Twenty-six members of the Ludlow High School band are participating in a weekend of learning and performing in New York City from April 8-10.

Friday April 8 the band is attending a band clinic at the Hartt School of Music, University of Hartford. On Saturday they will perform in the Big Apple Classic music festival at the College of Staten Island.

The clinic at the Hartt School of Music will be tailored to band teacher Kevin McAvoy’s requests. He plans to have the band practice playing in tune.

The Big Apple Classic music festival is a performance based competition that is scored using a national rubric. After the performances bands are given a score and then seperated into clinics based on the areas noticed in the performance that need improvement.

“I’m excited to be able to play music and learn how to perfect my sound as well,” says band member Nate Feliciano.

The band is staying in New Jersey for the weekend and traveling into the city for some sightseeing in between the clinic and festival.

They are seeing the musical Finding Neverland on Broadway and the orchestra New York Philharmonic perform. They will also visit the Statue of Liberty and Madame Tussaud’s wax museum.

“I am most looking forward to the Broadway show,” says band member Julia Rouillard.

The total cost of the trip was $24,000.

“I always look forward to trips like this because it is a good chance for them to bond and experience the world outside of LHS,” said McAvoy.