Friday, Aug. 22, 2008

GHS Group Recalls 'Once in a Lifetime Trip’

By Scott Price

Staff Writer

A group of about 130 Grapevine High School students, teachers and parents who traveled to China as part of the pre-Olympics events, have watched the Summer Olympics in Beijing this year with added interest.

The delegation included Steve Andre, GHS director of bands, and 43 students with the GHS Wind Ensemble, and Patrick Antinone, GHS choir director, and 26 students with the GHS Choir. The students had to raise money to pay their way for the trip to Beijing and Shanghai from June 8 to 18. Each student paid nearly $4,000.

GHS Principal Jerry Hollingsworth and assistant band directors Brandt Leondar and JJ Pipitone were also part of the delegation.

Both musical groups participated in the "Perform in Harmony – with Olympic Spirit" concert series in the two cities. Three of the four performances were billed as a salute to the 2008 Olympics, and a fourth concert was a music and culture exchange concert with a Beijing high school.

Antinone said one of the most memorable parts of the trip for him was the exchange concert with the high school in Beijing. He said his group sang a Chinese song and the Chinese students sang a song in English.

"It was just amazing," he said. "Teenagers are teenagers; they are exactly the same."

The students also exchanged gifts, and some exchanged e-mail addresses.

Antinone said another memorable experience for him was the formal concert at the Shanghai Oriental Arts Centre where the students performed before a packed house.

"The kids literally gave the concert of their lives," he said. "They absolutely brought the house down. It was the conducting experience of my life."

Andre said the most memorable part of the tour for him was getting to perform an informal concert at the Great Wall of China. He said about 200 people at the wall gathered around to listen to the performance.

The two formal concerts, including the one at the Forbidden City Concert Hall, had about 2,000 people at each concert.

"As a culture, they appreciate the arts very much," Andre said.

The food was sometimes interesting, Andre added, with fish and ducks served with the heads still attached. He said fish were taken right out of a tank and prepared.

"I don’t know if [the students] wanted it that fresh," Andre said with a laugh.

Everywhere the delegation went they received a lot of attention, Antinone said. Many people wanted to have their pictures taken with the taller people in the group, or those with blonde hair, he said.

All of the music that was performed had to be approved by the Chinese government before the delegation arrived, and they did not allow American patriotic music or anything religious, Antinone said.

The Chinese government had approved a gospel song, Antinone said, but during a rehearsal the officials ran up to him and said the piece had to be eliminated.

"They were incredibly gracious, wonderful hosts," Antinone summarized, "but they took us where they wanted and showed us what they wanted," he said. "But I understand they wanted us to see the best of their country."

The delegation also visited the Temple of Heaven, Beijing Opera, jade and silk factories, Tiananmen Square, Shanghai Acrobats, and Olympic Games facilities.

Andre said he watched the Olympics on TV with extra interest.

"To have been there and to see it on TV is exciting," he said. "It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and it was exciting."