COLOMBO, October 14: On October 12th, the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet Band and the Colombo Wind Orchestra held a virtual musical seminar focusing on woodwind and brass instruments that included advanced training on instrument tuning and maintenance, as well as improvisation. The exchange allowed the musicians to express their own musical values, culture, and traditions while broadening their creative knowledge and capabilities.
The virtual seminar was built on the week-long multilateral at-sea exercise – known as Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training or CARAT Sri Lanka – held in June 2021. As a token of appreciation and dedication to their continued friendship, U.S. 7th Fleet Band presented Learn to Fly, a musical gift performed by the 7th Fleet’s ensemble, “Orient Express.”
The Colombo Wind Orchestra’s musical gift consisted of a medley of traditional Sinhala songs and dance music. Observing COVID-19 safety measures, orchestra members recorded their parts individually and were mixed together to comprise a three-part medley representing different cultures from across Sri Lanka.
Although the multilateral exercise between Sri Lanka, the United States, and Japan officially concluded three months ago, the cultural exchange between like-minded partners continues and serves as an important symbol of the connections and shared values between our democratic countries.
