By Norah Jewett ’25
Although the past few years of COVID have stopped events that occur annually at BHS, this year has pulled through with some Beverly High staples that students enjoyed before the pandemic, one of which is the BHS Music Trip. While the trip normally is multiple days long with students staying at hotels and visiting festivals, this year the trip was two back-to-back day trips on Thursday the 12th and Friday the 13th. While not the same type of trip the current seniors experienced in their freshman year, it was definitely one that everyone was greatly looking forward to.
The first day of the trip occurred in Boston. Students rode into Boston and enjoyed the morning at the aquarium. Then all the music ensemble performed in front of Quincy Market: the concert band, chorus, honors choir, treble choir, string ensemble, and finally the jazz band. After an hour of music performed by the students, there was a break for lunch, then a tour on the Freedom Trail. The evening concluded with dinner at Fire and Ice and a ghost tour.
The second day started earlier than the first, with students meeting at the school before 6 A.M. to first travel to Holyoke to listen to a few choirs sing. Afterwards, the department traveled to Six Flags and spent the remainder of the day riding roller coasters, eating cotton candy, and enjoying their time with their friends.
A few students recounted their experiences during this year’s music trip.
“It was a lot of fun! I’m aware that normally the trips are a lot less tame than this years’, but I still really enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to the overnight trips in years to come. I particularly enjoyed the Boston day, as my favorite part was playing outside Faneuil Hall, and I love being in the city,” said Cadyn Hollingsworth, a freshman band member.
“It was a nice break from school,” freshman band member Luke Manzo states. “It was also exhausting, but very fun.”
Senior Lydia Thornton talks about her final music trip experience compared to her freshman year’s. “I had a lot of fun. It was nice to be able to see other musicians perform since we don’t get to experience that much,” she says. “I really enjoyed having the whole music department doing something together since it’s normally just the band kids for us. Although the past music trip was a lot of fun, I liked the shortened trip because it can get exhausting being away for five days and doing a lot more.”
It seemed as everyone that went greatly enjoyed themselves, being able to spend the two days with good friends and make many memories together. While this was the seniors’ last trip, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors look forward to the trips in the following years.
Image credit: @bhspanthermusic on Instagram
