This February, Princeton High School Orchestra toured across Italy and submerged themselves in the country’s culture during their week-long stay. In an effort to raise money for UNICEF Italian, PHSO held three concerts at Florence, Sorrento and Rome.

Their musical experiences aside, the students spent much of their time exploring the historic country. So, in an attempt to take a glimpse into what their experience in Italy was like, we interviewed PHSO members for their stories and asked them to share their most unforgettable memories.

Helena Gifford ’20:

Though I loved exploring ancient cities and visiting restaurants and ruins in Italy, some of my happiest memories came from simply sitting in the bus and gazing at the Italian landscape. For hours, I would put on my earbuds and simply stare out the window, not even bothering to turn on my music sometimes, too caught up in the landscape to care. Oftentimes we’d go through a long tunnel through a mountain and would finally emerge to the sight of entire towns sitting on top of mountains, with houses literally sitting on the edges of cliffs of death. But I never felt unsafe. … If there was a Harvard for bus drivers, our bus driver Anselmo would be a professor there. He navigated mountain roads and hairpin turns in the pitch dark and pouring rain. He executed maneuvers in that bus that I wouldn’t even attempt in a normal car. Our bus rides were magical, like something that existed outside of reality, and I loved them.

Julia Zhang ’21:

The most memorable part of the tour might have been the ride from our hotel to Positano, a village located on the side of a cliff on the Amalfi Coast. While the village itself was beautiful, the drive down was not exactly spectacular. You know those videos of a bus on the side of the cliff, and your anxiety spikes just a little bit because it seems like the bus will fall at any moment? That’s exactly what this drive was.

The orchestra endured an hour on a small bus that crawled down a long, narrow, winding road. The incessant turns were nauseating, especially since we had just eaten a three-course meal for lunch. We were inches away from the edge of the cliff. To the left of us was a rocky wall that we strained our necks to see the top of. To the right was a low railing made of rock and metal, and beyond it laid miles of fog over a calm, blue sea. The railing was the only thing that separated us from the water below, but I knew that if the bus tipped over, it would do nothing to catch us.

It was a relief when the bus finally stopped, and we rushed off, desperate to get out of its confining space. Honestly, as much as I love Positano, no one could pay me enough money to go back there by bus; experiencing that drive once is good enough for me.

Hannah Quan ’20:

It’s hard to choose a specific favorite moment from our tour when every moment was magical – even our never-ending bus rides and 2:00 a.m. “dinner with friends” at a gas station rest stop on our way to Venice. But I’ll never forget our time in Positano. The quaint cliffside houses overlooking the beach looked even more beautiful in real life than they did on my laptop screensaver. Most of the shops were closed, so the orchestra found itself reuniting at the one open cafe to indulge in the gelato we’d been looking forward to all trip. We skipped stones on the beach, felt the surprisingly warm water of the Tyrrhenian Sea, and took in the majestic sunset together before heading back to Sorrento on our cozy bus. Yet despite the beauty of Positano itself, it’s definitely safe to say that the people I was surrounded by were what made it that extra bit special and unforgettable.

Katherine Monroe ’23:

Although it was hard to beat the allure of Positano, our next destinations — Pompeii and Rome — did not disappoint. With the direction of a tour guide, we walked the ancient streets of Pompeii, which had remained practically untouched for almost 2,000 years. Although we didn’t get as much time in Rome as was originally planned, we managed to snap a group picture in front of the Colosseum. After Rome, we made our way to Vatican City. We spent hours exploring the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica, all of which are filled with overwhelmingly intricate and elaborate architecture, as well as sculptures, frescos, and paintings done by artists including Michaelangelo and Raphael. I would say that the Vatican was my favorite attraction. The artwork was really beautiful, and our tour guide did a fantastic job explaining the history behind it.

You may think that American pizza and pasta is good, but believe me — it is nothing compared to the food in Italy. The quality of Italian pizza is inexpressible in words. We pretty much only ate pizza, pasta, and gelato for the entire trip. In fact, a few days into the trip we noticed that very few restaurants even serve vegetables. The only vegetable-like things served with our meals were tomatoes, steamed spinach, and occasionally zucchini. I [also] discovered my love of pistachio gelato, and there’s no going back now.

Nipurna Shah:

The food we ate every meal was amazing. Every meal, whether it was lunch or dinner was three courses, with the first course always being pasta. At home, that bowl of pasta is my entire meal, but in Italy, it was just the first course, followed by the main meal and then dessert. What surprised me was even though we had pasta in every city, there were definitely regional flares that each city possessed. We had so many varieties of tomato sauce and each one was absolutely delicious, yet different. We literally ate our way through Italy and not only did I gain memories, I probably gained a few pounds too.

The boat ride to Venice was surreal. The weather was perfect, in the high sixties and sunny. There was a breeze blowing and the skyline of the city as we pulled up by boat was simply breathtaking. I had to pinch myself and say, is this really happening and am I really in Venice? It felt like I was in a movie. We were lucky enough to arrive right before carnevale started. People were dressed in costume and the whole spirit of the city felt so festive.

Sophia Teng ’20 :

Venice was actually different from how I expected it to be; instead of all the streets being rivers it was more like many blocks of land separated by rivers and connected with bridges. There was a large square in the center with a huge cathedral, St. Mark's Basilica. I loved the coziness of the narrow streets and cobblestone roads full of shops and restaurants. Venice is known for its Carnival, and there were many people walking down the streets in masks and full masquerade costume too! My friends and I stopped by several Venetian glass shops, and bought several pieces of jewelry as gifts. We also had time to buy some Italian leather goods before we left.

Christa Niver ’20:

The most memorable moment during the Italy tour was our two-hour stay in Venice. The architecture of the buildings was so delightful because of the bright colors and whimsical features. The best part were the small stores and the store-owners. My friends and I went into a small stationary shop that was filled floor to ceiling with leather notebooks, all of which were hand made from start to finish. Although the shop owner didn’t speak English, I was lucky that he spoke French, and he told us that all the patterns on the books were all painted by himself using a water-marbling technique. He showed his little station where he had a shallow rectangular box of water on which he poured paint on in different patterns — motifs, as he called them — and used a rake to create different lines and textures. He then dipped paper on it and the motif imprinted on paper. He was such a kind man and was eager to show strangers his craft. My friends and I would have stayed the entire day if we could because it was a heart-warming experience. I will definitely go back one day.

Martin Mastnak ’21:

Of our three concerts in Italy, [the one at Chiesa di Sant’Agnese in Agone, Rome], stays with me the most. It felt like the church was waiting for the orchestra’s first crisp note to rise into the air. The air resonated with every note we played. The notes enveloped us and became the surrounding space. Every member of the orchestra became part of a collective whole. Our violinists, violists, cellists, and bass players; our flutists and clarinetists; each harpist and pianist tapped into their souls to create a vessel of music. The orchestra was one and was, in turn, at one with the space of the church. It was as if the church itself spoke our music with a rich, reverberating voice that filled the ears and souls of every being in the building. After the concert, everyone’s face seemed aglow with an inner light. I have never felt as connected to every musician of the orchestra as I did that evening.

Michelle Bryson ’20:

It was such an honor to be a part of PHSO’s Italy Performance Tour and to experience authentic Italian food, learn about the country’s history and culture, and hang out with friends. But the music was the most memorable part of the trip. Lugging our instruments all over Italy, we played pieces from around the world by Italian, American, French, Chinese, and Argentinian composers in cathedrals decorated with beautiful mosaics and sculptures. At each concert, people filled up the rows and often a passerby or several would step in and listen, standing in the back. I remember that after the last concert, in Rome, a little boy and his father approached Mr. Loughran, telling him that he had just started learning how to play the violin, which goes to show how a shared love of music can bring people together. And although there were a few mishaps — a few non-functional keyboards here, an accidental flick of a baton causing sheet music to fall mid-concert there — I’m proud of our orchestra and the music we created together. As Mr. Loughran would say, “grazie mille” for an amazing last tour.