Sonia walked to the bus and thoroughly searched she quickly gave me her tour top (as it was tour top concert day) and we searched for some black trousers. *here enters Amy Dolphin* ‘You can wear my culottes if you want’. DAMN I looked good and they were so comfy but the very short length of the trouser was concerning so I ended up with Josh’s trousers he’d worn that day (thx bby). So thanks for everyone for saving my bacon.

    I have one particular moment that made this tour for me. We’d taken an hour boat to Devin Castle and had some time to wander and explore. We’d found a small set of stairs that lead down to the riverbank and I just sat. The quiet was a beautiful contrast to the exciting but loud previous few days and I really needed that time to think. I sat there looking back at everything I have achieved over the past 10 years and how the nurturing and loving nature of all the NMPAT staff have made me proud to be a musician and I feel that I’ve blossomed into a proud and confident person who is comfortable and accepting of myself, where as a few years ago this was not the case. As Beth has always said, being happy all the time is harmful so being sad makes the happy times better and this message has stuck with me. As Rachel said, this has set me up to go into a new chapter of my life full of pride and maturity that could only have been created through the devoted family NMPAT create.

    From the both of us we’d just like to say...
    NMPAT doesn’t stop when you leave, it’s not a hobby that you just drop after A levels and it’s definitely not something that you’ll just forget about. It’s a community, a safe place and the biggest family you could imagine. You are encouraged to thrive and grow into the best version of yourself and for that we eternally thank each and every member of both staff and students.

    Peace out ✌

    Rach n Michael
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