MUSICAL NOTES FROM THE GREAT WALL
By Hana Oh

"Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times."

     Kevin Sinclair and Iris Wong Po-yee quote this Chinese proverb in their book, Culture Shock!, which all students in Jazz Ensemble I and Chamber Orchestra were required to read. Why? Because they needed mental preparation to actually "see" the country of which they had "heard" well over a hundred times - China, "the land on the other side of the globe".

     This tour was the first time any New Trier group went to China - or Asia, for that matter. Most of the students and faculty, too, had never been to China before. According to Mr. James Warrick, who conducts Jazz Ensemble I, they went through "preparation for adverse conditions and different emotional as well as physical experience."

     The book prepared the students well, but China was still a country full of wonders for all who went. Everywhere, students were overwhelmed with what they saw and how great the differences were between their home and China.

     "It's not describable. I was seeing a whole other side of the world that I only saw in pictures, and everywhere I turned, I was amazed," said Jaina Morgan, a member of Chamber Orchestra.

     Garrett Ash in Jazz Ensemble I said he was especially amazed by the Chinese view on their own culture." I was impressed by how the culture and history is part of who you are in China. They really are proud to be Chinese," he said.

     The group was also pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic welcome they received everywhere they went, and the cultural differences at concerts. "When we went to Europe in the previous years, the audience usually had some knowledge on jazz. In China, the audience had little or no knowledge, so they had different ways of responding to it. They had no response to jazz solos, for example," said Mr. Warrick. "Still, the audience applause was overwhelming - they really liked what they heard. For some of them, we were the first band they had ever heard in their lives."

     Jaina Morgan said that she found it very interesting that the audience was accustomed to talking amongst themselves during a performance, and applauding in the middle of a piece. Also, the students were busy signing autographs on CDs they passed out to the audience after concerts. They also received flowers and gifts after every concert." "It was great," said Morgan, "we really felt that we were so important to them. [The concert] meant so much to these people."

Garrett Ash agreed. "Whenever we performed, the place was packed with people. We got so much more response from the audience; people were very enthusiastic and eager to hear us," he said.

     Even outside the concert halls, students faced great cultural differences. Mr. Peter Rosheger, who conducts the Chamber Orchestra, said that he found the eating custom very interesting. Students dined at a big round table, with the "Lazy Susan" in the middle and various plates and dishes. Oftentimes silverware was not available, so they had a fun time learning to use chopsticks. Much to his surprise, he also found that it was a popular custom for people to spit, so that he saw "No Spitting" signs everywhere.

     A lot of students were surprised by the numerous bikes they saw on the road, the scarcity of personal vehicles, as well as the number of people. Smog and scarcity of grass and flowers also grabbed students' attention. Also, many students agreed that it seemed like a very busy place; Mr. Warrick found there was constant activity going on, and he said he felt like "standing in the middle of an anthill."

     Wherever they went, the group received immediate attention. Many of the Chinese people had never seen a "Westerner" before, and they approached them with curiosity and interest. There was a professional cameraman following the group everywhere, and the Chinese newspapers published regular reports on them. 

     "Everyone was very curious about us," said Ash. "There were very few foreigners there, so crowds always gathered around us, and they were amazed how different we looked." Morgan agreed. "They didn't speak English well but they would ask us where we were from, and when we said 'Chicago' they would shout 'Oh, Windy City!' or 'Basketball!' and things like that. It was awesome," she said.

     Twins Lexie and Elizabeth Newman especially received attention. Since the Chinese government encourages a one-child-per-family policy, the only way to have two children is to have twins. Also, because twins are very rare in China, they are believed to bring good luck, so they were the focus of attention for the general public and TV interviews. "We did our hair the same way and everything, so everywhere people were so amazed and a lot of people came up and asked us questions," said Lexie Newman.

     Students went beyond "seeing" China; they lived it. Morgan, along with her friends, went to a public square where the Chinese people were dancing together. "At first we just watched, but they encouraged us to join in so we eventually all danced together. It was great - I thought it was a good opportunity to actually mingle with the people, instead of just sightseeing," she said.

     Many Chinese and Americans also danced together on the Great Wall, a memorable experience for both groups alike. "You just haven't lived until you have danced on the Great Wall of China!" said Mr. Warrick. Also, students had a Kung Fu lesson with monks after a Kung Fu show. They also went to a high school where students from the two countries played basketball and ping pong together. Several Chinese students were crying when the New Trier group left, which was a special moment for all who were there.

     Another overwhelming emotional moment came when a middle aged man came up to the group at a public square with an essay he wrote in English some twenty years ago. In broken English, he explained that he carried it with him in his wallet for all these years, because he was so proud of his achievement. He said he had never seen an actual English-speaking person before, and Mr. Warrick offered to read his essay to him. While he did, the man was so overwhelmed he started crying. It brought tears to the eyes of those who were listening. "Their fascination with English and English-speaking people is remarkable," said Mr. Warrick.

     It cannot be said that the China Trip was a perfectly positive experience; students had to deal with unsanitary washrooms, frightening traffic (with no traffic laws), and smog. But all students, for whom China has been a vague, distant country somewhere in the East, came to learn to appreciate and embrace the vast differences in cultures. As Mr. Warrick said, "China was 'demystified' and the trip has forever changed the lives of 103 people."

     The United States is a huge country and sometimes we tend to forget what is going on around us in the outside world. The China Trip was significant in the sense that it provided that outward look to many people, and hopefully it will extend beyond the music department and those who went. A two-hours-long DVD on the whole trip is in progress, which is expected to come out by Thanksgiving; there are some fabulous pictures on the website ntjazz.com/chinatour. It's about time we start "seeing," instead of merely "hearing."