By Daniela Coe-McNamara
Staff Writer
Mira Costa’s symphony orchestra has accepted an invitation from the League of Astonishing Strings to tour China in the summer of 2014.
Costa was one of four high schools from across the nation invited to join the tour and will be the only orchestra from California to participate.
“This trip is a huge honor,” symphony director Peter Park said. “The people running this tour have a very professional relationship with the people in China. Our orchestra has to amaze and dazzle the Chinese audience.”
The invitation was extended to the orchestra two years ago after it performed at the American Strings Teachers Association Conference festival in Georgia. Costa recently accepted the invitation after collecting enough funds to finance the trip.
“As director, I wasn’t looking out to tour because it’s a big project, and I wanted to make sure we still have time to develop,” Park said. “But as we looked into it more, it seemed like an unique opportunity.”
The Symphony Orchestra will perform at six different concert halls in China, including the Hangzhou Grand Theatre, Xuzhou Concert Hall and the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, visiting seven cities in 12 days.
“I’m looking forward to this great opportunity and how people from a different culture will react to our performance,” junior Rhein Matlack said.
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