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Band Performances while in China, 2008Although the band was prepared to march and play on parade, the places where they played required just a "standing set" and there was no marching other than the entrance into the Forbidden City performance area. Originally, a parade on Wangfujing Street (Beijing's equivalent to 5th Avenue) was planned, but then canceled to eliminate possible internal protest. The trip coordinators worked very hard to find out about our performances in advance, but the details kept changing. (From what I hear, this is completely normal when dealing with China.) We didn't get the final details till we were in Beijing, and even then some things were still up in the air. So, the band directors tried to be ready for almost any eventuality. Another preparation problem they faced was combining two completely separate bands. They did not have a common band show or repertoire to draw on. So they selected several new pieces, and the kids practiced together through the winter and spring -- on top of their separate band practices and performances! At one point, Katy was in Crossroads Middle School Band, Crossroads Jazz Band, West Shore Youth Band, and West Shore High Schools Marching Band ALL AT THE SAME TIME. She loved it. What the heck kind of files are these?!? MPG files - work with practically any Player or Platform, but mine are larger in size. WMV files - smaller files and download faster, but work with Windows Media Player only. MP4 files - Not a web-enabled format for Windows, (you'll probably see a window of junk characters if you click on one) but will play in QuickTime and are suitable for import into iTunes, in case you're interested.
Western parents were given seats off to the side, so unfortunately the vantage point was not ideal for video. ChinaTV cameras and staff were front and center. There was no audience -- only a few officials, announcers, and technicians. Three Chinese bands, a high school band from New Mexico and our band took part in the performance. Marching Entry, and Cadillac of the Skies March America Medley Jasmine Flower (a
favorite Chinese folksong -- all the festival bands joined together to play it)
This concert was very informal, and I don't think it was announced or advertised. The New Mexico band performed first, then we took the stage. The people there seemed very appreciative. It's interesting -- some Chinese love to get their pictures taken with foreigners. As the band was warming up in small groups, a steady stream of tourists stepped up to have their pictures taken beside them! Cadillac of the Skies Fanfare for the Common Man Olympic Spirit
This performance also featured Chinese dancers and drummers, and was taped for ChinaTV. Security was very tight, and we were issued special passes to get into the courtyard. During their performance, some Chinese tourists came walking down the wall and the guards pounced on them and hustled them silently away. As our kids played, the rain came down! Fanfare for the Common Man Jasmine Flower
These are touristy little MPEG tidbits shot while we were sightseeing. Most of them are also linked-to on the picture pages. A Chengde student playing an Erhu. Unfortunately I got just the tail end of her performance. Temple Musicians at Puning Temple, Chengde. Trained Mice, also at Puning Temple in Chengde. (WMV format -- with a story behind it. When I take movies with my still camera, I sometimes end up with sideways videos if I'm not paying enough attention to what I'm doing. Pokey little Windows Movie Maker allows video to be rotated.) An act from the Chinese Acrobats show. Dragon Dancers at the second (evening) Great Wall performance Dancing Ladies at the second (evening) Great Wall performance
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