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Members of the Eastern Michigan University (EMU) Marching Band delivered an immersive musical experience to their audience in Hong Kong last week. The 16 students from the school in the US state of Michigan were invited by the US Consulate General Hong Kong and Macau.
The event at Asia Society Hong Kong commemorated the 250th anniversary of American independence.
They performed American classics such as “Washington Post March”. But they also played an authentic version of the Cantopop anthem “Below the Lion Rock”.
“Every time we hear the song ... we’re going to think about this experience and the people of Hong Kong and how we felt being here,” said Jacob Mann, 22. He is a music education student majoring in trumpet and head drum.
It was the first international concert in the marching band’s history.
“This is a huge deal for us. It’s historic,” said Nick Smith, 41. He is the associate director of bands for the School of Music and Dance at EMU.
“To be part of a huge celebration ... that’s monumental.”
Taste of American culture
EMU is the alma mater of Julie Eadeh, the Consul General of the US Consulate General Hong Kong and Macau.
The EMU Marching Band has more than 180 members from a variety of academic disciplines. They often perform during halftime shows at the university’s American football games. In the US, marching bands are also a key part of parades and sports events.
The concert aimed to present a broad picture of American culture to the Hong Kong audience.
“The secret to programming a concert is to ensure that you give the audience a little bit of everything,” Smith explained.
The band also performed at the US Independence Day Reception at Hong Kong’s Ocean Park Marriott Hotel last week.
Connected beneath the Lion Rock
The students said their five-day stay in the city offered new meaning to the song “Below the Lion Rock”.
“It was introduced to us as a ... piece that’s really special to Hong Kong,” Mann said. “Just knowing that we’re going to mix our cultures to be able to perform this piece is something really special.”
Kaylee Monville, 22, is a music education graduate from EMU who majored in piccolo and drum. She said she pictured the city when she played the music.
“The beauty of everything that we’ve been seeing kind of envisions this piece,” she said. “I get a little emotional because ... it’s a sign that we are here and we are making an impact, connecting with people and bringing them together with us.”
Putting things into perspective
The consulate arranged for the students to visit the Hong Kong Palace Museum and Man Mo Temple. It helped them learn about Hong Kong’s culture and history.
“When we look at the city, we think of how many people there are. Seeing all the buildings ... it really puts that in perspective for us,” Mann said.
Monville said she felt a particular connection to the antique ceramics at the museum. She explained that creating a ceramic piece is similar to music: it takes a lot of time and practice to perfect.
“We put hours and hours into our rehearsal for one performance that’s going to be able to be seen by people,” she explained.
For the students, the memories may take years to fully sink in. Yet the melodies they carried across the ocean have already left a lasting impression.
