Orchestra Students Head to England – Thanks to Shawn Johnson

Students in the highly regarded orchestra programs at Valley High School and Valley Southwoods Freshman High School will be traveling abroad and performing with their counterparts in England and Wales as part of the Olympic Dreams Live program.

The two West Des Moines schools are among 45 schools from around the world who were selected by the British Council and the British Broadcasting Corp. to be part of the program, which pairs schools Olympic athletes have attended with schools in the United Kingdom, according to a story on the district’s web site.

Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson, who also won three silver medals in gymnastics competition the 2008 Beijing Olympics, attended both Valley Southwoods and Valley High School.

The orchestra will travel to Ysgol Bryn Alyn, Valley Southwoods’ partner school, to perform a combined concert with students at the school. They will continue a tour of the United Kingdom isiting and performing in Wrexham, Bath, Oxford and London. A highlight of the trip will be when students enjoy a private tour of the Houses of Parliament in London with friends from Ysgol Bryn Alyn with a select group performing for the Houses.

Valley Orchestra Director Phil Peters said trips overseas are invaluable learning opportunities

“Not only will they have the pleasure (and pressure) to perform four concerts within a week but they will also be exposed to a new culture,” he siad. “Our students on this tour will travel in the footsteps of William Shakespeare and The Beatles. They will participate in a home-stay with the kind and generous people of Wrexham, Wales. They will tour the House of Parliament and spend time sightseeing in England. Their gifts of music will be shared with others and allow them to meet and make friends from “across the pond.

To read the entire story, go to the school district’s web site.

To follow the students during their trip, like the orchestra’s Facebook page.