Bands Tour to Lido de Jesolo, Italy - 2011

Katie Clark, Bassoonist :

Suitcases stowed, a farewell hug to family and friends and its Goodbye Hull! Hello Italy!  Everyone’s really excited even though it will be a while before we set foot in Italy, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun along the way!  A little banter, a few magazines, some songs on my iPod, two films and that many games of blackjack that I actually start to win!  We finally board the ferry and leave British soil – gliding away from England until only the white cliffs of Dover stand out against the sea. 

We reach France!  We pass through Switzerland, we see the Alps! - before we know it we are in Italy! – or should I say Italia? 

Our first day is spent out and about near the hotel.  It’s not long before everyone finds where the beach is!  The town itself was absolutely beautiful; and with the lovely, warm temperature it wasn’t surprising that a few were tempted to a dip in the nearby fountains!  But with all the neat, little shops and new sights to see, time flew by and the day was gone.  

We really enjoyed the amazing trips that we had whilst on tour.  We spent a day in Venice, the city of 'lurve' – it was unbelievable!  The buildings themselves were masterpieces!  Venice is by far the most beautiful city I have ever been to! 

It was a great experience to visit Vivaldi’s church – quite amazing to think I was in the same spot where Antonio himself had once been: the same man who had composed so many pieces for the bassoon that I have listened to – pieces I hope one day I will be able to play!  

We hit the shops – I was astounded to see outlets such as Gucci and other shops which sold gorgeous, intricate Venetian masks.  

One Venetian mask and a fan later, six of us agreed to split the price of a 30 minute gondola trip – it was worth every penny!  What could be better than sitting in a gondola eating pizza in Venice?  We loved it! 

Another brilliant trip was a visit to the Murano glass factory – one of the most well-known glass factories in the world!  We sat and watched the glassmaker craft a horse out of glass in less than 60 seconds, true to his word . . . we knew it was true because we timed him!  In the Murano glass shop complex, chandeliers hung from the ceiling and it was full of vibrant jewellery, vases and cups, delicate sculptures and glimmering figurines.  I bought a beautiful necklace with a glass heart on it – it reflects the light in a stunning yet simplistic spectrum. 

But of course we wouldn’t leave Lido de Jesolo without a trip to the beach!  It was absolutely gorgeous!  Everyone went; the sun was out and the sea was warm, and we all enjoyed every minute of it! 

Finally the concerts – the tour wouldn’t be a tour without the concerts!  The townspeople absolutely adored our playing; many children danced along!  It really brought the people together.  I really enjoyed the concerts as you could see how much the town appreciated our playing; and the applause they gave was warm and thankful.  We sounded good, we played good, and we did good! 

Overall I found the tour wonderful and very memorable - certainly something I will look back on fondly for the rest of my life!  I would really like to thank the Reckitt’s Trust for their very generous support; the Friends’ Association for all the fundraising they do for our cause; the staff at the Albemarle, and all those who helped make the Bands’ Tour to Italy possible – we couldn’t have done it without you!

Lucy Clark, Flautist :

We set off in excitement, little realising the exhausting journey we were about to take!  Nevertheless it was worth every minute of it to get to Italy. 

In Venice we saw St. Mark's Square which has the most gorgeous clock tower, and the magnificent St. Mark's Basilica.  We also went to the Murano glass factory, where we had the master craftsman spin and shape the glass into goblets and animals right in front of us - the best being when he made a horse in under a minute!  The Murano glass shop did a roaring trade afterwards!  I'm sure that I was not the only one to savour the taste of delicious Italian ice-cream in the scorching, sunny weather!  We also visited the stunning Vivaldi's Church which was full of candles, paintings, and beautiful golden ornamentation. 

That's not to mention the concerts - these seemed to bring the surrounding areas of Italy alive - crowds of people stayed to hear us play.  The atmosphere was amazing; full of tension, adrenaline, buzz, and most of all brilliant music (even if I say so myself!).  If anything it was a bit too alive! - the wind nearly whipped us out of our seats . . . not to mention the sheet music!  The City of Hull Youth Bands Tour 2011 was a social and musical event as well as a holiday all rolled up in one! 

The windband has become more of a team and I know I've made some true friends while on tour.  I couldn't think of anything that could equal the tour and I believe it's an experience that every dedicated musician, and band, deserves. 

I would like to thank the Reckitt's Trust for their very generous support, the Albemarle staff, and the Friends' Association for supporting us and enabling us to go on this tour.  Without them I believe this amazing experience wouldn't have been possible - I would like to thank them for the amazing time we had! 

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