Music, Memories, and Magic: Highlights from the Orchestral Weekend at Turi

On the weekend of 1st to 3rd November, I had the privilege of representing our school at the Orchestral Weekend held at St. Andrew’s Turi. As the only participant from my school, I was both excited and proud to be part of an event that brought together musicians from nine schools across Kenya and one from Uganda which made it unforgettable.

Our weekend was packed with rehearsals, beginning on Friday evening and running through most of Saturday. Playing first violin for the orchestra was a thrilling challenge, engaging me in the power of pieces like ‘The Greatest Showman’, ‘Man in the Mirror’, Haydn, Mozart, ‘The Avengers theme’, and ‘Jupiter’ from ‘The Planets’. Each melody still hums in my mind, a vibrant memory that won’t fade.

The highlight of my weekend was my solo performance. I’d chosen ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ by Rick Astley, a song that blends humour with nostalgia. I was very nervous, but the applause and cheers that followed my performance made every bit of practice worth it. Afterward, an elderly couple came up to me and shared their sentiments: "brought back old memories"—a reminder of music’s magical power to connect across generations. Here is the link to the performance.

Turi’s hospitality was unmatched, starting with the Turi ambassadors who welcomed us with warm smiles. They, along with our sister school- BGE, made me feel right at home from the moment I arrived. Camping at night was another highlight. The cold weather was uncomfortable, but being with friends around the camp made every chilly moment worth it.

One of the greatest parts of the weekend was reconnecting with old friends from various schools and making new ones. Each solo performance seemed to raise the bar, motivating me to already think ahead to next year’s event.

A heartfelt thank you to Ms. Borwell and Ms Nangabo for their unwavering support, the BGE team (Mr Nyadida, Ms. Emily, and my fellow friends) for “adopting “ me for the weekend, and the Turi team for their incredible hospitality. It was an experience I will cherish and look forward to again next year.

Dhara Shah

Year 10