Tour 2024: Toulouse

Nothing to Lose in Toulouse

By Aesa Medower

Students in front of the brick buildings of the “Pink City”

To kick off our second week of tour, we hopped on the bus to the center of the historical town of Toulouse, France’s fourth largest city. The “Pink City” did not disappoint, its streets lined almost entirely by terra cotta brick buildings overlooking the Garonne River. We started the day with a walking tour, where our guide enthusiastically pointed out the city’s many landmarks. One of the most notable for me was the Capitole de Toulouse, serving as a stunning city hall and a symbol of the city’s culture and history.

Once we wrapped up the tour, we split up to go find lunch, eager to duck out of the rain as soon as possible. After so many sunny days, I was unprepared for the gloomy weather (and grateful for the few friends that had been smart enough to bring umbrellas). A group of us ran to Café des Artistes, where we shared chocolat viennois (the best hot chocolate I’d ever had) and a charcuterie board packed with French fromage.

Le Croquenotes music store

Toulouse had an irresistible charm, so we spent the rest of our lunch break wandering the wonderful smelling bakeries, bookstores, and music stores, and collecting our concert flyers that we were excited to find in the local stores. The overcast sky and peaceful atmosphere of the city made for a welcome break from the relentless energy and chaotic days of the past week.

Soon we walked back to the concert venue, Auditorium Saint Pierre des Cuisines, for rehearsal. The church, first built in the 4th century, was packed with historical significance. I craned my neck to marvel at the high ceilings held up by stone pillars and surrounded by aging ruins. The acoustics of the church were the best out of the three venues so far and Dr. Tay channeled the little energy we had left to make the most of it, reminding us of the importance of remembering to move and enjoy the music.

Nothing could have prepared me for the atmosphere of dinner at the Flashback Cafe. We were greeted by disco balls, stained glass windows, and a group of Italian fans watching the soccer game projected on the wall. Their enthusiasm was infectious and it was impossible not to join them in their cheering to see how high we could get the decibel meter.

Inside Auditorium Saint Pierre Des Cuisines

We returned to the venue for our second to last concert, and I felt revived by the apple cream tart dessert and cheers of the Italians. Rushing to change into concert clothes in our one shared dressing room, I hopped over mounds of clothes and music and instrument cases. The blue and gold lights created a unique ambience over the church ruins as we walked in with our instruments, but I wasn’t ready for the stifling heat that filled the room when the crowd filed into the steep wall of seats, instilling a sense of panic into everyone. The concert went by in a blur, feeling more rushed than ever. Our concentration had begun to slip after a week of so many adventures accompanied by very little sleep. The performance was far from perfect, but the crowd motivated us with their “Mambo!”’s and synchronized applause, and we laughed at the sight of an audience member stopping to take a picture with one of our empty cello cases.

In the post-concert haze, Dr. Tay made it clear that our ensemble mistakes were a learning experience that we could use to push ourselves to our very best musicianship for the final concert. Our orchestra’s spirit persisted through exhaustion, with groups of friends taking pictures together on the stage and debriefing Toulouse adventures in the auditorium seats. On the bus ride back to the hotel I felt more anticipation than ever looking forward to our Barcelona finale.

Being on tour has given me countless stories that I’ll treasure for the rest of my life, from getting to perform in one of the most beautiful concert halls in Spain to running frantically from the Barcelona beach in our soggy clothes trying to catch the bus. I will never forget the late night card game and face mask sessions in the hotel rooms and the unhealthy amount of gelato we consumed. The enthusiasm of the European audiences was unmatched, and the memory of their synchronized clapping will always make me smile.

Le Capitole (city hall)

I am so grateful for the friendships that grew from this trip. I didn’t think it would have been possible to spend so much time together without getting sick of each other, but I couldn't have been more wrong. After two weeks, I genuinely felt like part of a family. Together we spent who knows how many hours on the bus, walked more steps than my feet could keep up with, survived four concert days (and eight Mambos), and laughed at jokes that would have been a lot less funny if we weren’t so sleep deprived. We are so thankful for Dr. Tay, Seth, Lori, and all the chaperones & staff for putting up with us and getting everyone home in one piece.

The €218 paella, the running to catch the sunrise, the relentless sparrow chirping that accompanied our second concert, the tears at the farewell dinner, and the accidental butchering of European languages (“je suis ‘empty’?”) will always have a place in my heart. It’s unbelievable how much we’ve grown as musicians and as people, and I have so much love for everything and everyone that made 2024’s tour one of the most memorable experiences of my life.