France that saw Parisians clamouring for encores and asking for autographs.

That exciting -- and unexpected -- moment came as they played in the beautiful Luxembourg Gardens, in the heart of Paris. And for music director Mr. Anthony Wolffe and teacher Mrs. Linda Parker, who acted as official translator during the trip, it made the year-long effort to raise money for the students' trip seem suddenly more than worthwhile.

"I was very, very proud of the way in which our students, many of whom had never been overseas before, adapted to a different culture, language and cuisine. They made fine ambassadors for Bermuda and did us proud,'' enthused Mrs. Parker. After that recital, the Bermuda students handed out Bermuda pins: "Most people didn't even know where Bermuda was, but they certainly did after we had finished!'' The ten-day trip to France had started out as a proposed visit to Walt Disney World in Florida. But when they requested information on the possibility of performing there, it was suggested they might like to play instead at the newest Disney venture, Euro-Disney, which is located just outside the capital, Paris.

Having already sent pictures and videos of the band in performance to the Disney authorities, they were subsequently invited to play at the French venue.

So began the concerted effort to raise $30,000, which would pay half of the students' fares and their accommodation. Having raised that amount, they set off on March 30 for the French metropolis via New York. Several of the students were flying for the first time.

Besides playing at Euro-Disney and in the Luxembourg Gardens, they also performed in another popular open-air rendezvous in Paris, the Champs de Mar, a park next to the Eiffel Tower.

Members of the band, which specialises in pop music, jazz, blues and easy listening, were astonished by the warm reception they received at each of their concerts, but especially in the Luxembourg Gardens.

"This was the best performance of the lot. There were a lot of people crowding round to listen to us and when we played Hot, Hot, Hot, they started dancing. The students gave 150 percent in that one!'' laughed Mr. Wolffe.

Whitney's Head Girl, Cherie Richardson, said she was teased by the Parisians when they heard her Christian name, which means "dear'' or "darling'' in French.

"The people seemed quite cold and formal compared with Bermudians, so it was exciting, the way they reacted to our playing,'' she said.

Cherie, who plays the saxophone, said that one of the things that surprised her was the harshness with which the French police treated street pedlars: "There are so many people selling things on the streets of Paris and the police just came and swept everything away. She said that although the architecture of Paris was wonderful, she was struck by the "filthiness'' of the streets.

"When I was over there, I realised how grateful we should be, I became more appreciative of Bermuda because it is so clean and beautiful. I didn't think the people were all that friendly, so it was astonishing to see how they melted as we played.'' Seventeen-year old Jamel Mello, who also plays the saxophone and hopes to go on to the Bermuda College to study graphic art, was entranced by the buildings in France. For besides visiting all the famous landmarks of Paris, the group visited the palace of Versailles, and took a side-trip to Rouen where they saw the famous cathedral and the site where St. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake.

"I loved all the stained glass in the cathedrals and the statues all over Paris covered in gold-leaf! I thought the people were amazing -- nobody seems to smile very much over there, but as soon as we smiled at them and tried to speak a little French, they started to make a big fuss of us,'' he said.

The group also visited the Normandy beaches of D-Day fame, seeing houses that were still riddled with bullet holes and shipwrecks still submerged off the Channel shore.

"It makes history come alive -- it's like living your history lesson,'' commented Cherie.

Jamel, however, was not impressed with the sea.

"The water is terrible. How can people swim in that stuff? I like to swim in water where you can see if something's coming up to bite you.'' Mrs. Parker said that she and Mr. Wolffe would like to thank all the parents, friends and corporations who offered sponsorship and made this "trip of a lifetime'' a reality for the Whitney students.

So pleased were they with the conduct of the band that a special overnight stay in New York was arranged during the journey home. They were taken to see Gregory Hines in Jelly's Last Jam -- and it just happened to be the night when Ben Vereen, recovered from horrific injuries in a car crash, made his much publicised debut as a member of the cast.

"It certainly ended a wonderful trip on a high note,'' beamed bandmaster Anthony Wolffe.

MUSICAL RENDEZVOUS -- Members of the Whitney Institute School Band pictured as they play in the Champs de Mars, a park in the heart of Paris.

MAGIC KINGDOM, EUROPEAN-STYLE -- Whitney Institute head girl Cherie Richardson got to meet Snow White when the school band played at Euro-Disney, during its visit to France.

SOUND CHEQUE -- Winners of the recent talent competition, Conscious, receive a $1,000 cheque from organiser Mr. Choy Aming, left. The band will also open for Maxi Priest at the National Stadium on May 29. The talent competition, staged over two nights at the Clayhouse Inn, attracted 11 entrants. Second was rapper Tiny T, and in third place was rhythm and blues band Shaky Ground. Pictured with Mr. Aming and members of the band, from left, Anthony Jones, Nahtasha Burrows, Alfie Fubler, Nafeesah Nosakhere, Bobby Rogers, Randy Richardson and Phil Albouy.