See below for details of our next trip to Hilden
The exchange between the Warrington & District Youth Orchestra and Musikschule Hilden (Germany) began in 1978, as part of the town twinning arrangements. The exchange normally happens annually.
In October 2023, Hilden Youth Orchestra’s musicians visited us in Warrington, and we are now looking forward to a return visit to Hilden in October 2024.
Both groups of musicians come together for a residential weekend, enjoying music workshops, rehearsals and fun activities. The visitors are then hosted by families of the Orchestra, and have opportunities to experience the local area. The musicians then all come together again to play for the Mayor’s Concert – always a high point of the trip.
We are very proud of our links with Hilden, and our affection for our friends there grows with each visit. This exchange is one of the real highlights of our year. It’s always a wonderful opportunity for the children and a great cultural link for Warrington.
Hilden Musikschule
Hilden is a small town in North West Germany near Düsseldorf. The towns were formally twinned in 1968 (the relationship arising out of the stationing of the Lancashire regiment in the area).
Hilden Musikschule is a German Public Music School, being a foundation for the musical education of children, adolescents and adults. As such it supplements rather than replacing music instruction in school. Hilden’s symphony orchestra (which is made up of young people and adults) is called Sinfo.
October 2024 plans
We have now fixed the dates for our exchange visit to Hilden Musikschule next year. We will be leaving on Friday evening 18 October by coach, heading to a youth hostel near Hilden and spending the weekend rehearsing with the German players. We will then travel back to Hilden on the Sunday afternoon to stay with their families. During the week there will be our joint concert as well as daily sightseeing trips, a bowling evening and a party. We will leave early Saturday morning 26 October and arrive back in Warrington in the evening. The trip is always hugely enjoyed by our young people and many return for a second and even third visit, and enjoy the friendships formed with each other and the German young people.
If your child is interested in coming, please let us have an expression of interest. We are aware that not all schools have holidays that week and will be writing to the headteachers to explain how valuable the trip will be and hope that as many people as possible will be able to come. The trip is open to members of the Symphony and Chamber orchestra in years 8 and above. We don’t have prices for the visit yet, but our trip in 2022 was initially around £600 pp. However I am hoping to get another grant for the trip which should substantially reduce the price.