The James Logan Courier

Four jet airliners carried members of James Logan High School’s band and color guard to China last week, where they will be part of the festivities leading up to the 2008 Olympics.

Two flights left Monday, and two more flights took off Tuesday morning for Beijing, where the Logan contingent will be part of the Beijing Olympic Orchestra that is being described as the first foreign group ever to perform in Tiananmen Square.

Logan also is scheduled to be part of pre-Games performances at the Olympic Square in Tianjin, at Tianjin Olympic Stadium (following a preliminary soccer match) and at the Olympic Cultural Square in Beijing. The band and color guard also will perform at one of the Olympic Live Stages in Beijing before televised coverage of the opening ceremonies.

The group left San Francisco International Airport on Cathay Pacific airlines. Local news broadcasters from KTVU featured the departure on their morning news show.

The Colts will be among the first and only foreign groups ever to perform in Tiananmen Square.

Due to high security, only 3,000 spectators are to be allowed in Tiananmen Square, many of them members of the media. Entry into Tiananmen Square will be restricted to performers and a small number of staff only. Most chaperones and others will not be allowed on the Square for this event due to the strict security and will try to view the event as it is televised. The event is primarily for international media and Chinese television.

High school bands from around the world have been invited to participate in the performance, blending their individual bands into one Olympic Orchestra comprised of three sub-units, the Green and Red Orchestras, made up of bands from outside China, and the Gold Orchestra, made up of Chinese bands.

While in Beijing, the Logan group also is scheduled to see the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and other sights. After a sightseeing trip to Shanghai, the group returns home Tuesday, Aug. 12.