The Olympic Spirit Band has made its presence known throughout the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. The 132-member organization performed two fanfares at the opening ceremonies Feb. 8 in Rice-Eccles Stadium, and it will perform two more tonight at the same venue during closing ceremonies.
The group consists of college-age musicians from all over the state. "Close to 400 students auditioned last May, and the students that were selected have been practicing a couple of times a month since June," said Scott Hagen, associate professor of music at the University of Utah, who led the practice sessions. All musicians in the Olympic Spirit Band are volunteers.
In addition to the opening and closing ceremonies, the band has also performed each evening at the Medals Plaza, prior to the medals ceremonies.
The band is also slated to perform at the opening ceremonies of the Paralympics on March 7.
OUT AND ABOUT: A Japanese taiko drum group was supposed to perform with former Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart last week at the Gateway Mall's Ethnic Village. But circumstances prevented Hart from arriving in Salt Lake City. Then, the taiko group, which was supposed to play at 5 p.m., didn't hit the stage until 10. "We waited in the cold for five hours, and then we only played two songs while the organizers fixed the sound system," said one of the drummers.
• A large group of high school students were walking along 200 South just outside Olympic Square's south gate Wednesday, led by a few adult advisers. The teens were overheard telling passers-by, "We're not tourists."
• A volunteer at the Olympic Square south gate the same night was talking through a megaphone to tell those waiting in line to pass through metal detectors what they should expect: "If you have a watch on that has a lot of metal in it, take it off," she said. "If you have a belt buckle that has a lot of metal in it, take it it off — but please leave your pants on."
DON'T MISS: The Black-Eyed Peas, tonight, 9 p.m., Ice Village, 525 W. 100 South. Tickets are $32 at the door.
• "Paintings of the American West," Williams Fine Art, Main Lobby of Eagle Gate Plaza, 60 E. South Temple (534-0331). The display features art by Arnold Friberg, Michael Coleman, Maynard Dixon, LeConte Stewart, Gary Ernest Smith and more, through Feb. 28.
E-MAIL: scott@desnews.com
