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Falcon Band makes friends, inspires blind children in Kyrgyzstan

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Olufemi Owolabi
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan --  A team of Airmen deployed with the Air Force Central Command Band made a difference in a local village here through their talents when they made a stop at the Transit Center at Manas Sept. 25 - 28.

The AFCENT Band Falcon inspired and performed for an audience of mostly children during a show at the Bishkek Boarding School for the blind and visually impaired in Kyrgyzstan Sept. 28.

The team's performance at Manas was part of their concert series around the AFCENT area of operations.

"We are improving international relationships in the communities that we live and work in," said Lt. Col. Larry Lang, Falcon Band director. "Music is a universal language and everyone can appreciate it."

According to the team leader, the purpose of their visit is to reach out to the community and increase the relationships between the United States and Kyrgyzstan.
"I would like to think that our music makes a difference in people's lives," said Staff Sgt. Clinton Whitney, vocalist and guitarist for Falcon. "It also makes a difference in how the people view America."

The children at the school gathered directly in front of the band with their little chairs with a level of attention that showed they were ready to have a good time. Even though most of them could not see, they gazed with their heads raised in the direction where Falcon set up their musical instruments.

Before the show, the team leader, during an interview with a local media, said his team of ten well trained musicians was ready to make sure the children had a wonderful musical experience because most of the team's performance would be tailored to a younger audience.

"Working with children is one of the things we love to do," Colonel Lang said. "The team really looks forward to today's show. Most of us are fathers; we love children and are going to give them a good show with lots of interaction."

As the show began with instrumental performance, the children clapped to every tone and melody.

"Our kids being blind, they feel music more deeply than regular children," said Urseitora Kalima, the school principal. "They love American music because it is very good."

After a while, the group passed out some instruments such as claves and tambourines to the children to touch, feel, rattle and shake as the music continued in full swing with vocalized songs.

As the rhythm of the classical music kicked in, the children clapped more. A first grader, Tynchtyk Judomush-Uulu, stood out among his peers with his tambourine. The six-year old Tynchtyk, who was born completely blind, danced around clapping and shaking his tambourine, even when the music stopped playing.

"Good music is just good music," said Staff Sgt. Matthew Erickson, bass trombone player for Falcon. "Music crosses all those barriers and breaks down any communication problems we might have through language. As performers, we are very lucky to do what we do. Music is an emotional tool, and it is a right tool in some of these instances ... to promote peace as well as to build relationships across international barriers."

After the musical performance, band members brought the children up to play the guitar, drums, and brass instruments. As some of the children came toward the bandsmen, they expressed their love of music.

"I am really lucky to be at this show," said AKbar Beishaliev, 11th grader with the school.

The American style of music and the band's performance inspired Beishaliev so much that she said, "I love music a lot, and I am going to learn music. I would also like to be an actor when I leave school. I am really impressed by the American's performance and music."

Afterwards, the AFCENT Band passed out some candies and other goodies to the children, who received everything with lots of smiles and came back for more.

As the band finished and packed for their last show in Bishkek, this time for college students at the Kyrgyz National University, the children posed for photographs. Some of the visually impaired children personally requested some of the photos be taken with the camera in their tiny cellular phones, which were to be kept as their personal memory of the band's visit.

"I have been struck by the warmth of the audience and the generosity of their spirits, said Colonel Lang. "Especially today with the children, (the band) had so much fun seeing the smiles on their faces. It's really nice to be able to bring a little bit of joy to their (the children's) lives today."