[ Instrumental music plays ] ♪♪ >> Hello, there, and a very warm welcome to "Youth Music of the World".

In this series, we're showcasing the talents of young American musicians performing in some iconic venues before international audiences throughout Europe.

The students have not only 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.

Completed in 1728, it's regarded as one of the finest examples of English Baroque architecture and a suitable venue for our first group of students from Florida.

It's the Venice High School Wind Ensemble.

This is "Army of the Nile", conducted by the band director, David Wing.

[ Band playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] >> We've only been here for maybe a day and a half, but it's been amazing.

Um, like, again, I've only been here for a short while, but I want to stay forever.

It's been a real great town.

It's been a real good experience, and having the honor of performing in this hall has been great and a true honor.

Uh, I've been studying and practicing music for a long time, and it's nice to, like, actually see the rewards that come with the practice, you know?

And it's been a great gift.

>> It's lovely to hear Logan's enthusiasm.

So let's hear some more from them now.

This is "Sleep, Dearie, Sleep", a traditional Scottish song.

[ Band playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] "Sleep, Dearie, Sleep", from the Venice High School Wind Ensemble.

David Wing, the director of bands there, feels the experience is extremely valuable for his students.

>> Well, not not only music performance in a foreign country, but also just the experience of being able to travel and see something that you're not accustomed to seeing, I think it's so important for kids.

I know when I was in high school, I traveled to England and France for a couple of weeks, and in history class, and I just loved it.

And so I think it's absolutely pivotal that every student gets the opportunity to be on the international stage and learn and see what it's all about outside of their little community.

Oh, the venue is absolutely gorgeous.

Like, when we walked in today, we were just blown away, and I think our students in our rehearsal today, they were just like -- The acoustics in here are so great and they just had a great time.

We learned how to adjust and all the different things you had to do for that.

But as you heard, they had a great performance and I think they really enjoyed the space.

>> David Wing.

Now to Sarasota in Florida, and the Riverview High School Kiltie Wind Ensemble under the direction of Tamara Lewis.

This is "Sunscapes" by Chandler Wilson.

[ Band playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] >> My name is Angel Negroni and I go to Riverview High School, and I play the clarinet.

Tonight it was great.

It was a great opportunity to perform in front of all these people and to get to play with the -- my Wind Ensemble in London, and it's just a great memory to cherish with them.

It's very beautiful.

Like, I can tell, like, there has to be some sort of history behind it that I'll eventually look up and, um, just something that's an honor to be invited to play for.

>> Well, it's certainly an honor to hear you play.

And yes, there is a lot of history behind this place.

Let's hear some more now from the Riverview High School Kiltie Wind Ensemble.

This is Ralph Vaughan Williams' Flourish for Wind Band.

[ Band playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] Tamara Lewis is the director of bands at Riverview High School.

>> Well, I chose specifically, I wanted to feature both American composers and British composers.

So if you notice, we did an American Fanfare, "Sunscapes", by Chandler Wilson, and then we followed it up with Vaughan Williams' Flourish, which is a British fanfare.

Right?

>> Our next group of student musicians come from Powell, Ohio.

That's just outside Columbus.

They are the Olentangy Liberty High School Symphonic Band.

[ Band playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] That was "Southern Hymn".

Travis Hicks is director of bands at Olentangy Liberty, and here he explains the makeup of the two groups >> So these students are made up -- They do concert band and marching band and jazz ensemble as well.

They'll be performing a little bit later tonight.

These students basically come in as freshmen all the way through seniors.

So tonight, combining our two -- our freshman group and our upperclassmen group.

So we had a combination of the group tonight out there.

I think the biggest thing that will take away when we were rehearsing, I told them all to put their instruments down, just take a breath and just look around, because I think a lot of times as performers, we don't get to do that and it's over and all of a sudden the only thing you have is the memory of you playing.

I want them to have the memory of where they were playing.

And so I really impressed upon them to take that moment and really just sink in with where we're at and what we're doing and on the scale that they're doing it at.

>> Ethan Pugh is one of the students from Olentangy.

>> This is an amazing venue to perform in.

I'm just so honored to be here and perform these beautiful pieces with the band that I've been with all four years, so.

>> Now let's hear from the school's other group, the Olentangy Liberty Jazz Band, with a very familiar Lennon and McCartney composition.

[ Band playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Well, that was the Olentangy Liberty Jazz Band and of course, "Hey Jude".

Well, I hope you've enjoyed the superb musicianship of these great American students as much as they've enjoyed performing in these wonderful European venues.

Our thanks go to Venice High School in Venice, Florida, to Riverview Community High School from Sarasota in Florida, and Olentangy Liberty High School in Powell, just outside Columbus, Ohio.

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

But for now, it's goodbye from me.

And thank you very much indeed for watching.

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