Today it was time to get down to business. We would be spending the whole day at Chengdu University and the orchestra would do its first two performances. Unsurprisingly, it is not that easy to get sixty-something kids packed up with instruments, music, stands, lighting, clothing, and other miscellaneous gear. It is a constant logistical battle getting the band and all its accoutrements from place to place and making sure that everything is where it needs to be.

Tom and Al, during happier times

There are also multiple suitcases full of percussion equipment that the chaperones are responsible for. Poor Tom has been lugging around a large bag with some kind of drum in it (and no rollers) for the entire trip. We have nicknamed it “Al” for “albatross”. Al needs to be brought to every performance in case a drum set is not provided — but so far, it always has been provided, so Al just gets set aside and then has to be lugged back to the hotel again. I think Tom and Al’s relationship has become somewhat strained. Al shows his resentment by becoming heavier and more unwieldy with each passing day. (As I write this from a train, Al — who did not fit into the luggage rack or the overhead shelf — is crouched malevolently between me and the seat in front of me, slowly cutting off the circulation to my legs.)

The first performance — outside in front of the large student cafeteria — was slated for noon to maximize the crowd. So for the morning, our hosts had some other fun activities planned.

We first went to a classroom where we learned a little Chinese, practiced moving Skittles with chopsticks, and learned about Chinese opera (which involves the “face changing” series of masks like the show we saw the other day) and the symbolism of each color. We then had a chance to paint our own masks as a souvenir (though lord knows how we will get them home). Next we were given a tour of several of the buildings, including the music and art library and the art museum.
Then it was showtime. The concert program has two parts and the outdoor concerts feature only the latter — American and Chinese pop songs. Several of the singers in the band have performed the impressive feat of learning to sing (and in one case, rap) songs in Chinese, despite no knowledge of the language. In between songs, the Chinese language students (who came on the trip in addition to the orchestra) speak to the crowd to try to recruit them for the evening’s performance. Once the band started playing, they quickly attracted a substantial audience.

This picture of UNH was on the wall of the cafeteria.

There were audible gasps and then cheers when the students began to speak and then sing in Chinese. The kids did an excellent job and it was so gratifying to see the crowd’s appreciation for this effort.

After each performance, Mr. Ervin reserves time for the kids to mingle with the crowd. So many people in the audience want to connect and take selfies with the band members, as well as becoming friends on “WeChat” (a sort of Chinese version of facebook). Everyone has to be dragged away when the allotted time has passed.The evening’s program, in addition to the rock set, also features an original silent movie. The afternoon was largely taken up with rehearsal time, to get the lighting and sound right as well as all the intricate timing required to pull something like this off. Zoe and the other cello player were supposed to be loaned cellos to use here, since bringing them on the plane was not workable. They hadn’t yet appeared, so Zoe was playing the electric cello that she uses for the rock set. Her fellow cello, Jorgen, eventually got his cello at the rehearsal — and found that the university had gone out and purchased one brand new. (Later, after the first night’s concert was over, someone would discover that a cello had been purchased for Zoe as well.)

Standing room only

Excitement and nervousness were high when showtime approached. After everyone had gotten into concert dress, had dinner, and arrived at the concert hall, it was already half full — 45 minutes before the show was even slated to start. By the time 7pm arrived, the seats were all filled and an overflow crowd was lining the aisles and the back. As the kids came in to fill the stage, the auditorium erupted with claps and cheers. It was so funny watching the various shell-shocked expressions as they filed into the room.

This would be the first time (apart from pieces at the rehearsal) that the parents had seen this performance as well. It is an original movie called “Under One Sky”, composed of nature scenes from the US and China, choreographed to an original score that Mr. Ervin wrote based on American and Chinese classical music. There are a lot of intricate musical transitions that have to be precisely synchronized with the film, groups singing parts in Chinese, and speaking parts for the Chinese language students. It was a huge undertaking, and the result was phenomenal. Everything went off flawlessly. The pop song set was an even bigger success, and the energy and enthusiasm really made it feel like we were at a rock concert. With the royal treatment these kids are getting, soon they’ll be demanding Evian water and bowls of only blue M&Ms.