1961 Symphony Band Tour Alumni in China

May 2011

Five alumni from the 1961 Symphony Band tour of the Soviet Union and Near East, under William D. Revelli, were able to join the U-M Alumni Association “shadow tour,” meeting up with the current Symphony Band, under Michael Haithcock, for their concerts in Shanghai and Beijing. Gary Olmstead (BM ’63), percussion, Bob Dill (BS ’68), French horn, Jane Otteson King (BA ’64), clarinet, Stan Towers (BM ’65, MM ’66), tuba, and William “Buddy” Ronsaville (BA ’63), percussion, have been struck by how much more prevalent American culture—and the English language—is in China today than it was in Russia in 1961. Read their thoughts on the China blog.