Warmth of Italian audiences impresses The Pittsburgh Youth Symphony
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Members of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra tour group enjoying the sights at St. Peter's Square in Rome.
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ROME, Italy -- The Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra staff debated whether to call the group's trip to Italy "The Potato Tour" (for the most frequent accompaniment to pasta), "The Gelato Tour" (the most common food) or "Hurry Up to Wait Tour" during the final banquet at the Hotel Tiberio in Rome.
Despite the late hours the staff put in juggling last-minute details, they were able to assemble their own version of the Academy Awards, from the "Forget Me Not" award to tuba player Jake Zawadski, who left cymbals behind at Pittsburgh International Airport, to the "Injury" award, won by cellist Amanda Vosburgh, who negotiated the entire trip with a knee-high boot on her leg.
By all accounts, the PYSO tour was a grand success, although that didn't mean it was easy to transport 150 people around the picturesque countryside. The three buses often had to thread a needle along winding mountain roads or perform virtuoso parking maneuvers at the narrow entryways to peach-colored hotels. Often, the group had to "hurry up to wait" at the Venetian water taxis or the Vatican museum just to keep the group together.
The trip started at a pianissimo level in the tiny spa town of Salice-Terme, so small that Google hasn't really found it yet. The first concert was about an hour away in Zavattarello, which had a shortage of restrooms, but a wealth of warmth. As bassoonist Joseph Merchant remarked, "I never played a concert and looked at a castle from my stand."
The students were able to observe Italy at its most authentic during those first few days.
"I like the traditional look of Italy," said oboist Mark Debski. "It's not Westernized yet."
"We try to imitate Italy, but it doesn't work," observed Rachel Silverstein. "You hear about it, but you don't understand until you get here."
The students also had to get used to the Italian diet. Yes, a combination of pasta and potatoes was almost a daily item, along with pressed ham, cheese and croissants for breakfast. Yet, like many others before them, the students also discovered the pleasurable effect of gelato, the Italian version of ice cream, and its many flavors (move over Baskin-Robbins).
The escalating size of the sights made their impressions. Venice, with its islands and bridges, made Madeline Docimo want to live there and the 2,000-year-old medieval walls of San Gimignano gave Ben Brodie a tangible history lesson.
First Published July 13, 2011 12:00 am
