YOUTUBE OF REAL AMBASSADORS "TRICKLE TRICKLE" UNDER THE TOWER BRIDGE, LONDON.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHvbi6CxIOU&feature=youtu.be
The Real Ambassadors, a jazz choir of students from the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts (GHAA), was asked by the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to perform at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. The Real Ambassadors and their Director Dianne Mower will perform at the Olympic Bandstand in the heart of the Olympic Village in London, England. The Real Ambassadors was one of a select few groups asked to perform at the Games. This blog will highlight their experiences.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Thursday, August 2, 2012
From London With Love
From London With Love!
To all our followers….sorry for the delays with our
blogposts. Internet service was problematic in our hotel, and slow in many of
the cafes and coffee shops where we stopped for Wi-Fi. Hopefully you’ve had a
chance to see all the posts, and NBC/WVIT-Channel 30’s short piece about the
kids that aired this past week.
You can catch it at:
Thank you all for your support and readership,
Ed Wierzbicki
Trip Journalist
DAY 7: London Performances Continue!
Rising at 6:30am, the Real Ambassadors and the entire GHAA
team had a quick breakfast before boarding the Clark’s “coach” for the Olympic
Park. Today, the group will perform for a second time, but they’ve been asked
to bring their act to a very busy crowd area in the Olympic Park where some
select dignitaries will be making a walk-through at the appointed 11:30
performance time. So right on schedule, with the sun shining and a cool breeze
blowing, the performance kicked off near the Panasonic Building. Using acoustic
instrument arrangements, and just a handful of microphones and small amps, the
group rocked the streets and worked the crowd—making hundreds of onlookers
smile, clap, and sing along. The RA were enthusiastically applauded after every
number!
With a tight departure schedule, the group then gathered
instruments, costumes, and lunch-to-go for another “coach” ride across town to
the London Eye and a 4:00pm performance under that amazing, enormous ferris
wheel that straddles the Thames River. Of course, all the Ambassadors took a
ride first, and then gathered on the courtyard to perform for onlookers from
the Eye, the adjoining park, and tourists packed into the Southbank area.
What a rock out performance!! Dressed casually and flashing
red, white, and blue leis, the Real
Ambassadors performed a fantastic set directly to the street side audience,
dancing with them, playing to children in the crowd, and bringing the kids on
stage for a big finale. Later, the students interacted with audiences members
who had lots of questions about the group and their trip.
The day in London ended with a trip to Covent Garden for
dinner, a few extra gifts at the many stalls and shops, or some Godiva
chocolates or ice cream cones for dessert!!
Back at the hotel lobby, the students gathered the
faculty/staff and parents, and thanked them for their efforts during the
trip—handing each teacher a signed London poster, 2012. Tonight is the groups
last night in the UK. Tomorrow its off to Windsor Castle, lunch, and Heathrow
for the return flight to JFK.
Cheers!
By Ed Wierzbicki
Trip Journalist
DAY 6: The West End, Piccadilly Circus, and Monty Python’s Spamalot.
Our morning wake up call came later than usual, and after breakfast we
boarded the Clark’s Tour Bus at 9:30 for a day trip to London’s West End. On
our trek into the city, Tim pointed out numerous sites and historic anecdotes
from our bus, including: the unmarked buildings of the British Secret Service,
the brick and barbed wire fence surrounding the backyard of the Royal Palace,
Big Ben and British Parliament, Fortnum and Mason, the Queen's grocery store—and
many other historic points of interest.
We arrived in Piccadilly Circus with time to spare before
lunch—and a chance to find a few souvenirs or grab another cup of coffee. We
then gathered at Leicester Arms for a burger and chips. Students, parents, and
faculty then broke up into smaller groups that included shopping, the National
Museum, and the musical Spamalot. Diane had a chance to meet with a producer
from the Young Vic Theatre to discuss Dave Brubeck’s The Real Ambassadors as a
potential London project in the not too distant future.
After a wonderful afternoon with sunny and warm weather, we
gathered at 6:00pm at the discount
ticket booth, before heading off to Covent Garden to take in the sites, street
performers, and shops—followed by a Pizza dinner.
When our bus finally arrived, its rear window was
shattered—details still sketchy--and we had to wait for a brand new bus…sitting
outside the Drury Lane Theatre where the musical Shrek was playing.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Youtube: "Real Ambassadors Rainmakers"
CHECK OUT:
REAL AMBASSADORS RAINMAKERS performing under London's Tower Bridge!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHvbi6CxIOU
REAL AMBASSADORS RAINMAKERS performing under London's Tower Bridge!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHvbi6CxIOU
DAY 5: Ambassadors Bring Jazz to the Olympic Bandstand!
The rain stayed away, at least long enough for the Real Ambassadors to take stage on the Main Bandstand at the Olympic Park. Wearing bright colors and filled with enthusiasm and love, they rocked the park with a fabulous set that received a wonderful, heartfelt ovation!
Following their uplifting performance, The Real Ambassadors were invited by the Olympic producers to do a second show this Thursday morning at 11:00am!!
More to follow about the big day soon!
The Real Ambassadors will also perform on the Southbank at the London Eye Thursday at 3:00pm.
By Ed Wierzbicki
DAY 4: Shakespeare & History Come to Life!
As everyone gathers for
breakfast, we are delighted to find Kim Stroud has arrived ahead of schedule!
Together, we enjoy a hearty breakfast, while Diane and others catch Kim up on
the activities and events to date. Then we’re off to catch a train to London
that takes us to the Canon Street station.
En masse, we walk through
the narrow streets as Tim talks about the sights and London history. While
traffic whizzes by every which-way and from all directions, we keep reminding ourselves— traffic
moves in the opposite direction so look to the right before crossing!
Our first big stop is the
impressive and enormous St. Paul’s Cathedral…which seems to loom over several city blocks. After
a short break to either explore inside or grab a quick coffee/snack, the group
begins its trek over the funky and unique Millenium Bridge to London’s South Bank. Piped-in music accompanies the heavy foot traffic
over the Thames, as The Real
Ambassadors stop to take a group picture overlooking the river with the Tower
Bridge, now wearing the Olympic
Symbol, far in the background.
Reaching the other side, we
face the Tate Modern, and next to
it, Shakespeare’s Globe. This
wonderful recreation of the Bard’s theatre of the early 1600s is where we’ll
spend the morning with tours and an acting workshop!
In the Globe lobby we meet
Tom, a charismatic young actor in the Globe Theatre company and our
teacher-guide for the day. With a wonderful interactive style, he puts a spell
on the entire group—young and old alike—with a tour of the globe stage and
house, an historic overview of Shakespeare, his times, and his company; and
lots of anecdotes about London in the 16th and early 17th
century. We also watch the technical team at the Globe assemble the stage for
the evening’s performance.
A block away, we enter a
rehearsal room where the group participates in an hour- long workshop on acting
Shakespeare’s text. Tim gets us warm-up and involved, and even teaches us the
Globe Company’s approach to acting iambic pentameter!! What an upbeat and
masterful session, filled with laughter, participation and energy! At the
session’s end, goodbyes are said to Tom accompanied by photographs, and we are
all off to different luncheon locations along the Thames on the South Bank.
Later that afternoon, the
bus takes us back to the hotel for a rehearsal with Diane, Gene, and Alex;
followed by dinner. Linda then leads a much needed movement session for the
group…all in final preparation for tomorrow’s Olympic performance.
During discussions that
evening for the Thursday performance at the London Eye, a decision is made to
add guitar to replace piano, as we’ve learned that keyboards will be
unavailable due to the rain that’s predicted much of the week. Flexibility
has been key in the preparations and adjustments since arriving in London last
Saturday!
With an early curfew for the
students, the musicians squeeze in an extra rehearsal before retiring for bed.
Diane, Kim, Tony and team watch highlights of the Olympics on the telly, and check the anticipated weather for tomorrow’s
historic day. Unfortunately, rain is in the forecast all day Tuesday! Everyone
retires for bed hopeful and praying for a small weather miracle.
By Ed Wierzbicki
Trip Journalist
Trip Journalist
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