Save the Music- Teacher Trip
Donation protected
In September, I made the commitment not to attend any professional development activities this year in order to attend the WAWOP in Schladming, Austria in July. This is basically an adult band camp for musicians from all over the world. We rehearse for the week and present two concerts. In addition, we experience the week as a group, dining together, traveling to nearby sites together, and bonding through music. Musicians from many backgrounds and different nationalities come together to speak the language of music.
I’ve had an extremely tumultuous spring with many unexpected turns-ultimately resulting in me leaving my position of 18 years due to cuts in the band program, and pulling our youngest daughter out of the only school she has ever known one year before completing the final grade with her classmates. Today, on my final day of school I was told that I must pay $1002.75 to my now former school to cover the cost for this experience.
Because we committed to this trip, well before I had any idea these changes would be taking place, we decided to take our three children with us on this trip to make up for the failed 25-year anniversary trip to Sweden a few years ago. We have now committed our funds to the trip but will potentially lose the opportunity to go because I am now being told to pay this amount back to the school. We just don’t have the funds right now as I am about to be without pay for one month as I change employers.
Over spring break we had the opportunity to travel to Italy with Rick's high school band and Laurel and I both performed on French Horn with the high school students in the two performances. The first performance was in the small town of Lucca and was a combined concert with their community band. The NC group performed first, followed by the Lucca ensemble. At the end of the concert, the two groups combined to perform the national anthems together for the two countries. With no rehearsal, our group proceeded to the staging area and began seeking out the Italian ensemble members who played the same instrument so that we could share music for the joint performance. Although we found no other French Horn players, one particular Italian tenor saxophonist was quite excited to strike up a conversation with us. "Italian?" he asked, hoping for an exchange. "No, just English," I responded. He was visibly dejected as his shoulders slumped, disappointed by the lost opportunity. It was then that I conjured up my inner-Dr. Tim and responded with "Music-we both speak music!" His face lit up as a smile spread across his face. "Music! Ah, Music! Yes, Music!" "We speak music!" he said excitedly. We then turned our efforts to performing, side by side, two people from different cultures, who speak different languages, unable to even carry out the simplest of pleasantries about the weather or lunch, performing unrehearsed for the crowd which had gathered. It was a defining moment for me. And there, in the cathedral in Lucca, Italy, it hit me-this passion we have for music has no boundaries, no language barriers.
I am not usually one to ask for help, but in this case, I just am desperate and want this trip to happen so we don’t lose out on a second family trip after our previous disappointment. Any help in offsetting this unexpected cost would be greatly appreciated. Any funds raised over the bill from the school will help offset our gap insurance and costs associated with the job transfer.
I’ve had an extremely tumultuous spring with many unexpected turns-ultimately resulting in me leaving my position of 18 years due to cuts in the band program, and pulling our youngest daughter out of the only school she has ever known one year before completing the final grade with her classmates. Today, on my final day of school I was told that I must pay $1002.75 to my now former school to cover the cost for this experience.
Because we committed to this trip, well before I had any idea these changes would be taking place, we decided to take our three children with us on this trip to make up for the failed 25-year anniversary trip to Sweden a few years ago. We have now committed our funds to the trip but will potentially lose the opportunity to go because I am now being told to pay this amount back to the school. We just don’t have the funds right now as I am about to be without pay for one month as I change employers.
Over spring break we had the opportunity to travel to Italy with Rick's high school band and Laurel and I both performed on French Horn with the high school students in the two performances. The first performance was in the small town of Lucca and was a combined concert with their community band. The NC group performed first, followed by the Lucca ensemble. At the end of the concert, the two groups combined to perform the national anthems together for the two countries. With no rehearsal, our group proceeded to the staging area and began seeking out the Italian ensemble members who played the same instrument so that we could share music for the joint performance. Although we found no other French Horn players, one particular Italian tenor saxophonist was quite excited to strike up a conversation with us. "Italian?" he asked, hoping for an exchange. "No, just English," I responded. He was visibly dejected as his shoulders slumped, disappointed by the lost opportunity. It was then that I conjured up my inner-Dr. Tim and responded with "Music-we both speak music!" His face lit up as a smile spread across his face. "Music! Ah, Music! Yes, Music!" "We speak music!" he said excitedly. We then turned our efforts to performing, side by side, two people from different cultures, who speak different languages, unable to even carry out the simplest of pleasantries about the weather or lunch, performing unrehearsed for the crowd which had gathered. It was a defining moment for me. And there, in the cathedral in Lucca, Italy, it hit me-this passion we have for music has no boundaries, no language barriers.
I am not usually one to ask for help, but in this case, I just am desperate and want this trip to happen so we don’t lose out on a second family trip after our previous disappointment. Any help in offsetting this unexpected cost would be greatly appreciated. Any funds raised over the bill from the school will help offset our gap insurance and costs associated with the job transfer.
Organiser
Candi Granlund
Organiser
Indianapolis, IN
