This summer, student musicians traveled to Italty to learn, perform, and hone their talents.
From June 25 through July 9, students stayed at the Brescia Music Academy, in Lombardy, Italy. The trip was organized by Mr. Fabio Witkowski, head of the visual and performing arts department and director of the music program, and Mrs. Gisele Nacif Witkowski, instructor in piano.
Following last year’s program in Spain, this year marked the inaugural program in Italy.
Twenty-six students joined the trip, including five members of the class of 2025. Victoria Fang ’25 said, “Even though I am no longer a student, I’ll always be a part of the Hotchkiss community. Once a Bearcat, always a Bearcat.”
Students performed at multiple venues, including the Teatro La Fenice, a historic opera house in Venice. Yobin Kim ’26 said, “It felt different playing for an audience you’re not familiar with, since they were all strangers who just walked in. I definitely was more nervous and put more effort in than I would around an audience I knew.”
In addition to a music curriculum of orchestra rehearsals and piano masterclasses, the students visited local landmarks, including St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, a historic temple that was the formal political and religious center of the Venetian state. In addition, students explored the Capitolium o Temptio Capitolino in Brescia, a Roman temple that was named a UNESCO world heritage site in 2011.
The visits were complemented by an exploration of Italian cuisine. Kim said, “Enjoying Italian food was one of my favorite parts of the trip. A lot of the American dishes we eat are originally from Italy, and it was cool to taste Italy’s interpretations of these foods. Lombardi is particularly famous for their Caesar salads, and I can tell why!”
Many students were repeat travelers with the program. Ethan Choi ’26 said, “The music trip is something I look forward to every summer. Not only did this trip allow me to produce wonderful music with others, it was also an opportunity to hone my skills by practicing and playing a lot of piano. The trip helped rekindle my love for music and for our school’s music community.”
Students also seized the opportunity to perform in informal venues. Irene Zeng ’26 said, “We ended our trip with a mini concert at a restaurant. We all crowded around the piano and enjoyed having the whole place clapping along. It was a heartwarming moment of connection that made the trip truly unforgettable.”
