After performing at the school musical, the orchestra is looking forward to preparing for the PHS Orchestra California tour. COVID-19 travel restrictions over the last two years made Robert Loughran, director of the orchestral program at Princeton High School, eager to give his students the opportunity to travel across the nation and perform.

“When you’re able to tour and have your colleagues, your peers go with you, there is enthusiasm, a lot of great potential. I’m really excited about that and for us to continue our professionalism, but also for our students to say, ‘Wow, this is the world, this is another aspect of living that has added to the depth of my living experience,” Loughran said.

The PHS Orchestra will depart on May 28 and return on June 4. Unlike previous tours, the orchestra will remain within the U.S. Despite this, Loughran is confident that he has planned a memorable trip for the students.

“[There were] just too many unknowns at the time of planning. So [domestic travel] was our realm, or allowable realm. And I just went with it, to see and experience. Everything that California has... the energy of the West Coast is different from the East Coast. The cultural inspiration is different... But I think the inspiration for our students of this sort will be very valued,” Loughran said.

The orchestra will perform the day after arrival in San Francisco and will travel to both Los Angeles and Westwood during the week to perform at different venues. The trip will also include many sightseeing opportunities like the Golden Gate Bridge, the redwood trees, and beaches in Malibu.

The trip wouldn’t be complete without a complementary set of pieces that show the diligence and preparation of all involved. The pieces played by the orchestra include a diverse range of genres and cultures, including contemporary dance pieces and film. This incorporates music from Latin America to Italy.

“Personally, I am really looking forward to playing Danzón by Arturo Marquez. I’ve heard it quite a few times, both on the and in live performances at music schools, and I have always loved the fiery energy of the piece. It is a perfect choice for our California tour, and I can’t wait to perform it with the rest of my orchestra peers,” said cellist Theona Hsu ’24.

To many current high school students, the tour will be very different from previous performances, as middle schools within the Princeton Public Schools district don’t offer overnight opportunities. In preparation, students will intensify their rehearsals and focus on the upcoming performances that will take place during the tour.

“I feel like this tour is going to be a different experience in regards to playing from what I’m usually used to. We’re going to be performing a lot during the trip and I think it’s the first time I’ll be playing so many consecutive performances,” said Sung Jun Jo ’24.

While the music is the focus of this trip, students make sure to emphasize the importance of the opportunity to bond with their peers. Non-performance destinations include the Disney Concert Hall and the esteemed Colburn School of Music as well as scenic views of the Bay Area. Emphasized by the difficult circumstances in the past few years due to COVID-19, being able to travel and play different music pieces as a group will bring the orchestra group closer together. The tour is also an occasion to create long-lasting memories.

“I’m really looking forward to getting to know the orchestra. In the past, everyone has been quite close, but two years of COVID has meant that lots of us don’t know each other that well yet. Tour is always a great way of making friends and bringing people together,” said Roberto Haubold ’22.

Loughran hopes that the personal values learned on the trip can also be applied to everyday activities after their return.

“[I want them to have] a sense of self-confidence, a sense of introspection, a sense of the joy of being inquisitive. All these things come from having the opportunity to experience new things,” Loughran said.