April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
MUSIC IN EUROPE
Teen will go 'on tour' this summer
Christopher Vanderwerker, 17, a junior at Greenwich Junior/Senior High School, will spend 16 days sightseeing and performing in Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland this summer. He's grateful for the opportunity to take "the trip of a lifetime.
"I didn't quite know how to react at first," Christopher said of being selected by American Music Abroad Honor Bands, Choirs and Orchestras. "I definitely had to think about it. But I had to say yes."
The organization carefully selects students based on musical achievement; Christopher has been performing solos at New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) festivals for four years and has been judged at the top level in the past two years. He has played the saxophone since fifth grade; he currently plays in his school's jazz band and also sings in choirs there and at church.
The love of music
Christopher will join about 100 other high school students on the tour, which departs from New Jersey July 2 after a rehearsal and farewell concert. He's excited about seeing the Alps and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's childhood home in Salzburg, Austria - and about the opportunity to learn about other cultures and bring American culture to faraway places.
"I'm absolutely in love with music," Christopher said. "It's one of the most beautiful languages that everyone can understand. I think it's good to spread music and culture. It's really important to get out there, for young musicians to represent a country and show the rest of the world that young teenagers can do a lot of good for the world.
"I hope that it may be able to open people's eyes and see the good that can come from music," he added. He hopes the European audiences will "see the culture over here and maybe be interested to come over here."
The young musicians will play in some of Europe's finest music halls and cathedrals. Until now, "the biggest crowd I've ever played for was probably a couple hundred people," Christopher remarked.
The teen had to raise about $5,000 for the trip. He held benefits at a local American Legion post and St. Joseph's parish, and parishioners also made donations and collected cans and bottles so he could redeem the deposits.
Parish pride
Christopher was an altar server at the parish for many years and has been a lector for three years. People tell him they appreciate a young person on the altar, and friends often ask him how to get on the schedule to read at Mass themselves.
"I just really like reading in front of people," he told The Evangelist, and "I noticed very few people were part of it."
Catholicism is an important part of Christopher's life and has helped him through stressful times, whether it's handling tough college classes or coping with his parents' divorce.
"The whole back-and-forth custodial thing was a little rough," he said. "Having that faith there is really nice to be able to lean on. It's important to have that connection with God, just knowing that there's always going to be someone there to talk to."
He sees a connection between religion and music: "I guess it's one of the things God put me on the planet for. I get a lot of people telling me I'm talented in music. I'd like to think I'm good enough."
It's all good
When he sings at church, he said he feels "overcome with such emotion. You can really feel Jesus in the room. [During any performance], you get that feeling that everything's great."
Christopher enjoys classical, jazz and big band music. He acts in school plays and has participated in chess and math clubs. He can solve a Rubik's Cube in 30 seconds and enjoys physical sciences like engineering and astronomy.
He said he can see himself in music or theater, but has been thinking a lot about astronomy and astrophysics, too: "It's really cool to look out at the night sky and see what's out there."[[In-content Ad]]
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