Performances Only Part of ‘Incredible’
Cultural Experiences North of Border

By Margaret Lipman (May 8, 2004) 

Lasso Online asked staff member and band member Margaret Lipman to capture the sights, sounds, and feelings of Mason’s recent band trip to Toronto.

Despite the 10-hour bus ride, chilly weather, and the occasional cultural confusion, the band trip to Toronto, Canada, was an incredible success. Not surprisingly, the Symphonic Band topped off its perfect-performance year with first-place wins in Division IV Concert Band and Division II Jazz Ensemble (among schools of 500 – 1000 students) at Humberside Collegiate School’s popular adjudicated festival. But, outstanding as it was, the musical performances just couldn’t compare to the rest of the trip, which was packed with sightseeing and other activities.

The band students departed around 10 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21, after one last rehearsal. After the long, sleepless drive, their bus reached its destination in Niagara Falls, Canada, around 7:30 am. As several students noticed, the band students were granted entrance across the Canadian border around the same time as their peers were beginning their morning classes. Everyone was wide-awake (and very cold) as they walked beside the tremendous Niagara Falls. Although the famed "Maid of the Mist" boat tour was closed, the "Journey Behind the Falls" experience allowed the students to stand at the very base of the Falls and feel the incredible surge from only a few feet away.

After lunch and a visit to Niagara’s Butterfly Conservatory, it was back on the bus for the drive up to Toronto. Along with several other high school bands playing in the next day’s festival, the GMHS band checked into the Courtyard Marriott right in the midst of downtown Toronto. The hotel was located on Yonge Street, which is, at almost 1900 km, the longest street in the world.

Band Director Mary Jo Webster had created a lengthy itinerary for her students, whose first real stop (after a little down time at the hotel) in Toronto was for dinner at the Hard Rock Café. Situated in the ultra-modern Skydome, the Café overlooked the Toronto Blue Jay’s baseball field. The students were able to watch the players warm up for the evening’s game while they ate. At 6:30 p.m., the game started, and the GMHS students had surprisingly good seats to view the event. In their game against the Boston Red Sox, the Blue Jays won 7-3 and even scored a Grand Slam in the eighth inning. The now-famous GMHS band had its name displayed in the stadium, which was almost as exciting as the Grand Slam.

The next morning, the students woke up early for a guided bus tour that passed by many of Toronto’s famous landmarks, including City Hall, the Hockey Hall of Fame, Casa Loma, Chinatown, and the CN Tower. The students also saw Toronto’s many streetcars in motion, and walked along the Path, the world’s longest shopping complex. In its entirety, the Path is 16 miles long! After visiting other sights on Toronto’s busy streets, the students returned to the Marriott to change for the festival (due to size constraints, the students did not bring their formal uniforms).

Although Mason’s band had the most informal attire of the competing bands, it was also the only one with T-shirts that matched the school colors.

The drive to Humberside Collegiate School allowed the students to see some of Toronto’s flourishing ethnic neighborhoods, as well as a multitude of other interesting sights. At Humberside, the Concert Band played "Nobles of the Mystic Shrine" by John Philip Sousa, "Prairie Song" by Carl Strommen, and "Symphonic Overture" by Charles Carter. The Jazz Ensemble, which had never participated in a judged competition before, performed "Chameleon" by Herbie Hancock, "Traces" by Sammy Nestico, and "Malaguena" by Ernesto Lecuona. 

Pleased with their solid performances, the band students drove to dinner back in downtown Toronto. Afterwards, they toured the CN Tower (the world’s tallest building at 1, 815 feet) and had a spectacular view of the city at night. The glass-floored observation deck was especially fun, and gave the students the chance to stand 1, 122 feet above the city, separated from the street by only a sheet of glass. 

The next day was the band’s last in Toronto. It started out early with a trip to Eaton Shopping Center, one of the largest indoor shopping malls in the world. The 300 shops on five levels put Fairfax’s Tysons Corner to shame! After shopping at Eaton Center, many of the students went to see the matinee of the Broadway musical "Hairspray," while the other students spent the afternoon at some of Toronto’s lesser-known landmarks. "Hairspray" was a big hit with everyone, students and chaperones alike. The day culminated with an evening at RINX, where the students played Laser Tag and roller bladed for several hours. From there, it was back to the bus for the drive home to Falls Church.

In between episodes of "Futurama," the returning students shared their experiences from the trip and discussed the piles of homework that awaited them upon their arrival. The band arrived at GMHS around 9 am on Sunday morning – right on schedule.

"Toronto was a great experience for the band. We had the pleasure of spending five days together exploring new sights as well as performing great music for a great audience. The students were exceptionally well behaved. I’m sure it’s an experience we will all treasure for a long time," reflected band director Ms. Webster.