A weekend in (relative) solitude.

Last weekend was the lengthy period in which the group was split up.  Most of the gang had left for Paris by Friday morning.  This left six of us in London to enjoy a little bit of quiet.  The only planned event for the weekend was a concert:  The BBC Symphonic Orchestra, performing the works of Arvo Pärt.  One of the most experimental and renowned composers of the 20th century, Pärt is probably best known for the minimalist piece Tabula Rasa.  

I knew I would enjoy the concert going into it, but I didn't realize just how much I would end up enjoying it. The highlight of the show was definitely a piece incorporating an 88-person chorus, performing in a style clearly influenced by earlier religious works.  I can easily say that the event has been my favorite thus far.  The energy, skill, and emotion from the orchestra was actually inspiring.  I was so affected, that when I made it back home, I wrote and recorded some music on the guitar.

The only other major event of the week happened today, when we took a trip to the BBC Television Centre.  As a journalism major, I'd been looking forward to this for a while.  The guided tour was adequately informative, and took us through the major studios and newsroom area of the complex.  Although the newsroom portion was the most interesting for me, the end of the tour was the most fun, in which members of the tour were invited to participate in a fake news/game show.

Sorry this post is so short, but I have homework!  Pictures will come later.