Black Forest tour hits all the right notes
“Amazing”, “incredible” and “wonderful” were just a few of the adjectives used to describe the 2026 music tour to Germany’s Black Forest.
Todtnauberg was the traveling party’s base for the trip and, after a day of travelling and a good night’s sleep, pupils were raring to go!
The tour opened with a scenic boat cruise on Lake Titisee, followed by the first of four performances, an informal concert at the Musikmuschel in Titisee Lake Park.
Later that day, the musicians gave their first formal concert at St Zeno’s Church in Herrischried. Following a warm welcome and meal at a local school, pupils impressed a highly appreciative audience with a varied and accomplished musical programme. A large number attended from the local community, including the mayor of Herrischried, and SGS musicians were presented with gifts of appreciation, including pots of the locally produced honey!
On the third day, the group crossed into France to explore the picturesque Alsatian town of Colmar, renowned for its medieval architecture and charming canals.
Returning to Germany, the musicians travelled to Freiburg to perform at St Martin’s Church. The stunning venue, known for its excellent acoustics, provided the perfect setting for another memorable concert that was enthusiastically received by audience members.
A full day at Europa Park theme park saw adventurous pupils tackle a range of rollercoasters, whilst others faced – and overcame – their fears as they joined their friends on the rides.
The following day, the group ascended the Schauinsland Cable Car, taking in spectacular views across the Black Forest before spending time exploring the mountain summit and its surrounding scenery.
The final performance of the tour was an informal concert at the music pavilion at Kurpark in Bad Krozingen. Like the other informal concert at Titisee Lake Park, this concert drew an impressive audience with passers-by at the popular outdoor venue intrigued and amazed by the sound coming from the SGS musicians.
As the group travelled home to Stockport on the final day, pupils had the chance to reflect on a week filled with music, friendship and memorable experiences.
The weather during the time away was incredibly hot and the musicians coped brilliantly as they performed in high temperatures. Pupils, and audience members, were given a little surprise as Director of Music Mr Michael Dow introduced various concert items in German – a language he has been working hard to learn all year!
Hermione offered glowing praise about the tour: “I loved everything about this trip, it was by far the best I’ve ever been on and was one of the best weeks of my life! I feel so lucky to have met so many amazing people, spread around different years, and spend time to get to know and love them. I honestly believe I have made some friends for life, and I feel really involved in the music community. I can’t wait for the next one!”
Emmy noted that it “provided us opportunities not just to play music but also to make new friends and countless memories,” while Anya enjoyed playing in a range of different venues, saying: “I don’t usually play in venues that are outside and the churches we played in were beautiful and had a great acoustic.”
Nathan noted that the “boat ride and cable car had incredible views and were very enjoyable,” Arlo said that he “really enjoyed every part of the trip, especially the theme park” and Ellis added: “I loved this trip. I made tons of memories and experiences that I will never forget.”
Mr Dow concluded: “The Music tour to the Black Forest, Germany was a fantastic success. The pupils performed to an amazingly high standard in all four of the concerts, and these were extremely well received by local audiences. There was a great team spirit throughout the trip, and the conduct of the pupils was immaculate throughout – they were a wonderful credit to the school.”
More photos can be found on the Parent Portal.
