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| The members of U.S. Navy band Seventh Fleet Orient Express perform music at the Center One building lobby in Seoul on April 14. During the 30-minute concert organized by the U.S. Embassy and the Korea Foundation, the audience at the venue sang along and applauded as the band performed country to pop music. / Courtesy of Korea Foundation |
By Kang Hyun-kyung
The audience at the Center One building lobby in Seoul on April 14 sang along with the songs performed by the U.S. Navy band, Seventh Fleet Orient Express.
They clapped as the seven-member band performed a variety of music from country to pop music.
When one of the band members announced they were going to perform the last song, a country music hit, some of the audience groaned because they realized that the fun and interactive concert was going to end shortly.
The U.S. Embassy in Seoul and the Korea Foundation organized the event on the occasion of the Seventh Fleet band's trip to Korea for several performances.
Before the concert at the Center One lobby, the U.S. Navy rock band performed at a royal palace in Seoul.
They also performed music at U.S. Ambassador Mark Lippert's residence in Seoul following the Center One building concert.
"I am kind of surprised that many people sang along and recognized the music," Bruce Fisher, the drummer of Seventh Fleet, told The Korea Times.
"It's a very pleasant surprise. We tried to arrange all of our sets to be enjoyable for everybody. So far, I think we have done a good job."
Founded in 1943, the U.S. Navy band has been involved in a lot of outreach activities.
"When we relocated to Japan our mission changed into doing a lot of community outreach and public awareness because we want to demonstrate the Navy is a partner interested in local communities as much as we are doing Navy-oriented
activities," Fisher said.
The band travels around the Pacific Rim performing public outreach concerts teaching music classes at schools.
The band consists of 35 musicians. "Of the 35 people, the group is broken into several different ensembles including a jazz group, a concert band and New Orleans
Style brass band," Fisher said.
"Orient Express is a popular music group and part of the larger group of the Seventh Fleet."
Seventh Fleet, which is based in Japan, has traveled to Korea for performances
on a regular basis.
They returned to Japan on April 16 after wrapping up a six-day trip to Seoul.
