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MHCC band jazzes up 2009 World Games
The Advocate
The MHCC Jazz Band performed three nights during the July 16-26 World Games in front of about 5,000 of people each night in Kaohsiung,Taiwan.
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They also performed at a ceremony for Portland Mayor Sam Adams and the Portland City Council, where the Portland/Kaoshiung Sister City Association presented the Kaoshiung with the gift of a new ambulance. Portland Mayor Sam Adams was there for the dedication ceremony and gift presentation. In previous gift exchanges, the Kaoshiung/Portland Sister City Association has given Portland several dragon boats for the annual Rose Festival dragon boat races.
The MHCC Jazz Band was invited to participate because of their reputation and successes of previous performances in Kaoshiung. The band was hosted by the Kaochiung city government, which provided an all-expenses paid trip, except airfare. The band was also treated to guided tours and English translation around the area with several opportunities to learn about Taiwan. According to band member Michelle Christiansen, “It was so humid that it felt like it was raining even when it wasn’t.”
On a tour of Kaoshiung’s new subway system, there was a large photo of Oregon’s Crater Lake among the featured art. In reference to another tour, Director Susie Jones said, “Fo Guang Shan Buddhist monastery is a very peaceful and spiritual place. The tour guide at the monastery shared a lot of information about Buddhism and its philosophy.”
In addition to performing, the students had to practice being ambassadors. They were representing the United States at luncheons and events also attended by the vice president of the Olympic Committee, president of the World Games, the mayor of Kaoshiung, and mayors from all over the world. The students had to know how to act, when to be formal or not, how to be appropriate, what to wear, etc.
MHCC Jazz Band was the only American performing group at the World Games.
Band member Julian Emanual had visited Taiwan before, learned Chinese, and was the master of ceremonies for the band. ”It was a unique experience to offer a language exchange for the band,” said Emanual. He explained in Chinese to the audiences what American jazz is about both musically and socially, which provided an educational element to their performances.
For information on the Jazz Band or taking any music classes at MHCC, contact Jones at [email protected].
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