The West Boca Raton High School is set to show off its musical chops on an international stage as the school's band and choir prepare to take their talents to Rome for a New Year's Day parade, with a side gig that's nothing short of monumental. They're also set to perform at the Vatican, as reported by WPTV. Boasting a spirit that weaves their collective sounds into a tapestry of familial bonds, band member Gian Duran expressed the ensemble’s camaraderie, stating, "I feel like, together, when you play music with other people, it empowers yourself and the people around you," in a statement obtained by WPTV.
As the clock ticks down to their departure, the band concluded their last rehearsal and is now preparing to send their gear towards the historical cobblestones they'll soon tread in Italy, with a crew of 150 students and 50 chaperones joining the fray for an eight-night stay, according to CBS12. The destination will echo with melodies from a plethora of languages, as choir member Lauren Lockwood detailed, singing some songs in Latin, some in German and a lot of carols in different languages.
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is how choir member Emily Santana described to WPTV the surreal feeling of performing in such a historic site, while Lockwood could hardly contain her excitement over showcasing what West Boca is made of in another country. Not to be overlooked, the students are also anticipating beyond the performances, with talk of the Italian cuisine being a high note on their journey, a sentiment shared heartily amongst the traveling troupe. Gian Duran and Emily Santana echoed the anticipation for the Italian gastronomical experience on WPTV.
Amid fundraising efforts for the pricey $3,500 per person trip, West Boca Raton High isn't the only school in Palm Beach County with passports in hand for the new year, as Park Vista Community High School and Forest Hill Community High School are also set to perform overseas. In London, the bands and choirs stretch their wings, sharing their music and their local pride on grand stages far from the warm confines of Florida, according to WPTV.
