The lions roared, the jellyfish swam, the frogs jumped, and our orchestra students played their hearts out on an exhilarating trip to San Diego! Every year, the Arcadia Orchestras program hosts an overnight trip in the spring, giving members the opportunity to create memories of a lifetime.  And aside from the rides at SeaWorld, the exotic creatures at the San Diego Zoo, and the iconic views at Seaport Village, these students secured multiple wins at this year’s WorldStrides Festival!

Day 1: 

Yawns and tired groans filled the orchestra room at 6 a.m. on a cold Friday morning, but a sense of excitement lingered; in just a few hours, the students would be exploring everything the San Diego Zoo had to offer!  By 10 a.m, the charter buses had arrived at the zoo, and everyone was free to go out and explore, whether that be the thousands of animals hiding in every corner of the park, or the (frankly overpriced) delicious food at every stop.  Some of the favorites of the day included the adorable pandas, overwhelmingly huge elephants, and extravagant birds with noises almost as beautiful as our orchestras.  The fun came to a short halt at 5 p.m, and the orchestras made their way to the Westfield Mission Valley Mall for dinner.  Delicious meals were followed by a departure to the Hilton Hotel, and everyone was able to catch up on some long-awaited sleep after a thrilling first day.  

Day 2: 

That long-awaited sleep after Day 1 was not as long as you’d expect, and alarms quickly sounded at 5am to begin the second day of the trip.  Day 2 was truly the most packed day of the weekend, commencing with a trip to Cuyamaca College for the performance aspect of this trip. Our Premier/String Orchestra played Pavane by Faure, Griot’s Dance by Mosier, and Rondeau by Purcell, energizing the room and showcasing what every musician in our program is capable of.  After a few tweaks from the judges and a whole lot of applause, Concert/Symphony blew the audience away with Coleridge-Taylor's “Valse” from Four Novelleten and Mendelssohn’s String Symphony No. 1 in B Minor, which truly resonated with the judges, who acknowledged our students and congratulated them on their performance.  Following this early morning euphony, everyone loaded back onto the bus and made their way to SeaWorld!

Once more, students quickly navigated the park to maximize their fun, and highlights included the orca and jellyfish exhibits, the numerous rides and roller coasters, fun photo ops, and at the very end of the night, the awards ceremony.  Those early morning performances from an ensemble lacking sleep ended up paying off, as our Concert/Symphony was awarded Gold and received the highest score amongst all the orchestra ensembles!  Premier/String also received a Silver award, and our very own concertmaster senior Gavin Yang received an award for his incredible solo!  The ride back to the hotel was filled with excitement, relief, and retellings of the joyful memories made throughout the day. 

Day 3:

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Day 3 began with a slow morning, with delicious breakfast served at 8 a.m.before the students boarded charter buses to make their way to Seaport Village. There, they spent the rest of the day exploring the small, unique shops, admiring the view of the sea (and taking multiple photos), and trying the many different types of food San Diego had to offer. After an eventful day at the village, the students boarded the buses one last time back to Arcadia. 

Trips like these are what make being in orchestra so memorable and thrilling. The amount of fun and thrills you get to experience are truly unmatched and unforgettable, and you’ll make friends that last a lifetime. If you thought this trip sounded like your kind of vacation, consider joining orchestra next year for the 2027 Tour to Orlando, Florida!