English Translation

The one hundred and six people group from Illinois, with the help of the Chinese American Cultural Bridge Center and Henan Province Travel Company, traveled to Beijing and Henan Province’s Luoyang, Zhengzhou, Kaifeng, and other locations to perform from the 10th to the 20th of June.

New Trier is a school with a hundred years of history. As of right now, the school houses four Symphony Orchestras, four Jazz Ensembles, four Concert Bands, and five concert choirs. Over the years, New Trier has produced thousands of talented musicians and other professionals, earning its title as the "home of professional American musicians." In the recent years, the orchestras and jazz ensembles have performed and competed in Europe in International Music Festivals; they have also won titles from the Illinois Music Education Committee to be the "Most Outstanding High School Music Department".

On the morning of June 11th, Beijing’s temperature reached thirty-two degrees Celsius. Under the burning sun, the members of New Trier Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble climbed onto the Great Wall; everyone was full of excitement. Around 9 am, the performance started with the Chinese National Anthem, bringing many curious tourists from all around the world near the performance area. Reverberating in the hills of the Great Wall, piece after piece of Beethoven, Mozart, Strauss, and lighthearted American folk tunes received waves of applause and enthusiasm from the audience. Performances in Luoyang, Zhengzhou, and Kaifeng have all been sold-out concerts; audience members in Henan show much enthusiasm for the New Trier performances.

During the time they were in China, the musicians toured Beijing’s Thirteen Peaks and the Forbidden City; Luoyan’s Dragon Gate Caves, White Horse Temple, Song Mountain Shaolin Temple, and Star-Watching Plateau; Henan Museum; Zhengzhou Museum; Kaifeng’s Dragon Pavilion, Iron Tower, Qing Dynasty Shanghe Market Park; and Luoyang’s countryside. They also enjoyed kung fu performances by the monks at Shaolin Temple and an acrobatic show in Kaifeng. They visited a high school in Zhengzhou and chatted with students and teachers. The government officials of Henan Province, Department of Travel, Culture Center, and local cities all met with the performers.

On the morning of June 16th, the American group paid a visit to the Zhengzhou High-Tech Exploration Area’s Zhengzhou High School. The teachers and students of both countries communicated in English about school life, competed in sports, ate lunch, exchanged souvenirs, and took pictures for memories. The two schools also reached a general agreement about further educational cooperation in the future. When the leaving time came, many students were sad; they exchanged address and expressed desires to communicate through the Internet. Elizabeth and Lexie Newman, twin sisters, told reporters that this was the best trip they have ever taken in their lives and that they not only saw China’s history over thousands of years but also met so many new Chinese friends.

New Trier High School’s Principal Mr. Wesley Baumann said, "This trip to China will be an unforgettable memory! To be able to see with my own eyes the Great Wall, Dragon Gate Cave, Shaolin Kungfu, Chinese culture, China’s urbanization, and the wonderful Chinese people makes me agree that China is truly a country with both an extraordinary past and an optimistic future. I believe every person on this trip will be a great advocate for China; they will use the experience they had here and tell others that China is a beautiful nation with enthusiasm and friendliness." Mr. Baumann also hoped that this program would be a great beginning for the cultural interaction between the two countries in the future. Jazz Ensemble Director, Mr. James Warrick and the Orchestra Director, Peter Rosheger both told reporters, "We had lacked understanding of China before we visited; we had thought China was underdeveloped, had no freedom of speech, and biased toward western countries. Many parents actually traveled with the group. After this trip, our opinions and misconceptions have been corrected. We are introduced to the real China, a country with enthusiasm, friendliness, open-mindedness, advancement, and hope. You can even say this is expedition is a big turning-point in our lives."

Through the Chinese American Cultural Bridge Center and the help of Henan Province Travel Company, this group was able to visit China and entertain many citizens with stellar music. This was the first major program after the Japan Youth Travel took place. This event’s success opened new doors for future tourism, strengthening the ties between China and the western countries, especially for the young people. Cultural interactions will be easier than ever.