David O'Halloran, Headmaster - Saint David's School, New York City

The eighth grade's annual Italian Study Tour - 10 days exploring sites in Assisi, Florence, and Rome - is a longstanding capstone experience in Humanities for our graduating class and their teachers, alike. After a two-year, pandemic-imposed hiatus, we were able to resume this signature experience this March, making the 2022 Tour particularly meaningful.  The trip provides the opportunity for our boys to visit in-situ the actual paintings, sculpture, and architecture they have studied in their art history class. As such, it melds the scholarly and creative in an organic way. It is common for a boy to comment on Medici family history when presenting on Brunelleschi's Dome, for instance, and then, in the next moment, to analyze the dome's structure and design.  In preparation for the trip, the boys are assigned an iconic Renaissance building in Florence to explore: they research the building, its patron, architect and significance; and they share the results of their inquirie

As our esteemed Philharmonic Ensemble Director Philip Hough recently observed, "Every year, we see Saint David's boys begin a process which will, in fact, last for their entire lifetime. We want to encourage that beginning, and for them to feel what it's like to develop with an instrument, to experience beauty, and have something that will take them beyond a concert." Mr. Hough was speaking about the depth of experience Saint David's boys have when participating in the Saint David's Philharmonic Ensemble. This opportunity is open to all boys in Grades Four through Eight who are able to read music, desire to participate, and are willing to commit practice time. While the concerts (including performing at Carnegie Hall every three years), are indisputable high points for our young musicians, a Saint David’s boy’s relationship with his instrument has a transformative element that goes beyond preparation for a performance and incorporates all aspects of curriculum