An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
HomeMultimediaNewsArticle Display






Pacific Showcase's North Kanto Tour

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Geoffrey Fisher
  • Band of the Pacific-Asia
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  The U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific-Asia from Yokota Air Base, Japan, completed a 5-day outreach tour, April 14 through 18, throughout the North-Eastern Kanto region. It was the first time the PACAF Band toured this area, which made it a great opportunity to expand their engagement to new audiences. The tour included concert and clinic performances by PACAF Band's 13-piece jazz ensemble "Pacific Showcase" at Utsunomiya College in Tochigi, Utsunomiya Culture Hall in Utsunomiya City, Chigakukan Secondary School, Tone Town in Ibaraki, and Tsukuba University.

The tour began with a performance and cultural exchange with students at Utsunomiya University. PACAF Band members interacted with students of the College's, "New Motley Orchestra" while sharing musical experiences in an intimate, informal setting. The following evening, Pacific Showcase performed a concert to a full house at the Utsunomiya Culture Hall.

The tour continued with a day at Chigakukan Secondary School in. The PACAF Band played for an enthusiastic crowd of students and teachers. Following the concert, band members experienced a new English language teaching method called "circular speed dating". This took place in classrooms where the students were divided into groups of twenty people and included two Pacific Showcase members in each. Each group was then positioned into two circles, one inside and one outside, with one band member in each circle. The outside circle moved every two minutes to allow for all members of the group to be paired with each other. The result was a chance for students to practice their English as well as learn about the Air Force members.

By the end of the week, the PACAF Band visited Tone Town, Ibaraki. They played a two hour concert to a packed auditorium of local Japanese.

On the final day of the tour, members made a stop at Tsukuba University. Upon arrival, they were greeted outside the music building by members of the university's own, Tsukuba Jazz Orchestra. Pacific Showcase and university members performed for each other and then jointly to an audience of students.