ANAHEIM, Calif. — The ebullient thrum of staccato snares, thumping sousaphones, and tramping sneakers all appearing in unison stuffed the grey morning air within the car parking zone outdoors Angel Stadium lately. Piles of travel-worn cardboard containers and pristine instrument instances stood stacked at one finish of the cracked asphalt as scores of younger performers marched, danced and performed in tight formation, spherical and around the huge expanse.
It was simply days earlier than the Rose Parade and one of many final probabilities the Kyoto Tachibana Senior Excessive Faculty Inexperienced Band needed to follow its eight-song medley and accompanying choreography.
Yuika Okai, left, and Karin Yamamoto take pleasure in a light-weight second whereas taking a break from rehearsal for the upcoming Rose Parade.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Instances)
One in all 24 bands slated to carry out within the Pasadena procession, the Japanese faculty will mark its third look there on New 12 months’s Day. It’ll be part of a global contingent of bands from Mexico, Panama and Denmark.
The Japanese band’s whirlwind go to to Southern California started Christmas Day, when the performers and their devices began arriving at Los Angeles Worldwide Airport. For many, it was their first go to to the US.
They spent Thursday and Friday practising and retiring to a close-by lodge, escorted forwards and backwards in lengthy constitution buses whereas a neighborhood volunteer transported their devices in a Penske transferring truck.
The Kyoto Tachibana Senior Excessive Faculty Inexperienced Band rehearses for the Rose Parade within the car parking zone at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Instances)
Requested about their first impressions, most of the younger band members remarked on how pleasant the People that they had met had been. And several other raved in regards to the meals, particularly the lodge’s bacon and eggs — an unusual breakfast in Japan.
“Everything is huge. Lots of cars and freeways,” 18-year-old saxophone participant Kokoro Kumagai mentioned by means of a translator. “We went to the supermarket and every item is quite huge and its color is quite vivid. Everything seemed delicious.”
The group is taken into account Japan’s finest and most revolutionary highschool marching band. Till simply a number of years in the past — when the college started to confess boys — the band was made up fully of women. This 12 months, 109 enrolled college students and 82 current graduates made the journey to California.
The Kyoto Tachibana Senior Excessive Faculty Inexperienced Band is taken into account Japan’s finest and most revolutionary highschool marching band. Till simply a number of years in the past — when the college started to confess boys — the band was made up fully of women.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Instances)
Over the weekend, band members dispersed throughout Southern California for dwelling stays with households from Seal Seaside to Ontario. Many mentioned they have been excited to expertise regular American life and perhaps see some vacationer sights or buy groceries in between commitments. That they had a busy schedule, with a charity live performance at John F. Kennedy Excessive Faculty in La Palma on Sunday, an look within the Rose Parade-associated Bandfest occasion at Pasadena Metropolis Faculty on Monday and a efficiency within the parade at Disneyland on New 12 months’s Eve.
Bob Kunihiro mentioned he hosted two band members at his household’s home in Anaheim Hills in 2018, and he determined to take action once more this 12 months. He takes them to space eating places and to the retailers, which he mentioned is a well-liked possibility as a result of American clothes is usually costlier in Japan, notably with the present weak spot of the yen.
“It’s a lot of fun. I really enjoy it, the kids are really nice,” Kunihiro mentioned. “A lot of the kids don’t speak much English, so they’re very apprehensive. I speak a little Japanese, but I also use Google Translate, which helps.”
That trepidation disappears the second they don their signature yellow-and-black collared tops and orange skirts — or black pants within the case of the few male gamers — and hoist their devices within the air. The band is an explosion of coordinated power, with much more exercise than the typical marching band as its members skip, excessive kick and sashay, all whereas taking part in a tune.
“Around 200 high school students and graduates are going to make a very impressive performance, with the combination of dance and music,” mentioned Yasuda Fumihiko, Kyoto Tachibana’s principal.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Instances)
“Around 200 high school students and graduates are going to make a very impressive performance, with the combination of dance and music,” mentioned Yasuda Fumihiko, Kyoto Tachibana’s principal, as he watched the Friday follow. “Very skillful steps and very beautiful sounds, they’ll play eight tunes.”
The band’s leaders mentioned they selected songs that American viewers members of all ages would take pleasure in, from Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” and “Poker Face” by Girl Gaga to the Seaside Boys basic “Surfin’ U.S.A.” and the jazz customary “Sing Sing Sing,” made well-known by Benny Goodman.
For the band’s members, the day of the Rose Parade begins hours earlier than daybreak, as they count on to reach close to the parade route round 3 a.m. The precise efficiency will final about two hours, throughout which they are going to carry out the eight-song medley in a repeating loop as they make their approach by means of the streets of Pasadena earlier than wrapping up in late morning.
The Kyoto Tachibana Senior Excessive Faculty Inexperienced Band listens to its music director throughout rehearsal.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Instances)
The subsequent day, it’s again to Japan for the excessive schoolers, who’ve exams to review for. The graduates will keep an additional day within the U.S. to go to — the place else — Disneyland.
“We want to make a very good performance. We want to enjoy ourselves and we want every person watching to enjoy themselves, too,” Kumagai mentioned. “It’s a kind of harmony. We want people in the U.S. to know peace and harmony through our music and marching performance.”
