The Honor and Color Guards marching band at Taipei First Girls High School have a glorious tradition and enthusiastic members and they embrace every opportunity they get to perform abroad and let more people learn about this aspect of their school’s proud heritage.

This summer they travelled to Austria, between July 14 and 21, accompanied by their three trainers, the school principal, and the head of the school’s parents’ association, and performed first at the MID Europe festival, and then in front of City Hall Square in Vienna.

The first of their four performances was in Schladming on July 15. This is a beautiful city surrounded by the Stryian Alps and the center of MID Europe, Europe’s largest international festival for brass instrument orchestras and brass ensembles, so the students were able to enjoy the many different performing styles. This festival is held during the hot summer months, so all the artists require an enormous amount of professionalism and stamina. Donned in full uniform complete with hats, gloves and leather boots, the young ladies from Taiwan seemed unfazed by the hot summer weather and impressed onlookers with their performance.

Continuing their tour to Vienna, on July 19 the team represented their school in the open-air performance area at City Hall Square. The audience there—including groups of overseas Taiwanese among the tourists from all over the world—was equally impressed by the Honor and Color Guards. Their performance received warm applause and enthusiastic cheers.

The young ladies were invited to a dinner hosted by the Taipei Representative Office in Vienna on the evening before their departure for home. The Representative Chen Lien-Gene praised them and congratulated them on their successful performances. He made particular mention of the very positive impact they had on the Taiwanese community in Austria, making those people feel very proud of their roots, and he expressed hopes that the Taipei Representative Office in Vienna would be able to welcome them to Austria again next year.

Photo:The Honor and Color Guards marching band from Taipei First Girls High School performing in City Hall Square in Vienna in Austria