BYU Wind Symphony students Josh Olsen (left) and Carolyn Hong pull weeds as part of a service project at Fundación Madrina.
To kick off their last week in Spain, the BYU Wind Symphony spent Monday morning sightseeing in Madrid and exploring the Royal Palace of Madrid, the Plaza Mayor, and the gardens and statues at Retiro Park. After an adventurous morning, the group departed for the Teatro EDP Gran Vía to perform their final concert, where the attendee line extended far up Gran Vía parkway. Missionaries brought people with a wide range of nationalities, ages, and interests from the Madrid North and Madrid South areas. One highlight for the group was making friends with a Ukrainian refugee who had recently arrived in Spain and was moved by the beautiful concert and kind musicians.
Symphony members spent Tuesday in one of the most memorable places of the tour, Fundación Madrina, where they helped organize donations and prepare the facilities to accept new expectant mothers. The organization’s founder, Andrea Arvelo, explained how the foundation helps single mothers take care of newborns and also supports mothers during and after pregnancy. After that project, the group enjoyed a flamenco show in what is known as the Cathedral of Flamenco in Madrid.
With that, the three-week tour was complete, and the group made its way back to Barcelona for flights home. Memories of beautiful concert halls, reverent church buildings, verdant landscapes, and many new friends will stay with these students for the rest of their lives.
