International students make beautiful music in suburban Chicago for one night only
CHICAGO (CBS) — Lake Forest College hosts students for a different kind of summer program with musicians aged 11 to 17 from across the globe, part of Ravinia's Seminario program, which crescendos to a concert Wednesday night.
In classrooms empty for the summer, the sound of music fills the air as students from around the world practice before a special show. For one night only.
"I was like, I have never been to Chicago. And I love playing music. So it's like a win-win situation," said Aurian Schäring, a student from Sweden.
In the trumpet small group, Aurian Schäring, from Sweden, picked up the movements in this orchestral piece and a glimpse of Chicago after two flights and nine hours of travel.
"The buildings. The buildings, I would say. It's not similar to Sweden at all," said Schäring
Ravinia has welcomed about 135 students from five countries: Sweden, Greece, Mexico, Canada, and the U.S.
"I met some girls from Mexico, like a Mexican program—some people from Sweden. Obviously, a lot of students from the United States," said Guadalupe Ramirez from Waukegan.
The sounds that I've been filling this campus all week, next to Ravinia. The students will take the main stage there on Wednesday night at 7:00.
"This experience is intense. The amount of rehearsals they have this week, the amount of prep work they did just to get here. This is not easy music. This is real orchestral music," said Christine Taylor Conda, Director of Ravinia's Reach Teach Play Education Programs.
And the program is designed to push their musical abilities. Traveling to new cities -- with a language barrier and few familiar faces can be daunting. But when the group comes together, there is only one song, showing music can be a shared language.
Tickets for their show are still available on Ravinia's website.