Schools
Darien Board Of Education Approves DHS Music Department Field Trips
The board unanimously approved trips for Darien High School students involved in chorus and orchestra.
DARIEN, CT — The Darien Board of Education this week unanimously approved field trips to Washington, D.C., and Orlanda, Fla., for the upcoming school year for Darien High School chorus and orchestra students.
Colleen Thompson, the district's music director, went before the board and presented details of the trips, which will serve as performance tours for the students. Thompson explained the benefits of such trips.
"A performance tour builds positive bonds between ensemble members, and it helps them work better as a team when they return to the classroom. Many of our students participate in their ensembles for all four years, so the rapport they develop with each other on these trips can last throughout their time in high school," Thompson said. "Many students report that traveling with their ensembles is one of the most memorable experiences from high school overall."
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DHS Orchestra Director Jane Minnis will take students in the orchestra program to Washington, D.C., from March 24 through March 26.
The trip will include a clinic at University of Delaware with an award winning conductor; a guided tour of the monuments; a festival performance at a local high school; and a performance at Union Station. There will also be an awards ceremony at the National Conference Center, and a tour of the National Museum of Art.
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DHS Choral Director Christopher Andrade will take his students to Orlando, Fla., for a performance tour from April 20 through April 23.
Students will participate in a workshop provided by Disney Sings, where students will learn and record a song and record voice-overs in a Disney recording studio. Students will also get vocal coaching and audition tips, participate in an adjudicated choral festival, perform in several locations throughout the park and enjoy the attractions at Universal Studios and Magical Kingdom.
Thompson said both groups will fundraise to help pay for the trips, and financial assistance will be provided to students in need.
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