Home sweet home

We have arrived back at Preble! Now time to unpack and get ready for the school week. Stay tuned this week for pictures and highlights from the trip! 

Photos from the Smithsonian

Saturday- Holocaust Museum, Smithsonian, cruise

It's our last day in DC- today we had the honor of touring the US Holocaust Museum- an amazing and moving place to absorb those events. A highlight was a book signing by a Holocaust survivor in the gift shop, many Preble students and chaperones recieved a signed copy of the book and a photo with the author. 

Then it was off to Union Station for lunch- a highlight was Kevin Cervantes with a giant box of chicken and biscuits which stunk up the bus! We moved on to the Smithsonian Museums where Preble kids had a chance to go off on their own- see amazing things like Lincoln's stovepipe hat, Dorothy's ruby slippers, Michele Obama's Inauguration Dress, the Hope Diamond, and the Air and Space Museum. It's been raining here all day and were all drenched and tired, but have seen very cool things today. 

Forgot to mention last night at the Dixie Classic Music Festival in Richmond, Ba- the Preble band received an "excellent" rating for their performance. Got some great comments from our adjudicator- and came home to a late night pizza party sponsored by our fabulous Preble Music Parents. 

Back to Saturday. We are currently on a DJ'd dinner/dance cruise on the Potomac River. At 10:00 we will board the buses and say goodbye to Washington D.C. It's been a great week- we're not quite looking forward to the 18 hour bus ride, but eager to see Green Bay. 

A highlight of the dance? The DJ played Gangnam Style, so of course our resident Sy- Kevin Cervantes- led us in a Preble Band encore performance. Then, Kevin's twin brother from another mother, (incidentally also named Kevin...) joined him! Very fun, and very hot on this boat. 

Arlington National Cemetary

Capitol Tour

Seniors at the Capitol

Day 2 - Lots of tours!

I'd just like to say that we had a phenomenal second day! This morning we were on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax VA, a beautiful place. Our clinic with conductor/composer Mark Camphouse was awesome- Preble students surely are some of the best- very respectful and receptive to his comments and suggestions. We played very well after brushing the cobwebs off the horns and our chops! Then on to the Capitol- where we saw the Senate side of the building and the Rotunda. But a highlight for me was seeing the monuments at night and especially the Korean War Memorial- my great uncle was a tail gunner in the Air Force during that conflict and was highly decorated for his service- including the Purple Heart. Overwhelming and very poignant to see all of the thousands of lives that were lost in service to our country and are now immortalized at the great memorials in Washington. 

Tomorrow we will face rain, but will have a great day with two performances and a couple of hours at Arlington National Cemetery. We're tired, but having a great time!