By Michael Ebert
michael.ebert@newsday.com
More than 100 orchestra students from St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington traveled to Europe last month as part of a tour that saw them perform at four locations in Italy and Greece.
“The students practiced their craft in front of an international audience, which is a big deal for them,” said Christina Buehler, the school’s public information director. “It’s not something they get to do every day.”
One of the highlights, according to Buehler, was when the students visited the Vatican and held an impromptu one-minute performance for Pope Benedict XVI and a crowd of thousands at the Papal Audience Hall at St. Peter’s Square.
“They called out our name, and the students stood up from their seats and played,” said Buehler. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment.”
Students also visited the Acropolis in Athens and Basilica di San Francesco in Assisi.