Photo By Sgt. James Gulliver | Sailors with the Pacific Ambassadors, assigned to the U.S. 7th Fleet Navy Band,...... read more read more
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ROCKHAMPTON, Australia - The U.S. 7th Fleet Navy Band musicians joined with students from local schools to create a jazz ensemble for the opening ceremony of Exercise Talisman Saber 2013.
The Cathedral College hosted the workshop/master’s class, which included six other local schools: North Rockhampton State High School, St. Brendan’s College, St. Ursula’s College, Rockhampton Grammar and Glenmore State High School, all secondary schools, grades eight through 12.
According to Fleet Band Master Lt. Geordie Kelly, who grew up on Long Island, N.Y., events like this allow the opportunity to not only teach about music and the military, but to share a genre that is uniquely American.
“We enjoy getting out in the community to teach and interchange with the local people,” said Kelly. “We are able to show the students the little nuances that jazz requires with the various instruments, the finesses and subtleties in the notes that make it true to the genre.”
The band split off into various sections, each teaching within their respective disciplines. U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Tim Deal, from Champaign, Ill., worked with the saxophone players.
“It’s a good opportunity to talk to the kids and inspire them to continue in music,” said Deal, who plays alto saxophone. “This introduces the students here to the opportunity of playing in the military band. It’s a chance to collaborate with the citizens of Australia.”
One of those citizens, Michael Jones, is the music coordinator for The Cathedral College and said that Rockhampton is considered the regional music center. He emphasized that music was not the only subject in the curriculum.
“This is a fantastic opportunity,” said Jones. “The students are learning more than music from the band; they discussed life in the service and traveling the world.”
Once the individual sessions were over Kelly stood in the center of the musicians, conducting different sections one by one. He had the students sing the notes instead of playing to emphasize the nuances of the notes, stressing some and softening others.
“I enjoyed the experience of working with a band from another country,” said Ryan Bovey, drummer and student at Rockhampton Grammar. “We don’t often have the opportunity to work with this caliber of professional musicians; it is a good learning experience.”
“It’s good to see music from different cultures,” said San Antonio native Musician 1st Class James Caliva. “In music, we speak the same language.”
Music tutor Nick Kateifides was glad his students could see a successful, professional band.
“This is a great opportunity to come and hear professional musicians,” said the Cathedral College tutor, “to see a great way to make a career out of playing music.”
The band will perform together during the opening ceremony of Talisman Saber 2013 on Sunday, July 14. Talisman Saber is a biennial exercise that enhances multilateral collaboration between U.S. and Australian forces in support of future combined operations, humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters.
| Date Taken: | 07.12.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 07.16.2013 01:18 |
| Story ID: | 110237 |
| Location: | ROCKHAMPTON, QLD, AU |
| Hometown: | CHAMPAIGN, IL, US |
| Hometown: | LONG ISLAND, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 177 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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