Yasas, and welcome to the MYO Greece tour blog of 2026! I’m Olivia Li, one of this year’s violinists, and over the next two weeks I will be documenting our adventure, from rehearsals and concerts to the unexpected moments in between. Our journey started on Monday, July 6th, at 12pm at JFK Airport. As I stepped out of my Uber, I wondered how I was ever going to find everyone in one of the busiest airports in the world. However, that fear immediately vanished after I spotted a sea of Mediterranean-blue T-shirts gathered near the check-in counters. After everyone arrived, we checked our luggage and got into our smaller groups. As if flying 5,000 miles away from home wasn’t enough excitement for one day, College Board had also chosen that very day to release AP exam scores. I was a little disappointed with my own scores, but I decided this trip was the perfect excuse to put it behind me. Thankfully, security went by smoothly, and we were all still in one piece. I had a fear of losing my passport, so I was glad that Dr. Jackson collected it right after each use. After everyone went through the security check, we squeezed together to film a “Hello from New York!” video. At the time, I’d imagine we’d record one for each city along the tour (Spoiler alert: that didn’t happen). After trekking for what felt like miles to gate B41, we were left with 20 minutes to meet back at the gate. By the time I got back from Dunkin’, it was already boarding time. Once we were in the air, I settled in with Mamma Mia! and drifted off to sleep, hoping to wake up one step closer to the adventure we’d all been waiting for.
Once we arrived at the airport, we met our tour guide Eleni. The moment I stepped out of the airport, I was immediately greeted by the intense Mediterranean sun beating down on my face. On the bus, Eleni formally introduced herself and our bus driver, Demetrios. Eleni was truly a once in a lifetime tour guide for me, from her slightly odd infatuation with male Greek gods, to her genuine care for all of us, she quickly became a lovable character for all of us on this trip. Several “Oops, another Greek word!”s later, we arrived at our first stop, the Corinth Canal, a world-famous, man-made waterway that cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth to connect the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf. Although the idea to build it was in the works centuries before, the Corinth Canal was first actually attempted by Roman Emperor Nero in 67 AD, and was later finished by a French company in 1893. As I leaned over the railing, I was amazed by the towering limestone walls that rose on either side of the clear blue waters. It was hard to believe that such an enormous engineering project had been carved through solid rock over a century ago.
After we had a good look at the canal, we drove further into the town of Corinth, one of the most powerful and wealthy city-states in ancient Greece. First, we stopped to take photos of the Temple of Apollo, one of the oldest Doric temples in Greece, dating back to the 6th century BCE. The Temple of Apollo would be the first of many ruins that we would encounter on our trip, but it was definitely special in its own way. Most columns included in Greek architecture are made up of stacked “drums” on top of each other. However, the columns featured in the Temple of Apollo were carved from a single piece of limestone. Seeing the Temple of Apollo surrounded by the modern city of Corinth highlighted the contrast between ancient and contemporary Greece. Corinth was one of the most powerful and wealthiest city-states in ancient Greece due to its location that allowed it to control trade between the Greeks and the Peloponnese.
Our next stop was Syntagma Square, the historic heart of Nafplio and the site of our first concert venue. Surrounded by elegant Venetian and neoclassical buildings, the Square has served as the city’s central gathering place for centuries. Although seemingly just a big open space filled with marble tiles, Syntagma Square has been the center of many important political and social events during Nafplio’s position as the first capital of modern Greece. For the next hour and a half, we were off to explore the town of Nafplio. It seemed like every time I turned the corner, I was greeted with a stray cat wandering the streets. A main part of the reason why there’s so many cats everywhere is because of the hospitality of Greeks, as it’s usually common for restaurants to leave out bowls of water or food. Seeing cats intertwine themselves seamlessly with daily human life made me realize how hospitable the Greeks were, not just towards tourists, but also animals. Once we were done exploring, we checked into the Amalia Hotel in Nafplio and got settled into our hotel rooms. From there, we ended the day with a buffet dinner showcasing traditional Greek cuisine. Though most of us were half awake and jetlagged, today was an immersive introduction to Greece’s rich history, remarkable architecture, and welcoming culture. If the first day was any indication, it was that the rest of our journey promised to be just as memorable.
Tour Orchestra Repertoire
- Overture to The Barber of Seville, by Gioachino Rossini, arr. Clark McAlister
- The Mission: Gabriel’s Oboe, by Ennio Morricone, arr. Robert Longfield
- Symphony № 20 in D major, K.133(Movements 3 and 4) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Flower Duet, from Lakmé, by Léo Delibes, arr. Richard Meyer
- 5 Greek Dances, AK 11b, by Nikos Skalkottas
- Concerto for 2 Trumpets in C major, RV 537, by Antonio Vivaldi
- Great Movie Adventures, by John Williams, arr. Michael Sweeney
- Zorba’s Suite, from “Zorba the Greek,” by Mikis Theodorakis, arr. Achilleas Wastor and Stathis Karapanos
Tour Choir Repertoire
- Apple Tree by Aurora Aksnes, Odd Martin Skålnes, and Magnus Skylstad, arr. Katerina Gimon
- Crowded Table by Natalie Hemby, Lori McKenna, and Brandi Carlile, arr. Andrea Ramsey
- Day of Fire and Sun by Kate Crellin
- Desert Song by Säje, arr. Erin Bentlage
- Salmo 150 by Ernani Aguiar
- Gerakina Greek Folksong, arr. Henry Leck
- JAM! (Jom-Ayuh-Mari!) by Tracy Wong
- Lao Rahal Soti by Samih Choukeir, arr. Abu-Khader Shireen
- Flight by Craig Carnelia arr. Ryan Murphy with String Orchestra