A Day In Downtown San Fran!

Sunday was filled with a lot of exciting events. We started the day with Alcatraz. We learned about the history, and the way the inmates were controlled over a wonderful audio tour. We then made our way to a tour of the city which included Ghirardelli Square. We stopped at the original chocolate shop in San Francisco to pick up a nice little treat. After a sweet tooth, we started our tour of the city. Our first stop was at the legendary Lombard Street. After a long walk up the hill, we took some breath taking pictures, and made our way to what else but the Golden Gate Bridge. There we also took some great pictures. We then finished our day with the world famous Mamma Mia!

Alcatraz, Mamma Mia, and More!

We started out the day with a trip to Alcatraz where we got to see the cells of infamous prisoners and hear about their lives in confinement. We took the ferry back to Pier 39 for a quick lunch and visited Ghirardelli Square! We had a tour of San Francisco that included a walk up Lombard Street and a visit to the Golden Gate Bridge. We ate a great meal at Hunan Home in Chinatown and ended the night with a FANTASTIC performance of Mamma Mia!

Stairway to Heaven

One of my favorite moments today is something that miraculously includes physical activity, which to most people who know me well is probably a bit of a shock. Trecking up and back down the crooked (and famous) Lombard street had to be all of a half an hour at most, and believe me, there was a lot of uneasiness at exercising our muscular endurance following our Gharardelli excursion. However, the stretching of our hamstrings turned out to be so worth it- the view was of course breathtaking, and standing a top the hill with the city sprawled out beneath us was insane in more ways than one. This short experience that could to some be considered another of the many stops we made today turned into a totally unmissable experience to share with some of our closest friends and definitely made today memorable. #swag

A Day At The Sea

Yesterday was filled with lots of driving and exploring as we headed down the coast to Carmel and Monterey.  We stopped several times along the way to see some great landmarks, and we know the students will look forward to sharing what they've learned upon their arrival.  Some highlights include...

Stopping for some deep-fried artichoke in Castroville:

Visiting the Lone Cypress on the famous 17 Mile Drive:

Finding time to share our treats:

The Freshman Choir members at the beach:

The Carmel Mission:

Monterey Bay

What a day! After breakfast we loaded the buses and went for a 17 mile drive along the beautiful California coast. Made a few stops along the way to take pictures on the beach. Afterward, we headed to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where we got to enjoy the wonders of the sea, it was gorgeous! Finally, we finished the night with a delicious meal at Bubba Gump and headed back to the hotel.

First Day Fun

So yesterday was filled with lots of exciting events. We started with an amazing workshop at San Fransisco State University. From there we explored the beautiful campus and had a nice lunch on campus. We then made our way to Grace Cathedral and held an open concert to all. It was a really good experience for all of us. The group learned a lot from the experience at the university and at Grace Cathedral, and are sure we will take what we learned and apply it to our everyday learning at North. After singing, we had some time to take cable cars to Fisherman's Wharf and walk around the pier. Followed by dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe, we went to a local improv show where a number of our group members participated. Lastly, after a good night sleep, we are ready for another action packed day!

Choir Performance at Grace Cathedral

After a wonderful morning at San Francisco State University, we headed downtown to Grace Cathedral for our performance.  The cathedral was stunning, and while it was exciting to explore the space, it was even more thrilling to sing in it!

We continued the tradition of closing our concert with the North High Alma Mater - we even had a few audience members singing with us!

The massive cathedral space is hard to see from our performance pictures - these might give one a clearer picture.  They had strands of ribbon hanging from the ceiling which looked beautiful especially with the sunlight streaming in from the stained glass windows.

San Francisco State, Sunshine and Fisherman's Wharf

Hitting the Ground Running

To say that San Francisco hit us like a blizzard in March (which actually happens back home) is an understatement. Though the term "culture shock" crosses my mind, it's been a good kind of shock- eye opening and exciting in every way. Starting the day off with words of wisdom from San Francisco State's Dr. Brandes was definitely a highlight, and I think I speak for each of us seniors who are planning to pursue music next year that she had some very reassuring things to say about the music world and having the courage to do what you love. No matter how much a musician loves his or her craft, there is always that lingering doubt that passion might not be enough; however, Dr. Brandes said that no matter what field you enter, there is always a chance that it won't work out. What really matters is that you put your whole self into your work, because if you really love it, that will be enough. To hear this from someone so seasoned re inspired my confidence that music is what I love, and music is what I will always do in some form. The clinic was a truley memorable experience, and I can't wait to see what the rest of the trip has in store.

Annie Ketchmark

Our Clinic At San Francisco State University

Had an amazing experience at the clinic at San Francisco University thanks to Dr. Brandes. So excited for our performance at Grace Cathedral!
- Emma Rotz

Another Great Day: The Mission, Carmel, and Monterey

What a fun-filled day! We woke up early for a scenic drive to Monterey Area and Pebble Beach - needless to say the views were GORGEOUS! From there we enjoyed a trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Carmel Mission Bisilica. We ended our day with a delicious meal at Bubba Gumps. Looking forward to another great day! Goodnight San Francisco!

And We're Off!!!

San Francisco Tour Excitement and Updates

Excitement is building as we prepare to leave for our San Francisco Choir Tour tomorrow afternoon!  98 choir students and 5 District 99 faculty members will depart for the west coast to tour and perform in the San Francisco area.  An updated itinerary can be found on the right-hand side of this blog.  Pictures and updates will be posted throughout our tour.  We are happy to have four student bloggers to offer their unique perspective throughout the tour - look for special posts by Emma Rotz (Freshman Choir), Tim Berberich (Concert Choir), Shannon Kennedy (Treble Choir) and Annie Ketchmark (A Cappella Choir).  We are looking forward to a wonderful tour!