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Following the drum beats, members of the Eastern Michigan University (EMU) Marching Band ran through the stage in two lines. The 16 students from the United States delivered an immersive musical experience to their audience in Hong Kong.
While they performed American classics such as “Washington Post March”, they also played an authentic version of the Cantopop anthem “Below the Lion Rock”.
“Every time we hear the song, [from] now until forever, we’re going to think about this experience and the people of Hong Kong and how we felt being here,” said Jacob Mann, 22, a music education student from EMU majoring in trumpet and head drum.
The group was invited by the US Consulate General Hong Kong and Macau to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence at the Asia Society Hong Kong last week. It was the first international concert in the band’s history.
“This is a huge deal for us. It’s historic,” said Nick Smith, 41, 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, located in the US state of Michigan, is the alma mater of Julie Eadeh, the Consul General of the US Consulate General Hong Kong and Macau.
Formed in 1924, 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, giving the crowd the energy to cheer on their team.
Marching bands have a military history in many European countries, but modern ones in the US have become a key part of parades and sports events.
The concert was carefully curated 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 said. “Everything has been really calculated and thoughtful to hopefully ... give the audience a whole taste of America.”
Though they could bring only 16 students, the band prepared clips of their past performances to show the audience the scale of the band. They 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 found that the unique insights they gained during 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.”
“I think it’s about pride. Taking pride in the country, in the culture, and who we are as a people and who they are,” he added.
Kaylee Monville, 22, is a music education graduate from EMU who majored in the 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.”
Life-changing experience
The consulate arranged for the students to visit the Hong Kong Palace Museum and Man Mo Temple to help them learn about Hong Kong’s culture. The city itself also left the students in awe.
“When we look at the city, we think of how many people there are,” Mann said.
“Seeing all the buildings ... it really puts that in perspective for us. Everywhere we’ve gone, people have been so nice and so welcoming.”
Monville said she enjoyed exploring Hong Kong’s history and how its diversity mirrors that of the US.
In particular, she felt connected to the antique ceramics at the museum.
She explained that the process of creating a ceramic piece is similar to music, as 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 said. “It’s a really cool thing to connect in that way ... their history to ours.”
For Smith, these moments are the true value of cultural exchange.
“There’s nothing more powerful than going outside your home and experiencing what other people experience,” he said.
“To be able to travel and experience a whole different culture helps us all put life in perspective.”
Bonded through music, the group discovered that even thousands of miles from home, music speaks a language everyone understands.
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.
