European Success

Masterclass in Positive Masculinity

Nine concerts. Four countries. A group of boys who grew immeasurably as musicians and as young men.

The European Strings Tour took us through Bratislava, Vienna, and Prague – beginning with a Silver Band award at the International Bratislava Music Festival, and later a second place finish in the Chamber Orchestra with Winds category at the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival.

Along the way, we had the privilege of performing in two of the world’s most storied concert halls: the Golden Hall of Vienna’s Musikverein, and Prague’s Smetana Hall.

Four of our nine performances featured our full one-hour program. Every single performance on this tour was for a real, general audience, a different experience entirely from the school concerts our boys are accustomed to back home, which are performed mainly for parents. That shift alone pushed them to raise their game.

But the results, as proud as we are of them, aren’t really the heart of this tour. Some of our biggest challenges were the ones audiences never saw: performing in searing summer heat that pushed instruments out of tune within minutes, and the constant, delicate work of keeping winds and strings in tune with each other under those conditions.

Our boys learned to listen harder, adjust faster, and problem-solve together in real time, skills no rehearsal room can fully teach.

 

This tour was, in many ways, a masterclass in positive masculinity: boys supporting one another through nerves, heat, and setbacks; showing vulnerability in rehearsal; celebrating each other’s individual moments rather than competing for the spotlight; and carrying real responsibility for the group’s success. Watching them look out for one another, on stage and off, was as moving as any performance.

None of this happens without the people behind the scenes; our staff, families, and tour organisers, who supported every logistical and pastoral need across three countries. A special thank you to Jared Furtado, Director of Music, for his countless hours of support in making this tour possible.

Tours like this remind me why I love this job. Watching young men step outside their comfort zone, support each other, and come back changed- that’s the real reward.

Harry Tsai
Head of Strings