This year for many orchestra members this will be their first tour. I know that many of them – and their parents – might be a bit apprehensive about going so far away for two weeks on such a demanding tour, so to ease your minds I would like to share with you my experience going on my first tour to the east coast of America in 2011.
This time four years ago I was getting ready to go on my first Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra tour to America. I had been on a few trips with the orchestra before but nothing on this scale. I was very excited.
The night before I couldn’t sleep, I stayed up all night watching Friends on DVD. Before I knew it, it was a ridiculous time in the morning and I had to leave to meet up with everyone and get on board the bus to the airport, we all said our goodbyes and headed off down the road for the long journey to New York.
The flight was long but we were well entertained as the captain announced that a few members of the orchestra would be playing a selection songs to all on board. This was met with a welcome reception and many people took photos and videos and clapped along with Kenny G.
We traveled to four different states, staying in hostels and with host families, eating way to much food and exploring great destinations and tourist attractions. With early mornings and late nights it was certainly not a relaxing holiday but everything was so well organised and timed that it was worth the long days to fit in all of the sight and activities they had planned for us.
At the beginning of tour I only knew a few members of the orchestra, however as the tour went on I got to talk and spend time with almost everyone there and became great friends with many people I had never spoken to before.
Going on tour with AFO is an experience of a life time, we get to visit beautiful places, play concerts in amazing venues, meet lots of new people and over the 17 days we are away we become one big AFO family.
I hope everyone going on their first tour has as good a time as I did on mine in America!
-Hannah
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