Westwood High School Band on Voice of America in Thailand
Jack Green, the Director of Bands at Westwood High School, was kind enough to send me some mp3 files of a Voice of America in Thailand radio piece that covers the Westwood Warrior band’s recent trip to New York and performance at the Statue of Liberty.
I have always encouraged our group leaders to involve the local and regional media in their travel and performance experiences, but this is way beyond regional coverage!! Not surprising considering that everything this group does is first rate!
I have attached the transcript and podcast files to this post.
Audio From Mr. Green
Audio From NYC Trip
PART 1: WESTWOOD BAND
Sawaddee ka, listeners.
Drum Roll
Star Spangled Banner
MR. GREEN:
Good morning from Austin, Texas. The Westwood Band is a group of student musicians ranging from 14 to 18 years old.
Chanida:
That is the voice of Ajarn Jack Green, the Director of Band of the Westwood Warrior Band from the Westwood High School in Austin, Texas. Ajarn Green says that the Westwood Band consists of 300 student musicians ranging from 14 to 18 years of age.
The Westwood Band is renown all over the U.S. because they are the band that has consistently won first place in many, many contests ever since the Band’s inception 26 years ago. In addition, when the school’s football team takes to the field on Friday evenings, the Westwood Band never misses playing on as a morale booster for both the players and the spectators.
Ajarn Green says that:
MR. GREEN:
I was born here in Texas, grew up primarily in Houston, Texas. I’ve been at Westwood High School as the Band Director for 14 years.
Chanida:
Ajarn Green says that he was born in Texas, grew up in Houston and took on the position of the Westwood Warrior Band Director 14 years ago. Ajarn Green himself started playing the trombone since Grade 6, similar to the students he currently teaches in the Band. After he received the Bachelor and Masters Degrees from the University of Texas at Austin, he became the Westwood Band Director.
Not too long ago, Ajarn Green led 180 members of the Westwood Warrior Band to New York City to perform at the base of the Statue of Liberty. Ajarn Green explains the purpose of the trip.
MR. GREEN:
It’s very easy to sit here in Austin, Texas and think you’re the center of the universe. We have about 15 flutes that are going, 20 clarinets, 15 saxophones, 16 trumpets, 15 French horns, 10 trombones, 6 tubas, 24 percussionists, a group of color guards spinning flags doing different dance works.
Chanida:
Ajarn Green explains that students who are situated only in Austin, Texas may be tempted to think that Austin is the center of everything. Ajarn Green therefore would like the students to be exposed to the world outside by organizing a trip every 2 years. This year, Ajarn Green chose New York. He mobilizes 15 flutes, 20 clarinets, 15 saxophones, 16 trumpets, 15 French horns, 10 trombones, 6 gigantic tubas, 24 percussionists, 4 dancers spinning colorful flags and a contingent of music directors and chaperones, so New Yorkers can feast their eyes and ears on their performance.
Let’s listen to the acclaimed Westwood warrior Band from the Westwood High School in Austin, Texas, with Ajarn Jack Green as the Band Director, performing at the base of the Statue of Liberty in New York City. Chanida Angkanarak reporting.
Music
PART 2: NEW YORK CITY TRIP
Sawaddee ka, listeners.
Music
MR. GREEN:
We’re hoping for great weather so keep your fingers crossed. We want to have a great performance at the Statue of Liberty.
Chanida:
Even though the weather in New York City is very unpredictable, Ajarn Jack Green cannot help but hoping for great weather when he leads the Westwood Warrior Band to perform at the base of the Statue of Liberty. Ajarn Green is the Director of the Band from the Westwood High School in Austin, Texas.
However, as the performance day arrives in the Spring, New York weather turns wickedly cold. The temperature drops to 10 degrees Celsius, with winds gusting to almost 65 kilometers per hour. But Ajarn Green and his students never give in. They grit their teeth and charge on with songs about Texas and American patriotic songs, befitting the ambiance.
Before they can put on the performance in New York, Ajarn Green had to execute quite a bit of preparation.
MR. GREEN:
An eighteen wheeler is going to pull up to the school, and we’ll load all our luggage, suitcases and instruments on the 18 wheeler, the truck that’s going to drive to New York and meet us at our hotel.
Chanida:
Ajarn Green explains the preparation for the New York Trip that a big 18 wheeler would pull up in front of the school. Then the students would help load the musical instruments, other gear and suitcases onto the truck. The truck would then be driven ahead of the Band to New York City and would be waiting to meet the Band at the hotel. Ajarn Green and the students would travel by plane with only a day pack.
MR. GREEN:
I chose to work with a tour company called the Directors’ Choice stationed here in Texas. It’s actually a tour company that got started by a HS band director here in Texas.
Chanida:
Ajarn Green says that he chose the service of a tour company named the Director’s Choice, which was founded by a band director in Texas. The reason is because when he was planning for the trip, he telephoned several airlines to inquire about the transportation cost of the musical instruments. The results were that the cost to transport even one gigantic tuba is going to be $200 one way. The Westwood Band has 6 tubas! And this was not even factoring in the transportation cost for other musical instruments plus the plane tickets for the 180 members! Ajarn Green therefore decided to use an 18 wheeler to carry the load.
A member of the Band who performs in New York is Khun Jonathan Stegall.
JONATHAN:
Sawaddee Krub, I’m Jonathan Stegall. I go the Westwood High School in Austin, Texas. I play the trumpet for the Westwood Band.
Chanida:
Khun Jonathan plays the trumpet and practices every day or every other day for several months.
Coming to New York, Khun Jonathan says that he has already visited several spots.
JONATHAN:
So far I really enjoyed Times Square. I really liked Broadway.
Chanida:
Khun Jonathan says that he really enjoyed Time Square and Broadway.
Khun Jonathan observes some differences between Austin, Texas and New York.
JONATHAN:
The obvious difference: For one, the weather. The clouds are a lot lower here on top of buildings. I don’t know whether that’s because the clouds are low or the buildings are taller than you can see.
Chanida:
Khun Jonathan observes that the weather in New York is different, that is colder, than the weather in Austin. In addition, the clouds above the buildings seem to be lower. He’s not sure whether it’s because the buildings are taller than the eye can see or the clouds are lower than the top of the buildings.
That’s the music from the famous Westwood Warrior Band from the Westwood High School in Austin, Texas. Ajarn Jack Green is the Band Director and Khun Jonathan Stegall is a trumpet player. They are performing at the base of the Statue of Liberty in New York City. I’m Chanida Angkanarak.
Music