CYO & CYCh Tour 2018

June - July 2018

A four-concert tour to Olomouc in the Czech Republic and Bratislava in Slovakia. Read more

85footprints
6countries
36days
463photos
33videos
2.1kmiles

Follow Calendar Share Bucket list

Traveler CYO & CYCh Tour 2018
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jun 23, 2018, 10:34pm
- ☁️ 14 °C
- Altitude: 358 ft
- England Northampton Hardingstone 52.21, -0.8866752°12’36” N 0°53’12” W
Day 1
CYO Pre-Tour concert, 23rd June 2018
June 23, 2018 in England ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
A fantastic concert was given this evening by the CYO at Northampton High School. The orchestra was conducted first by Richard Roper and began with a confident performance of Verdi's Force of Destiny overture before welcoming NMPAT brass teacher Andy Johnson to perform Vaughan williams' Tuba Concerto. Andy gave a superb performance full of virtuosity, sensitivity and musicality and the orchestra did a fine job accompanying him. CYO finished the first half with 'Four Sea Interludes' by Benjamin Britten, a beautifully descriptive set of pieces taken from the opera Peter Grimes. Tonight was a great opportunity to run through the 'Four Sea Interludes' as the orchestra will be performing them again on stage at Symphony Hall, Birmingham as part of the finals of the National Festival of Music for Youth in two weeks.

After the interval CYO 's leader, Jade Segler, did an amazing job as soloist in two pieces from Schindler's List by John Williams, underlining what an exciting musician she is, with a really bright future ahead of her! The concert concluded with Tim Green conducting Shostakovich's 9th Symphony and the orchestra did a fine job with this incredibly difficult and demanding piece. The performance was full of energy and vitality with some incredible solo work and amazing 'tutti' passages.

With several of these pieces scheduled to be performed in the Czech Republic and Slovakia all that can be said is that the audiences will be in for a real treat, so bring on the tour!...

...although before that we should just get through the two 'Generations' Concerts first...and end of year Concerts for the choirs, Big Band, CYCB & CYBB...and Summer Concerts for the Saturday Centres...and the National Festival performances for 13 NMPAT Groups...and 1000+ County Auditions...

...but after that definitely BRING ON TOUR!!!Read more
6 likes
Traveler CYO & CYCh Tour 2018
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jun 30, 2018, 7:29pm
- ☀️ 24 °C
- Altitude: 394 ft
- England South Northamptonshire District Slapton 52.13131, -1.0556852°7’53” N 1°3’20” W
Day 8
Bradden Chamber Concert
June 30, 2018 in England ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
This afternoon there was a concert given by the Segler String Quartet, the Arnold Wind Quintet and the MCB String Quartet at St. Michael's Church in Bradden. We mentioned at the tour meeting that we were hoping to use our existing chamber groups whilst we are in the Czech Republic and Slovakia to promote our concerts in town squares and play whilst audiences arrive and based on the beautiful playing from all three groups this afternoon we will definitely need to make this happen on tour!

All three groups were superb and played a good variety of music to a very appreciative audience. The fact that this followed a full-on CYO Tour/NFMY rehearsal, was also in that "end of exams/end of term" period and took place in 30+ degrees heat (outside at least!) made the whole event even more impressive and enjoyable.

The eagle-eyed amongst you may notice that the Segler quartet had a couple of 'ringers' - unfortunately Emma B was stuck in Menorca due to a cancelled flight (poor thing!?!) so Michael N kindly filled in on viola; and Amy D was also out and about on holiday so Mrs Malitskie took over cello duties for the day.

We hope the tour prep is going well and that you are all looking forward to what should be a super trip to some wonderful places...not long to go now!!Read more
5 likes
Traveler CYO & CYCh Tour 2018
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jun 30, 2018, 7:34pm
- ☀️ 24 °C
- Altitude: 384 ft
- England South Northamptonshire District Slapton 52.13133, -1.055752°7’53” N 1°3’21” W
Day 8
Segler Strings at Bradden
June 30, 2018 in England ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
A couple of clips from the Segler Strings this afternoon. A bit of their Haydn Quartet and a bit of 'Serenata' by Turina.
5 likes
Traveler CYO & CYCh Tour 2018
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jun 30, 2018, 7:38pm
- ☀️ 24 °C
- Altitude: 394 ft
- England South Northamptonshire District Slapton 52.13127, -1.0556952°7’53” N 1°3’20” W
Day 8
MCB Quartet at Bradden
June 30, 2018 in England ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
And a couple of clips from the MCB Quartet, one from Dvorak's American Quartet, the other the opening from Borodin's Nocturne.
4 likes
Traveler CYO & CYCh Tour 2018
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jun 30, 2018, 7:40pm
- ☀️ 24 °C
- Altitude: 384 ft
- England South Northamptonshire District Slapton 52.13126, -1.0557252°7’53” N 1°3’21” W
Day 8
Arnold Quintet at Bradden
June 30, 2018 in England ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
The Arnold Quintet performing one of Denes Agay's dances.
5 likes
Traveler CYO & CYCh Tour 2018
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jul 9, 2018, 8:38pm
- ⛅ 17 °C
- Altitude: 354 ft
- England Kettering District Broughton 52.3741, -0.7760352°22’27” N 0°46’34” W
Day 17
Tour Polo Shirts
July 9, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
The long-awaited 2018 tour polo shirts have arrived and are ready for collection at NMPAT!

Following much discussion, several colour suggestions from Mr. Roper (Bright Yellow...seriously?!?!) and a CYO petition over the possibility that the polos could be 'Burnt Orange' we have settled on the, rather elegant, colour of Burgundy, and very fetching they look too!

They are laid out in alphabetical order in the common room so be sure to pick yours up before next Thursday...

...nearly into single figures now, 10 more sleeps!!!
😀😀😀😀Read more
4 likes
Traveler CYO & CYCh Tour 2018
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jul 14, 2018, 10:53am
- ⛅ 22 °C
- Altitude: 322 ft
- England Northampton 52.2436, -0.8844552°14’37” N 0°53’4” W
Day 22
Final CYO Tour Rehearsal
July 14, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
The final Saturday rehearsal for the 2017-18 CYO and a chance to run through all of the tour music. Mr Green can be seen double-checking that Shostakovich's 9th Symphony still sounds vaguely as the composer intended...thankfully it does!

Missing a few due to Sponne and NSG tours (such busy musicians!) but still a great turnout and lots of smiles and laughs this morning. The orchestra has worked really well together all year and along with the amazing CYCh are sure to put on some fabulous performances in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Remember to pick up your tour polo shirt if you haven't done so already, and then get your last-minute preparations sorted (passports etc.!!) ready for Thursday.

News to follow soon of the tour quiz...watch this space!!Read more
15 likes
Traveler CYO & CYCh Tour 2018
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jul 17, 2018, 8:19pm
- ⛅ 19 °C
- Altitude: 299 ft
- England Northampton 52.24417, -0.8841252°14’39” N 0°53’3” W
Day 25
Equipment Van Loading
July 17, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
The first big logistical aspect of the tour took place this afternoon. Tim Green and I collected the tour equipment van and were joined by John Draper, Matt Butler and Meghan McCrimmon to sort out the "Jenga" strategy that is trying to fit the percussion gear, a keyboard, all of the electronic gear, 5 basses, 5 bass stools, 10 cellos, a long box, 3 trombones, 3 timpani, a bass drum, a xylophone, a bass clarinet, a tuba, a harp, a harp stool, 6 stands, 2 music folder boxes for CYCh, 1 music folder box for CYO, a partridge and a pear tree into the van so that it can get going tomorrow morning at 08.00!

Fortunately John, Matt and Meghan know what they're doing and they'll be supervising packing the van on tour; Tim has spent years doing this sort of thing too...I know my place so spent the majority of the time supervising and taking photos!?!? The photos show various stages of loading, and I'm sure you'll agree that the team did a fabulous job (I feel the unsung hero was the supervisor...)

John and Matt will be setting off in the morning to get all the equipment to the Czech Republic; all being well they will stop near Stuttgart tomorrow night and get to Olomouc late on Thursday afternoon, so they should be all refreshed when we arrive on the Friday! Meghan will then share van duties with John and Matt whilst we're in the Czech Republic and Slovakia so the final picture is "Team Tour Van"!

Best wishes for a safe journey, and we will catch up with you on Friday afternoon!Read more
23 likes
Traveler CYO & CYCh Tour 2018
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jul 19, 2018, 1:33pm
- ⛅ 25 °C
- Altitude: 299 ft
- England Northampton 52.24411, -0.8840552°14’39” N 0°53’3” W
Day 27
And we're off!
July 19, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Well not that the tour staff wish to gloat but we think the itinerary said "students arrive 11.00, coaches arrive 12.00 and departure will be 13.00" and I'm currently writing this blog entry on the M1 motorway as we managed to set off from NMPAT at 13.10 so all things considered the plan seems to be working!

Loading 119 students, 13 staff and the copious amounts of luggage that I personally brought (I may have mentioned to Mrs. Malitskie that having seen the results of my packing I thought we should have booked a third bus!?!). However everyone is safely on the two coaches, Mrs. M and I are currently being serenaded (although I'm not sure that's actually the right word?!) by the back of the top deck attempting to sing 'Don't Stop Me Now', 'YMCA' and - rather aptly at the moment - 'SOS'!

However we are on our way, next stop Dover!!!Read more
Traveler "When you're gone, how can I even try to go on?" Sing it, Pierce!! (Don't worry, I think we'll survive!!)
7/19/18Reply
Traveler Bon voyage!
7/19/18Reply
Traveler Are you nearly there yet?
7/19/18Reply
4 more comments
31 likes
Traveler CYO & CYCh Tour 2018
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jul 19, 2018, 4:32pm
- ⛅ 21 °C
- Altitude: 30 ft
- England Dover Dover Ferry Terminal 51.12575, 1.3326351°7’33” N 1°19’57” E
Day 27
17.25 Ferry
July 19, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
We have arrived in Dover! Loading soon and then on to Calais!
Traveler The pics are fffabbb! Keep them coming - they are a great antidote to the ‘empty nest’ syndrome being experienced here! 😊
7/19/18Reply
Traveler Loving this blog and the pictures! More please. x
7/19/18Reply
37 likes