The tour Imagine US: Celebrating America at 250 has just wrapped up, following performances in Interlochen, Detroit, Philadelphia and Boston.
This week, we get our final update from Ryan Crawford, a sophomore studying bassoon at Interlochen.
Listen to Ryan's dispatch on demand, or read an edited transcript below.
On his favorite of the four venues
PHOTO: see Ryan's view from the stage at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia
The Kimmel Center in Philadelphia is just such a grand hall. As I was walking in there, I saw how big it was. There was a balcony, and then another balcony, and then another balcony. Later in our rehearsal, I realized I hadn't turned my head up enough, and there were more balconies.
On his favorite moment of the tour
The Boston concert was probably my favorite. It was the last concert of the tour, and it was just very emotional. that this wonderful experience was coming to an end. I think a lot of people were feeling that.
On his non-concert tour activities
In Philadelphia, we took a tour of the Curtis Institute of Music. We had a Q&A with four students, and then later they were our tour guides of the campus. One of the students was a bassoonist, so me and my bassoon colleagues were able to talk to her about bassoon things at Curtis, and just bassoon things in general.
What's coming up for him this summer
I will be attending the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, CA. Then a few weeks later, I will be going to the International Double Reed Society's annual conference in Oxford, OH.
Interlochen Arts Academy students recently returned from the tour Imagine US: Celebrating America at 250.
The tour program included the premiere of a new cello concerto, composed by Wynton Marsalis and featuring Yo-Yo Ma as the soloist. The students also performed the Symphony no. 4 by Charles Ives and RE|Member, a work by Reena Esmail.
In each city, Arts Academy Orchestra members played alongside professional musicians from the host cities' orchestras: the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Classical IPR broadcast the Detroit stop of the tour in partnership with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and WRCJ. The broadcast is archived here.
