Final Curtain Falls

The AYO 2017 World Tour has come to a close. The final city, host of our last concert, was Brussels, Belgium. At the BOZAR Theatre, our performance under Mr. Pontzious with soloist Sarah Chang was spectacular with all hearts, on stage and off, fusing into one. The standing ovations throughout the hall were enthusiastic and seemed to continue forever.


Before going on stage, Mr. Pontzious had a special reminder for us. "Look how far we have come," he said. Only two months ago, we had first arrived at Rehearsal Camp, meeting for the first time with our faculty members and playing our first few notes together. It was a new experience for most, each bringing with us different backgrounds, each appearing to be so different from another. We were unsure of left or right, with circumstances leaving us excited but in awe of what was to come next. And since then? "The orchestra now walks on stage with confidence."

First arriving in Chiayi City 2 months ago

Our very first rehearsal 

Today we are one, with a harmony that we can call uniquely our own. Strong bonds have formed, cementing invaluable friendships through shared experiences in learning to excel, giving our best at every performance, and seeing a world much broader than what we had ever known before. You had enabled us to come so far, Mr. Pontzious.

"This tour is a dream come true," AYO's chairman of the board, Jim Thompson, summed it up. Thanks to the support of the Hong Kong government and our sponsors, we've been able to travel and perform, delivering the joy of music from Asia to the world.

For our last encore, we played Elgar's Nimrod. It was the same piece we played to open the Rehearsal Camp in Chiayi City two months ago. We saw Sarah, our soloist, quietly take a seat in the first violin section as if to tell us how she understood how our hearts felt in this bittersweet moment. As the orchestra reached the final perfect note, we made a final bow. We felt a burst of relief, joy, and sadness all at once. It was powerful and overwhelming. Tearful hugs. Could this really be the last time we would ever perform like this? The applauses echoing in the hall became more distant to our ears as the reality of tomorrow and parting became more vivid.

The end of our final concert 

And so ended the 2017 AYO World Tour, no longer a dream. From Chiayi City, our starting point, to our final destination of Brussels, we traveled across 19 cities in three continents, performed 20 concerts in all, and spent together 1,440 hours over two months. We studied with our 16 phenomenal faculty members, performed under three inspiring conductors and aspired to be like our four talented soloists.

While the tour has ended and each of us is now on our separate path, these two months have changed our lives. We learned so much about music and how it will be a journey of lifelong learning. We learned about different cultures around the world, their diverse people and audiences, and how music can transcend differences and boundaries.

We learned and found inside each of us newfound confidence and worldview. What treasures we have gained from this experience.

For the precious memories of a once-in-a-lifetime journey, not only as an orchestra but for each one of us individually, we are deeply grateful.


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