For the first time, the CWU Symphony Orchestra will perform farther than Portland, Oregon. They have been invited to play at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. for the Capital Orchestra Festival on Feb. 19.

With 70 musicians, the CWU Symphony Orchestra will be the only university orchestra at this event.

Nikolas Caoile, Acting Chair of the Department of Music at CWU and the Director of the Orchestra, said that this trip couldn’t have been possible without the aid of the school. The trip was presented to the Services and Activities Fee Committee, who approved a $93,000 budget, ensuring that no student will have to pay out of pocket. The Music Department originally asked for $100,000.

“This is once in a life time experience,” Caoile said.

According to Caoile, this trip will be beneficial in building the “esprit de corps” of the orchestra, which is a French phrase that expresses building a bond between your cohorts.  They will also have the opportunity to visit well-known historic memorials and monuments while in the capital.

The CWU orchestra had to undergo a rigorous application process to be considered for this annual event at the capital. The orchestra’s application was reviewed and processed by one of the largest international orchestral tour organizers, Music Celebrations.

To Nolan Welch, first cello and member of the orchestra’s council, this will be an important step in building the music department’s credibility on the national scale.

“It’s huge for our school. Even our football team doesn’t really go as far as Washington D.C.,” Welch said. To easily describe this event to people who are unknowledgeable in the music world, he likes to use sports metaphors.

“It’s kind of like we are going to play a big national championship,” Welch said.

As the director of the orchestra, Caoile has high expectations for this event.

“We plan to represent the university with the highest level of professionalism,” Caoile said.

Welch reflected on how fortunate he is for this opportunity. “I can’t say that my needs are any less important than someone in the math department or any others,” Welch said. “My family has paid and all the music students have paid for years of private lessons on their instruments so they could get to the point where they can apply for a music school.”