♪♪ ♪♪ >> Hello and a warm welcome to another in our series "Youth Music of the World."

Throughout the series, we're featuring talented young American musicians performing in iconic venues in Europe.

The students have had the exciting experience of performing in some historic buildings, but they've also enjoyed the educational and cultural benefits of overseas travel, some of them for the very first time.

In this program, we're featuring performances at Smith Square Hall, just around the corner from the famous Houses of Parliament in the City of Westminster, London.

Our first piece comes from the Hardin-Simmons University Concert Band from Abilene in Texas.

They're under the direction of Director of Bands Jay Lester, and this is the "Washington Grays March."

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] Jay Lester is Director of Bands and we asked him about the band and their favorite pieces.

>> Our group is made up of majors and non-majors in a university setting, freshman through senior level, and we actually have some community members and some alumni that play with the group, as well.

I think the venue here is just spectacular.

The acoustics are wonderful.

It's beautiful, of course, and I couldn't wish for a better place.

It's wonderful.

I think it's important for students to travel and to see different cultures and experience different parts of history so that it kind of ties all together -- music, art, history, theater, all those elements add to our well-being and make us better human beings.

I would say that the new one that we had arranged for -- composed for this occasion, "Amazing Grace" by Mr.

Andy J. Patterson, and it incorporated all kinds of different elements, from jazz to gospel.

He even included some singing for the band.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> ♪ Amazing grace ♪ ♪ How sweet the sound ♪ ♪ That saved a wretch like me ♪ ♪ Like me ♪ ♪ I once was lost ♪ ♪ But now I'm found ♪ ♪ Was blind, but now I see ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] and I am with Hardin-Simmons University.

I think that the venue is absolutely gorgeous.

This is for sure the most beautiful place I've ever played in, and I hope that the audience truly loved it.

And it looks like they did.

>> Well, they certainly did.

Next, let's hear from the Odessa High School Symphonic Band Their band director is Brian Endline.

>> So I think this is just an opportunity to give the students an international performance stage.

You know, we have tons of performance opportunities and we love supporting our local community, especially our namesake, the town of Odessa, but you know, this was an opportunity for us to share our gifts with an international audience and a truly international city.

And again, what a unique experience that we have for being such a young school, to have an opportunity to do that.

We're so very, very pleased.

I think the absolute best thing about this trip for the students, like I said, is the opportunity for them just to come together and, you know, build their band family, right?

And the shared experiences that they will have only ever had here in this city together, in this moment.

You know, music is a temporal art.

This is certainly a temporal kind of thing for us.

It only ever existed in this one moment in time, the opportunity to have experienced it.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] >> "Halcyon Hearts" from the Odessa High School Concert Band.

We're soon going to hear some choral music from the Holly Springs High School, North Carolina.

But first, here's one of their students, Erin McLaughlin, talking about the experience.

>> Our group is an auditioned choir.

It's the most advanced one at our school, and it is made up of juniors and seniors who have auditioned to get in.

It's beautiful and it's a little bit nerve-wracking, but it's been very exciting and the acoustics in here are beautiful and it just really enhances the performance experience.

>> ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis, nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Non nobis, Domine, Domine ♪ ♪ Non nobis, nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Non nobis, Domine, Domine ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis, nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Non nobis, Domine, Domine ♪ ♪ Non nobis, nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Non nobis, Domine, Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Sed nomini tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Sed nomini tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Sed nomini tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Sed nomini tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Sed nomini tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ ♪ Non nobis, nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Non nobis, Domine, Domine ♪ ♪ Non nobis, nobis Domine ♪ ♪ Non nobis, Domine, Domine ♪ ♪ Domine, Domine ♪ ♪ Tu o da gloriam ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] >> "Non nobis Domine," beautifully performed from the Holly Springs High School Colla Voce.

Our next group of students come from Lucas in Texas.

>> My name is Effe Sutton.

I'm from Lucas, Texas.

Lovejoy High School, and I play the violin.

We're a smaller school from the Dallas area, so we don't have that big of a program.

But it's such a tight-knit community, and I really appreciate our directors and every-- We all just come together, and it's really, like, beautiful.

So, this trip has benefited me in a lot of ways, especially in, like, my independence and responsibility on my own because I'm not with my family.

And also just being around people that I normally don't spend that much time with.

I've definitely gotten closer to the people around me.

>> Let's hear Effe now and the Lovejoy High School Orchestra.

This is "Regal Overture."

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] "Regal Overture" from the Lovejoy High School Orchestra.

Let's hear some more from them now with "Ashokan Farewell."

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] Well, we've certainly enjoyed some superb performances from these young Americans appearing in London.

Our thanks go to the Odessa High School Symphonic Band, to Hardin-Simmons University Concert Band, Holly Springs High School Colla Voce, and the Lovejoy High School Orchestra.

Join us again soon for more "Youth Music of the World."

But for now, from me, Bob Bone, it's good-bye and thanks for watching.

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