The smell of freshly sharpened pencils and the sound of music wafted through Okanagan Mission Secondary害羞草研究所檚 main entrance.

Band students practiced their final rehearsal for next week害羞草研究所檚 performance, which will feature a video on the liberation of the Netherlands by Canadians in WWII.

The students travelled to the Netherlands for the first time during part of their spring break, getting the chance to collaborate with locals and perform at a cathedral.

Grade 12 Devin Waller said playing in front of a cathedral made him feel like an actual musician.

害羞草研究所淲hen you害羞草研究所檙e in front of a cathedral with 1,000 people in front of you, it害羞草研究所檚 like, oh wow, this is the real deal,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 trying not a pass out,害羞草研究所� adding he felt like a professional musician getting to play in front of a large audience.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e never felt so strongly for the veterans of the war and the music,害羞草研究所� said Grade 11 student Byrn Forrest, on her experience in the Netherlands.

Trips have been ongoing for the students at OKM, but this was the first time the school visited the Netherlands.

Around 80 students and five chaperones attended the 10-day excursion.

The students performed with locals in Twello, a village in the Netherlands.

害羞草研究所淚 think it害羞草研究所檚 one of the neatest things I害羞草研究所檝e seen as a professional; watching students sit beside people that they maybe can害羞草研究所檛 communicate with, with the language barrier, and music becomes that language,害羞草研究所� said music director Megan Fredrick.

The performance will begin at 7 p.m., April 25 at the high school.