Top 5 Memories - Andrea Segar, Celine Ferro

Andrea Segar, violinist - BM '08, MM '10

• Rehearsals in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German and trying to see how much I could understand of each!


• Stepping out of the subway station and seeing the Colliseum across the street.


• Walking into St. Peter's Basillica for the first time.


• Seeing paintings and building I'd only seen in textbooks - in person!


• View of Rome from Castel Sant' Angelo

Celine Ferro, clarinetist - BM '11

• Playing in the Vatican - the Mass, the epic beginning when they brought in the cross w/candles, the 8-second reverb, and being surrounded by a massive ,beautiful building signifying that there are things - in the power of music & religion - that are larger than life.
• The last night there - the dinner, music, and meeting all the people who made the trip possible. Plus meeting Ricardo Muti at the Rome Opera rehearsal and making really good friends in YOA.
• Seeing the Sistine Chapel, Colliseum, etc. - things that you only see pictures of that you never expect to see in your lifetime and the amount of pure awe that I felt standing in St. Peter's.
• Hanging out ewith my new friends in YOA - meeting people from different areas who ashare the same love for music was a beautiful and refreshing experience.
• I was just blown away by everything - the massive buildings, detailed architecture, the FOOD, it's hard to limit it to only a few moments.

Top 5 Memories - Julia Noone, Yoonhee Lee

Julia Noone, violinist - BM '11

• Playing in the Vatican
• Music by YOA musicians at the Thanksgiving Dinner.
• Being conducted by Maestro Rilling.
• Lunch by the Spanish Steops.
• All of the very filling dinners.

Yoonhee Lee, violinist - BM '11

• The first time I saw the Spanish steps, it was absolutely incredible/breathtaking.
• Seeing all the monuments and ruins.
• The Thanksgiving Dinner WAS EXCELLENT!!
• The communion at St. Peter's Basillica was a special experience.
• The whole service at the Basillica was very moving.

Top 5 Memories - Moira Bette

Moira Bette, violist - BM '11

1. Gelato
2. Playing in St. Peter's
3. Seeing The Forum
4. Pasta
5. Hanging out with a lovely group of people.

Top 5 Memories - Katie Youn

Katie Youn, cellist - BM '11

• Seeing the Pope.
• Playing in a Mass at the Vatican
• Working with Maestro Rilling
• Walking around Rome.
• The food!

Top 5 Memories - Merrick Nelson

Merrick Nelson, violist - MM '09

Playing in St. Peter's Basillica.

Participating in the Papal Audience.

Seeing Rome.

Meeting and making friends with all of the YOA musicians.

Making friends with the NEC students who I had barely known before!

Jenny Banks - Memories

Jenny Banks, violinist - MM '09

Playing and rehearsing in St. Peter's Basillica & both of the other amazing churches. Experiencing High Mass.

Rilling, amazing choir & soloists!

Eating my weight in Italian food, daily!

Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museum.

Great group of people, last dinner was really special. Rehearsal with Muti at the Rome Opera - soprano was amazing!

Top 5 Memories - Michael Dahlberg

Michael Dahlberg, cellist - BM '11

Playing in a High Mass with those musicians under Helmuth Rilling, while simultaneously witnessing my first Catholic Mass, while doing it in the Vatican.

Exploring Rome on my own and meeting and talking to many shop owners in Italian & Spanish. I was so happy to feel that I could explore and handle an entirely new place on my own.

Hearing stories from the YOA musicians about their countries. Everyone was so joyous and grateful.

Celebrating the trip with a Thanksgiving meal and hearing the YOA musicians play music from their countries. Everyone was so joyous and grateful.

Talking to a man who called himself Mr. Moustache at a store in Il Mercato. We spoke in Spanish to each other and he told me about his life and we share some bread with oil and peppermint. We talked for about 30 minutes.

More memories, funny moments, thoughts on the musical experience and general thoughts about the trip to come. Stay tuned ...