As the Rose Parade approaches, California greets the visiting bands
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Staccato snares, ringing calls, and stomping shoes all playing in unison filled the gray morning air in the parking lot outside Angel Stadium recently. Piles of worn cardboard boxes and clean tool cases stand piled at the end of the cracked tarmac as dozens of young performers march, dance and perform in a tight, circling and circling space.
There were a few days left before the Rose Parade and one of the last opportunities The Kyoto Tachibana Senior High School Green Band had to practice their eight-song medley and accompanying choreography.
One of 24 groups scheduled to perform in the Pasadena parade, the Japanese school will mark its third appearance there on New Year's Day. It will join an international group of teams from Mexico, Panama and Denmark.
The Japanese band's whirlwind tour of Southern California began on Christmas Day, when the players and their instruments first arrived at Los Angeles International Airport. For many, it was their first visit to the United States.
They spent Thursday and Friday rehearsing and going to a nearby hotel, being escorted back and forth in charter buses while a local volunteer transported their equipment in a Penske moving truck.
Asked about their initial impression, most of the young team members commented on how friendly the Americans were. And several were happy with the food, especially the hotel's bacon and eggs – a rare breakfast in Japan.
“Everything is big. Lots of cars and highways,” said 18-year-old saxophone player Kokoro Kumagai through a translator. “We went to the store and everything is big and the color is bright. Everything seemed good.”
The band is considered the best and most decorated high school marching band. Until a few years ago – when the school started accepting boys – the team was made up entirely of girls. This year, 109 undergraduates and 82 new graduates made the trip to California.
Over the weekend, band members scattered across Southern California staying with families from Seal Beach to Ontario. Many said they enjoyed experiencing typical American life and perhaps seeing tourist attractions or going shopping between responsibilities. They had a busy schedule, with a charity concert at John F. Kennedy High School in La Palma on Sunday, an appearance in the Rose Parade and Bandfest at Pasadena City College on Monday and a performance at Disneyland on New Year's. Eve.
Bob Kunihiro said he hosted two band members at his family's Anaheim Hills home in 2018, and decided to do so again this year. She takes them to restaurants and boutiques, which she said is a popular option because American clothes are often more expensive in Japan, especially because of the current weakness of the yen.
“Very sweet. I'm really enjoying it, the kids are really nice,” said Kunihiro. “Many children do not know English well, so they are afraid. I speak a little Japanese, but I also use Google Translate, which helps.”
That nervousness disappears when they put on their yellow and black tops and orange skirts – or black pants in the case of a few male players – and raise their weights in the air. The band is an explosion of collective energy, with more activity than the average marching band as its members jump, high kick and sashay, all while playing a song.
“Approximately 200 high school students and graduates will perform a magnificent performance, with a combination of dance and music,” said Yasuda Fumihiko, principal of Kyoto Tachibana, as he watched Friday's rehearsal. “Skillful steps and excellent sounds, they will play eight songs.”
The group's leaders say they have chosen songs that will appeal to American audiences of all ages, from Taylor Swift's “Shake It Off” and Lady Gaga's “Poker Face” to the Beach Boys' classic “Surfin' USA” and the jazz standard “Sing Sing”. Sing,” made famous by Benny Goodman.
For the members of the group, the day of the Rose Parade begins hours before dawn, as they expect to arrive near the parade route around 3 a.m. The actual singing will last about two hours, during which they will be singing eight songs repeatedly. loop as they walk the streets of Pasadena before wrapping up early in the morning.
The next day, it's back to Japan for the high school students, who have exams to study for. The graduates will stay an extra day in the US to visit – where else – Disneyland.
“We want to do very well. We want to enjoy ourselves and we want everyone watching us to enjoy themselves,” said Kumagai. “It's a kind of harmony. We want the people of the US to know peace and harmony through our music and our marches.”
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