AFCENT Band Mirage builds bridges between cultures Published April 28, 2009 By MSgt Steven Przyzycki The USAF Academy Band Southwest Asia -- When the conflicts that plague the Middle East begin to fade and order begins to replace the animosity-tinged chaos, the combined efforts of every branch of service and every duty, AFSC or MOS, will have resulted in solutions that will ensure democracy and freedom. These resolutions cannot come merely through force, but rather in collaboration with diplomatic effects - not the least of which will have been conveyed through the universal language of music by the U.S. Air Forces Central Band. The AFCENT Band "Mirage" is comprised of eight musicians who deployed to Southwest Asia from the United States Air Force Academy Band located at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. Mirage performs throughout the area of responsibility to positively promote troop morale, diplomacy and outreach to host nation communities. Having performed public concerts and educational outreach programs in conjunction with American embassies at schools in Qatar, Oman and throughout the region, the musicians have discovered first-hand what an outstanding diplomatic effect the universal language of music can communicate. "We found out right away that a teenaged high-school boy in Doha, Qatar, is really pretty similar to one in America, or anywhere else for that matter," said Sarah Balian, oboist and bass guitarist with Mirage. Mr. Joey R. Hood, First Secretary, Press, Education and Cultural Affairs for the U.S. Embassy, Qatar, said, "These school performances are some of the best outreach programs the embassy does. They are very effective in reaching the students." In its first performance in the theatre, Mirage collaborated with two prominent Arabic musicians for a special concert hosted by the U.S. Ambassador to Qatar, Joseph Lebaron, at his residence. The communication that took place was amazing and the performance was deemed "absolutely spellbinding" by Mahvash Siddiqui, Cultural Attaché and Public Affairs representative for the U.S. Embassy in Qatar. Mirage specializes in presenting an eclectic program that capitalizes on musical diversity. How fitting it was that first night that the Arabic musicians would team up with them to perform the theme from the musical "Zorba the Greek." "World music" has become a common description for progressive music these days. As cultures blend together, music, food and even visual arts are morphed into new hybrids that serve as a tribute to the cosmopolitan world we live in. Arabic food is becoming more and more common all over the U.S. and not just in areas with large Middle Eastern populations. The United States also has more students studying abroad at both the high school and college level than ever before. Obviously, people around the globe may know more about the U.S. than we know about the world, but this is also changing - Americans are growing more interested in Arabic culture and there are now more than seven million Muslims living in the United States. Music cannot be overlooked as a bridge between cultures. Salsa music has become popular in the U.S. and in recent years, people who enjoy salsa dancing often learn Spanish to travel to Latin American countries for salsa dancing vacations. The popular Algerian Rai musician Cheb Mami became known in the U.S. when he performed the song "Desert Rose" with British pop artist Sting, which led to their joint tour together. Music serves as a bridge between cultures because it is common ground - the world's only universal language. The key of G minor is the same in the streets of Doha as it is in any New York dance club. When war encompasses a region, that world often becomes corrupt, unstable, misspoken and unfair. In these times, one often turns to trusting only what he or she can experience with his or her own senses. In his "The Italians," author Luigi Barzini states that Italians will tolerate incompetent generals, presidents, tyrants, professors, bureaucrats and the like, but they will never tolerate incompetent "opera singers, conductors, ballerinas, courtesans, actors, film directors, cooks, etc..." In a world of disorder and chaos, often it is only artistic excellence that is incorruptible, and what the masses learn they can trust because it comes from the very heart and soul of the performer. Perhaps the real value of the AFCENT Band's diplomatic effects won't be known for some time, maybe even a generation from now, but every effort that's made to understand each other is a step in the right direction. One world should be enough for all of us, and our ultimate goal should ironically be to make it a bit smaller. As we pray for world peace, we should not be so naïve to think that global instability will ever disappear. Nonetheless, we cannot forget what we have taught our children and communicated to them through the universal language of music: It's a world of laughter A world of tears It's a world of hopes And a world of fears There's so much that we share That it's time we're aware It's a small world after all There is just one moon And one golden sun And a smile means Friendship to ev'ryone Though the mountains divide And the oceans are wide It's a small world after all It's a small world after all It's a small world after all It's a small world after all It's a small, small world.