Sunshine Beach High Italy Tour 2009

Our last few days in Rome...

2009-10-06T04:44:00.000-07:00

It has hard to believe that we leave in two days! It has been a marvellous trip.

Today the students have gone to the Vatican to see St Peters Basilica, The Vatican Museum (and Sistene Chapel) and climb The Dome (yes another climb). We will soon be heading to Trevi Fountain.

The Monestary is lovely, and the Sisters very cute!

So the news everyone has been waiting to hear..... my night at the Discotech with 14 students! Very similar to a Blue Light Disco i am sure. Please do not believe any rumours that you may hear about me dancing on a table or having my head patted by some random man (??) .... they are ALL rumours!

The kids had a great time. I will put a photo of the girls with their new shoes. many were hobbling after a very short time hee hee hee.

It was a very sad farewell to our friends from Bologna. Many tears. They certainly looked after us while we were there.

We look forward to being back in Australia (well.... David, Helen and Pam do!)

Thanks everyone for following the blog. Not sure if we will have the opportunity for another post. maybe???

And more greetings from Bologna!!

2009-10-02T03:30:00.001-07:00

A photograph of the students waiting for Mr Allan, who was 5 minutes late! (after helping students by taking them up to the Leaning Tower of PISA)

Ms Leyden back again...

It has been a very very busy couple of days.

When i was last in this internet cafe, the students were tiptoeing around the Theatre Commune (opera house of Bologna). They were given the opportunity to go into the orchestra pit, go on stage, and also try on costumes! After I joined them the guide then took the students right up to the very top of the theatre (just above some of the private boxes) where the spot light is... the students were able to watch part of a rehearsal of the opera La Boheme by Puccini. This is an AMAZING and rare opportunity. The guide told us that she could get into a lot of trouble if the Producer saw us. It was incredible.

The next day (after many photos of Sunshine Beach SHS students holding up the Leaning Tower of PISA of which Jacob is giving a fine demonstration in the photograph above!) we also visited the house of Puccini, where we met his grandaughter (who is now quite elderly).

The performances yesterday were very special. The students sang in front of (and met), the Minister for Culture and Youth Policy, Nicoletta Mantovani (who is also the widow of Pavorotti). Another amazing opporunity! It is interesting to know that in Italian schools, music is not offered as a subject. The school we performed at in the morning is one of the few schools in Bologna that has a choir (only small). Senora Mantovani is hoping to try and open a school that offers Music in Bologna.

In the evening (yes, the performance didnt start until after 9.30pm) we were one of three choirs performing in the Palace of Bologna. All three choirs had rehearsed together on Tuesday evening (no rest for the wicked???) and learnt two Italian songs that we all sang together at the end of the concert (similar to our combined schools choir day with the choir from Marostica). Again, very beautiful and such a good experience.

Today, everyone is tired. As you will see in the photo of us sitting on the steps (this was taken this morning), three students have decided to stay at home until 4pm this afternoon, as they are getting sore throats and are very tired. So we were only 15 travelling to the Acadamia Philharmonica. This was the Academy that Mozart went to at age 14 years old. Also Verdi, Rossini, Respeghi, Ravel, Corelli, Torelli, Saint Saens, Paul Dukas.... Many many famous composers that the students learn about in school. They walked through the rooms that Mozart learnt composition in.

Enough for now. This afternoon we are making pasta with the seniors of Bologna, and eating dinner with the families. Tomorrow, off to Verona. And then.... a day off!!

Life is Beautiful.

Helen, David, Pam and the Sunshine Beach Students!

Its Danielle and Alex!!

2009-09-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

Ciao tutti! (And Skeet!)
Danielle and Alex here, reporting from Bolonga City =)
Just letting you know how much fun we're having without you all.
Joking!!!
Spent a great day in Pisa today, very hot, humid and busy!
Unfortunatly a few of us learnt the consequences of not meeting Mr. Allans time requirements and spent a lovely hour with his Majesty ;)
However some were lucky to make it up the tower.

Yesterday we spent an interesting day touring the oldest sights of Bolonga, and indulging ourselves in the historical art and top quality architecture of some of the most ancient buildings that we have ever seen!!!

From the students point of veiw we are having an amazing time! The host families are treating us like their own, and we are endlessly enjoying their company and food. Seems sad that we leave on Monday not knowing when we will meet again.

Anyway, on a happier note, early start tomorrow, so not so happy :(
2 performances, one at a local high school, where we sing for v.i.p council members and the second at the Palace of Bolonga. Which doesn't start until 9 o'clock tomorrow night!

Until then we leave with you with the images of us taking in the essence of Europe and basking in Italy's glorious atmosphere hahahahahah

Ciao,
Alex and Danielle

More greetings from Bologna

2009-09-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 29 September
Hi all (especially to my cat skeet who i see is one of the followers of the blog!!)
Bologna is going well. Apparently the weather for this time is unusally hot. and boy is it hot. so much for being cold (which is was two weeks ago). everybody is telling us that we are very very lucky..... and we are!
yesterday we went to Florence. a beautiful city (did i mention it was hot?). the kids now have at least 40 kg of excess baggage. to go with all the masks we now have handbags. many many bags! some of them are getting very good at bartering. others need to work on the skill a little more. Five of our girls at different times bought the SAME bag.... all for VERY different prices! and yes it is a very nice bag!
i am going to hand the blogging over to some of the kids, as some of them have better access to computers than we do. so hopefully there may be more regular updates.
all is going great. we are eating so much. not sleeping enough. and behaving.
life in italy is wonderful.
Helen (and David and Pam and the Sunshine Italy Group)

Greetings from Bologna

2009-09-27T01:38:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the infrequent posts, but it has been difficult gaining internet access in the smaller towns we have stayed in.

Our stays in cividale del friuli and marostica were great. Our hosts have been fantastic and we have been looked after SO well.... We enjoyed a trip to venice last wednesday which was great - a real eye opener. SO MANY TOURISTS on the streets!! We will have at least another 20kg of excess baggage with the students stocking up on the essentials of masquerade masks from venice and bags and other fashion accessories from the various markets.

We have now done 4 performances: 2 in cividale, 1 in udine and the most recent in a little church building in marostica.

All is going well and will post again when able.

Cheers \ Salute

David, Helen and Pam

HELLOOOOOOO!

2009-09-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

What a great start to the trip. The flight over was great. well. very very long. but we coped. only one lot of money and cash cards was left on the plane from brisbane to dubai. and it was handed in! without the cash of course. one phone has been left on a bus. (also handed in) and one suitbag left hanging in a tree. it also was recovered!

that has been the lost and found of our trip so far. nothing missing!

we sang this morning in udine. and their choir of 60 girls sang three songs for us. would you believe that we both sang the same song! it was great. they also sang beautifully. we are now off to the town centre of cividale to sing near the statue of ceasar (who founded cividale in 50BC).

The school where we are staying is gorgeous. they are taking care of us like we are royalty. we are feeling very special.

Welcome to our blog

2009-09-07T22:39:00.000-07:00

Welcome! This is the first blog for our Vocal tour to Italy. The SBSHS Music Group consist of...
Angus Hall, Hannah Radge, Andrew Sharpe, Courtney Sharpe, Gabby Sharp, Anna Schreiner, Emma Schreiner, Jacob Phelan, Savannah Lenggu, Sydney Stokes, Danah Murphy, Jessie Buckman, Megan Braithwaite, Tegan Madden, Rachael Frohmuller, Alex Lawson, Cianna Wright, Danielle Dunlop.
I will try and post photos & updates while we are travelling..... feel free to check in via the SBSHS website. Enjoy!