This article originally appeared in the fall 2015 Harker Quarterly.

Junior Edward Oh, a cellist with The Harker School Orchestra, spent late June and early July touring Europe with the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra, performing in amazing venues in six cities including Milan, Berlin and Amsterdam. “We were extremely privileged to play in the Berlin Philharmonie and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw,” exclaimed Oh.

Oh, who has been playing the cello for more than a decade, looked back on the trip fondly and expressed gratitude at having such a unique opportunity. “The tour itself was a tremendous opportunity for me to not only perform in grand venues, but to also gain an invaluable amount of experience in orchestral playing,” he said.

When they weren’t rehearsing or performing, members of the youth orchestra enjoyed sightseeing.

“A trip to Europe is something some people can only hope to dream of and I am eternally grateful to my parents and mentors for assisting me,” Oh added.