Sydney Seebecker
Yee-haw! A week ago, band and choir students from AHS were given the opportunity to go on a trip to Nashville. They spent three full days exploring the city and the surrounding suburbs.
During day one, they went to a Honky Tonk for a live band. Carson Olmstead, David Kissinger, Jackson Olmstead, Mr. Liebl, and Mr. H.U. were given a chance to have the stage. They did a “spur of the moment” performance of “Sweet Home Alabama.” For lunch, they went to the Nashville Farmers Market. After that, they went to Sound Kitchen, where both the band and choir got to do a recording session. To close their night, they attended a show put on by the Irish Tenors and Nashville Symphony. Aleena Rosacker stated, “It was super exciting and high energy. It was also really fun to record at such an influential recording studio!”
For day two, they visited both the Country Music Hall of Fame and Madame Tussaaud’s Wax Museum. In the morning, the group was given the opportunity to write a song with a Nashville songwriter. Their song was titled “Tuba Time.” In the afternoon, they got a backstage tour of the Grand Ole Opry and then attended that night’s live show at the Opry. In regards to day two, Ryley Riggert recalls, “The mall was awesome, and the Grand Ole Opry was spectacular!”
On the third day, the students spent the morning at Vanderbilt University. Here the group had critiquing sessions with Vanderbilt’s very best. After the clinic, the group went to Centennial Park. They saw the Parthenon and got to take in the wonderful view of the park. Later they explored Nashville’s 5th and Broadway. The National Museum of African American Music was part of what they explored. They ended the day with a Motown group’s performance. The group had a bit of down time at the end of the night to relax, swim, and hangout. Evie Guenther commented, “We learned that quiet hours at the hotel start at 10.”
The trip to Nashville was a great experience for the band and choir students. They got to visit many museums, see many live performances, and become better musicians and singers themselves.