It’s a meeting of the musical minds and styles this week at Oxford High School.
Members from OHS band and choir will team up with band and choir members from Northeast Yucai School in China to present a diverse collection of American and Chinese music.
The performance was originally scheduled for Feb. 2, but due to the blizzard closing school that day, it’s been rescheduled for Monday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m.
According to Assistant Principal Todd Dunckley, the performance will be a combination of American and Chinese music, and will feature music written by a chinese composer that ‘will feature American instruments, chinese instruments and some vocals, as well with strings, band and choir.?
This concert comes together after only spending two days practicing together.
The Chinese students first day at OHS was on Monday, Jan. 31, which presented a big challenge to OHS Choir Director Christopher Card.
‘You got the music part of it, you got the language part of it; so just starting everything takes that time…to get everyone to work together,? Card said. ‘The chinese kids know the language, our kids know the music, and so we teach each other, and that is a neat aspect of it.?
He added that the opportunity was ‘pretty neat.?
‘They are not all coming as musicians, they are coming as Chinese students and we give them that experience and they give us their culture experience,? Card added.
This performance marks the beginning of a two week stay in Oxford for 34 Chinese students. Besides staying with host families and participating in family events, students will attend a performance of ‘Grease,? watch the Detroit Pistons play and tour Michigan State University.
Dunckley said this was one of the most challenging things he has ever had to organize.
‘There are a lot of people on both sides of the globe trying to organize this, and sometimes it has been very stressful to work with the changing details,? he said.