The world watched, awestruck, as Michael Phelps and other American athletes brought home gold for the U.S.
And for three Redmond High School alumni, there’ll be other, more personal memories of the phenomenal 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.
Tom Glanz, Jen Arther and Dan Reisinger, who now attend University of Washington, were among 1,800 high school and college students in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Orchestra. They brought sweet music and good will to the people of China and fans from all over the globe.
Traveling with fellow members of the Husky Marching Band and its director, Dr. J. Brad McDavid, they spent two weeks in China, including performances in Tiananmen Square, on The Great Wall of China and in Tianjin, social activities with musicians from other nations and sightseeing at The Forbidden City and in Shanghai.
Audiences from the host country and elsewhere responded warmly to the orchestra’s renditions of traditional Chinese songs, all-American favorites such as “Strike Up the Band” and “Sing Sing Sing,” and of course, the stirring Olympic theme music.
Glanz shared a few comments on the experience:
“In Beijing, the sense of a controlling government was very prevalent and I felt that one could tell easily that the ‘Olympic Experience’ of China was a relatively watered down one. Even on the main road to the Great Wall, booths with umbrellas staffed with eager looking ‘volunteers’ were set up, blocking off neighborhoods and providing directions or help, it seemed.
“Only in Shanghai, while venturing without the burden of 35 buses and motorcade did I feel I experienced China as I might have on my own. One night we found a hole-in-the-wall ‘restaurant’ and it was probably the best meal we had. We sat on the street, around a tiny folding table and on miniscule stools, eating noodles, while slowly, much of the street came by to marvel at the simple fact that we were there, enjoying ourselves, trying our ‘broken tourist Chinese.’
“As for the band, the rehearsals were sweltering and staying extremely well hydrated was really the only option. The most populated performance was in Tianjin before we attended the first of three Olympic football (soccer) matches that I went to. This world competition was truly an inspiring event. We all tried to learn Chinese cheers and had an amazing time.”
As soon as these local students returned to Seattle, they were on the run again, practicing for the Husky Marching Band’s trip to UW’s first football game of the season, at University of Oregon.
Photos and videos of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Orchestra are online at www.beijing2008olympicorchestra.com.
To see where Glanz, Arther and Reisinger will perform throughout the fall, visit www.huskymarchingband.com/.
