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Band trip of a lifetime

If people of Madrid didn’t know anything about Alberta, many of them now have a good idea thanks to a group of young musicians. For 11 days, from March 24 until April 3, St.
t. Mary School’s music teacher Oscar-Jose Garcia leads the senior wind ensemble during a 90-minute performance at a shopping mall in Madrid during the band’s 11-day trip to
t. Mary School’s music teacher Oscar-Jose Garcia leads the senior wind ensemble during a 90-minute performance at a shopping mall in Madrid during the band’s 11-day trip to Spain March 24 to April 3.

If people of Madrid didn’t know anything about Alberta, many of them now have a good idea thanks to a group of young musicians.

For 11 days, from March 24 until April 3, St. Mary School’s senior wind ensemble and jazz band put their hometown on display in the Spain’s capital region, and impressed locals during a handful of performances.

“Some people came up to me and stopped me and said, ‘We didn’t know these were kids.’ They get that from their community adult bands and not from kids,” said music teacher Oscar-Jose Garcia.

“They don’t have the music programs in the schools like we do. They were in total shock that kids from 14 to 18 were playing that quality of music.

“They were super ambassadors. Every parent and every kid should be proud of what they accomplished.”

What started as an exchange trip three years ago, morphed into a Spanish concert tour for the St. Mary bands after the other high school pulled out.

Destined to keep the trip alive, Garcia overhauled the itinerary and changed it into a performance tour. In spite of all the changes, it went off without a hitch.

“The kids were fantastic, they behaved well and performed perfectly,” Garcia said. “They outshined anything I would have expected … I didn’t expect it to go this well.

“It was a lot of work and now it’s just a memory.”

The group toured Madrid and the outlying areas of Segovia, Avila and Toledo, performing at malls, schools and theatres along the way.

“Our first performance was in an old church that was converted into a theatre in Segovia, which was very beautiful. That was our first concert and the kids were just great,” Garcia said.

“We played at a private Catholic school in the outskirts of Madrid for 200 kids and all the staff. The kids really appreciated that concert.”

It was the first trip of its kind in the school’s history. Garcia said in the past he had taken the kids to compete at festivals, never leaving the continent.

“When you go to a festival, we play three pieces. Here we played different music every night and they had to be sharp,” Garcia said.

“I have a repertoire of about 30 pieces that the kids had prepared and were ready to play and did play very well.”

When they weren’t performing, students were constantly touring. For many it was an eye-opening experience, Garcia said.

“We took in a lot of different things. Just the whole outlook of Europe and being able to be absorbed into the atmosphere and the liveliness … it really took them by surprise,” Garcia said.

It was also Garcia’s swan song with the band as he is set to retire at the end of the school year. On official goodbye will be held on May 7 at the Westlock and District Community Hall, coinciding with the band’s annual dinner and show.

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