The Lower School Choir was delighted to tour Italy over the recent bank holiday weekend. The students worked so hard and put vibrant and high-quality concerts in Montecatini, Florence and Lucca for great and appreciative audiences. They were excellent ambassadors for FHS and we are very proud of their enthusiasm, level of music making and behaviour. The Music Department (Miss Vickery, Mr Mercer, Miss Murata, Mrs Floyd and Miss Houlder) had a fantastic time exploring Italy with the students, who wanted to share their experiences themselves…

“Everyone enjoyed the Choir Tour to Italy. It was an opportunity to make more friends and to see what the country is like. It was also a great way to learn how to be independent by going around the cities in groups. We did concerts every evening and blew our audiences away. All of the churches were amazing and it was fascinating how they were all unique and different. Many people’s highlights were singing in such lovely churches and exploring all different cities.”

Olivia de Renzi, Year 7 

“The Choir Tour to Italy was great and I learnt a lot from it. From the concerts in beautiful churches, where our sounds we carried and echoed back to us, to the amusement park, the staff made sure everything was entertaining and interesting! We got to visit a museum, where we got to explore the Italian culture and then stroll through the streets of Florence and enjoy Italian cuisine! Not to mention it was very exciting to be singing in lovely harmonies! Overall, the trip was very educating and fun, and thank you for a brilliant time!”

Helena Beausang-Hunter, Year 8

“Lower School Choir is back having had a wonderful tour and amazing time in Italy, singing in Montecatini, Florence and Lucca. We all can agree that we had an marvellous time, spending it with our friends, meeting new people, singing and especially eating delicious food.

“We all had amazing experiences with our friends and teachers, especially at the theme park, when Mr Mercer, Miss Houlder and Miss Murata went on the ‘scariest ride of their life’ quoted by Mr Mercer. While we had an amazing time exploring, we of course cannot forget the singing. We all enjoyed singing lots of great music, including ‘Fly’ by Suzzie Vango, which was the most popular song on the tour, followed by amazing solos and duets from Year 7 and Year 8. Alongside the singing we had a fabulous time shopping and visiting different monuments and museums. This trip meant a lot to the Year 8 as it was their last Lower School Choir trip.

“Thank you to all the teachers that came on the trip. We appreciate everything you have done for us.”

Vicky Di Amato, Year 7

“I loved everything about the Choir Tour! Italy was so nice and it was a great way to connect with friends and the concerts were so fun!” – Katie, Year 8

“I loved the picturesque scenery surrounding me and of course the scrumptious food!” – Amelia, Year 8

“It was an amazing trip with really nice teachers. You got to see the Italian culture, music and food. We went to majestic churches to sing in and we also got to explore a bit of Italy by ourselves.”  – Victoria, Year 8

“The Choir Tour was filled with unforgettable memories I made and new friends I made along the way. It has definitely been one of my favourite trips so far, it was really funny to see the teachers go on rollercoasters.” – Lucia, Year 8

“I loved spending lots of time with my friends but I absolutely loved the theme park!” – Soledad, Year 7

“The part I enjoyed most about the choir tour was the theme park because there were so many extreme rides that everyone loved. My favourite ride was the drop towers. But overall, I enjoyed every minute of the trip, even waking up at 3:00 am to the theme park!” – Maia Obloj, Year 7

“I loved having the opportunity to explore and sing in meaningful, historical places.” – Anoushka, Year 7

Mr Mercer, Teacher of Music

Please see below for highlights from the Tour!