Nearly 90 band and orchestra students, chaperones, and teachers spent their Spring Recess in Nashville, Tennessee. They performed, grew musically, and took in the local culture. The trip was led by Kenmore East band director Phil Aguglia, band teacher Patrick Towey, and Kenmore East orchestra teacher Laura Jay.
“The whole trip was a highlight reel,” Aguglia said. “I’ve taken over three dozen band trips (sometimes two in a year) and always strive to make them unique.”
The trip lasted four days and included several big opportunities and experiences, some a mystery to the students, which made it an even more exciting adventure.
Their 1st day included the drive down through Louisville where they line danced, outran a tornado, and stopped for a photo at Churchill Downs. On the 2nd day, they visited the Corvette Museum and the new Aviation Heritage Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky. After arriving in Nashville, they ate at the Assembly Food Court, toured the Ryman Auditorium and Musicians Hall of Fame, and took a photo at Symphony Hall. Their 3rd day included a brief campus tour of Vanderbilt University and a clinic with Dr. Thomas Verrier. They also went to the Country Music Hall of Fame, had a Studio B Tour, and performed at the Opry Plaza before attending a show at the Grand Ole Opry. Later that night, college-bound students were given the chance to learn about the process of searching for schools and scholarships with Dr. Randall Bayne of Scholarshipauditions.com. On the 4th day, the group headed back to Buffalo with a stop at the Mammoth Caves in Kentucky.
