It’s nearly impossible to completely sum this entire trip up in one short article, but there are a few moments that stand out to me. One such example is the last concert on Monday, July 22. Playing for Dublin in the National Concert Hall was a simply amazing opportunity. When we finished the last piece, Rainbow Body, I looked at the rest of the orchestra. We were all full of emotion, some crying, some smiling, but all exhilarated. The energy in the room as the last note faded out was almost overwhelming. After the concert, we had a wonderful experience meeting up with members of the audience. I met some Irish girls my age who were there for a leadership camp. It was really interesting to talk to them and get to know someone my age from across the world; we had so much in common.
My favorite team experience of the week was the Irish music lesson. None of us had ever played Irish folk music before, least of all on concert instruments. It was a completely unique few hours. The coaches taught us songs in both Gaelic and English, which I think was a great honor. They were willing to put up with our horrible pronunciation of Gaelic words in order to teach us what they were most passionate about.
These past ten days were completely crazy in the best way possible. I will never forget this experience and I am so grateful to everyone who made this great opportunity possible.
