Hours before the start of the new semester, the sleepy members of the Tufts Symphony Orchestra arrived on campus after spending five days in Jamaica. Although the warm weather and beaches were certainly perks of the trip, the musicians sought more than just a tan from their visit. The main purpose of the trip was to promote cultural exchange through playing music and talking to local school children about classical Western music. The members of the orchestra also hoped to learn more about Jamaica through sightseeing and conversing with local musicians as well.
While in Jamaica, the musicians stuck to a pretty rigorous schedule, travelling to four cities in their five-day stint. "Anyone traveling for leisure would call that insane, but we took it in stride," said junior Kenny William, a member of the orchestra.
Their first night, the orchestra performed at Kingston's Little Theater in front of an audience comprised primarily of dignitaries and political leaders. The following day's itinerary included performing for - and taking questions from - school children at the Devon House in Kingston. In addition to works by Copland, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, and Grieg, the orchestra chose to perform both the Jamaican and the American national anthems.
Although honored to be among such a crowd on the first night and charmed by the school children on the second day, the orchestra received the warmest reception on the third night, a night of international collaboration. Faculty, students, and parents of Northern Caribbean University in Mandeville gathered in the university's auditorium to hear the orchestra accompany 17-year-old local phenomenon Brynne Reese as she performed the piano solo of the finale to Greig's piano concerto. The NCU choir also joined the orchestra in their performance of the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah.
To end the evening on a lighter note, the orchestra performed Bob Marley's "One Love" as an encore piece. Following the concert, the Tufts students had the opportunity to mingle at a reception with their fellow student musicians from NCU.
Students began planning for the trip early last fall by contributing their input and preferences for the trip's location. Orchestra director Malka Yaacobi and alumna Lisa Lindo made the final decision. Lindo, who hails from Jamaica had the most insight into the best venues in the country.
She also took the orchestra to interesting destinations for their non-musical ventures. Among the sites they visited were the Blue Mountains - famous for its Blue Mountain Cafe and coffee ? Dunn's River Falls, the Botanical Gardens, and the Bob Marley Museum. The museum, however, was more than just a tourist attraction, as it exposed the orchestra to the late reggae artist - his life, his faith, and the basis for his music.
After performing for so many people in such a short period of time, the students earned the more relaxed pace of their final two days, which they spent at Montego Bay. "We just spent some time on the beach and relaxed. Some people had the opportunity to work on their tans and others had their hair braided," William said.
