From Guam to Vienna, Fueled by the Passion of Youth and the Love of Music

One of the greatest renewable global resources is the spirit to give back. This spirit is a hallmark of ICAP as it connects with youth – future artists and peacemakers who will soon take the lead on the world stage – through the transformative power of the arts.

Toward that end, ICAP has partnered with the Mayor’s office of the Guam Municipality of Tamuning-Tumon-Harmon (Tatuha) and Mayor Louise C. Rivera for more than fifteen years on various projects. This past January, when Mayor Rivera hosted the 12th Annual Latte Peace Festival, ICAP President Herbie Hancock delivered an inspiring video message, in which he emphasized Guam’s role in the global movement for peace through art.

On Mr. Hancock’s behalf, Mayor Rivera presented award certificates that he had personally signed to the winners of the Guam high school “Action for Peace” and “Poetry Slam” contests. Lieutenant Governor Josh Tenorio, Senator Jesse Lujan, former Speaker of Guam Legislature Judith Won Pat and many citizens attended the celebration.

Last November, as the Tumon Bay Youth Orchestra were practicing toward their participation in the “Action for Peace” talent contest – held at the Agana Shopping Center, the Micronesia Mall and The Episcopal Church of St John the Divine – they received invaluable mentoring provided by ICAP member and Latin Grammy-winning jazz flutist Nestor Torres.

Furthering the spirit to give back, more than 80 Guam musicians from the Guam Territorial Band and the Tumon Bay Youth Orchestra held a sendoff concert on June 9 at the SGI Guam Ikeda Peace and Culture Center, giving the local audience a preview of their performances for their upcoming musical tour in historic Vienna this July. On June 8, they also performed at the Micronesia Mall Center Court.

The delegation of nearly 80 musicians and 200 support personnel is gearing up to represent Guam for the first time at the Summa Cum Laude International Music Festival, July 5–10, in Vienna, Austria. Musician-scholars from both the Guam Territorial Band and the Tumon Bay Youth Orchestra have invested hundreds of hours in rehearsals and personal practice to honor the opportunity to perform in the city of music greats such as Strauss, Beethoven, and Mozart.

The Tumon Bay Youth Orchestra first took the stage with pieces including “Legendy, Op. 59, Mov. 1 Allegretto,” by Antonín Dvořák; Beethoven’s “Egmont Overture”; and the “Throne Room” and end title themes from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, by John Williams. The Guam Territorial Band performed “The Long Gray Line,” by James Barnes; “The Guam March,” by Jose M. Torres; and “Crooner’s Serenade,” a medley of songs performed by Michael Bublé, arranged by Justin Williams.

The Tumon Bay Youth Orchestra is led by Maximo Ronquillo Jr, the interim resident conductor, while chief bandmaster Jessica Pangelinan heads the Guam Territorial Band.

Notable guests in attendance included Tamuning-Tumon-Harmon Vice Mayor Albert Toves and former Speaker and current Public Auditor Benjamin J.F. Cruz. After the event, musicians and guests enjoyed food and refreshments, building stronger ties of friendship with the local communities, who all wished a hearty “bon voyage” to these talented representatives of Guam.

The 2024 festival, hosting some 2,000-plus performers from more than a dozen countries, will include at least three performances each by the Guam Territorial Band and the Tumon Bay Youth Orchestra. Founded in 2007, the annual Summa Cum Laude International Music Festival invites choirs, bands, and orchestras from around the globe to gather in the “City of Music” and perform at the Golden Hall of the Musikverein and the Konzerthaus.

It’s interesting to note that the Guam Territorial Band and the Tumon Bay Youth Orchestra previously traveled together in 2019, representing Guam at the Australian International Music Festival, with performances at the Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbor Amphitheater, Angel Place Recital Hall, and Chatswood Concourse. Both groups performed well, bringing the first Double Gold awards for Guam from that festival.

The Tumon Bay Youth Orchestra (TBYO) is the first project of Guam’s new music non-profit, the Guam Philharmonic Foundation, Incorporated, a locally and federally recognized 501(c)(3) founded in June 2017. With a mission to be a leader in music and arts education and to present innovative programming and repertoire choices, the TBYO has surely held up to the GPF’s mission by presenting exciting and memorable concerts locally and abroad. As part of the 2023 Guam production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, TBYO formed the core of the double orchestra. In addition to entertaining Guam’s local audiences and visiting tourists, TBYO has performed abroad in Sydney and Saipan.

The Guam Territorial Band (GTB) was formed in 1976 originally as the “Governor’s Youth Band” to represent Guam at the Inaugural Parade of 39th U.S. President Jimmy Carter in January 1977. The band has been an active contributor to Guam’s musical and artistic tapestry. Now recognized as the “Official Band of Guam,” the GTB has represented Guam internationally at music festivals in Sydney, Nagoya, New York, and the United Kingdom. The Guam Territorial Band is a three-time Gold Award Recipient (2005, 2014 and 2019) and winner of the Command Performance, the top award of the Australian International Music Festival – they are the current record holder. This year, 2024, marks 48 years since the establishment of the band. Its members past and present are proud of their musical contributions for the past nearly five decades.

Team Guam invites Guam’s diaspora and active military living in the region to attend these concerts. The 2024 festival performance schedule can be found by clicking here.