Independence Day

Yesterday we went out to see fireworks at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View. The event is held every year and the event yesterday was the 23rd time. One of the Japanese doctors in my lab attended it last year and he said fireworks were launched to the music. I wondered what kind of music was performed, but I found later that San Francisco Symphony came out and some guests were invited to the show, such as TV and film narrator of Star Trek and a vocalist and so on. The theme seemed to be given to the show every year and the theme this year was “A LOOK TO THE FUTURE”. So many of the songs were involved with the America and the future, especially the universe. The show started with the National Anthem at 8 o’clock, and all attendants suddenly stood up and started singing it to the music. It was still light for fireworks at the time, so some songs about America was played until dark. We took our seats on the lawn area, so we spread our mat and enjoyed seeing them while having snacks with our children. Many families also did the same things as we did. There was also a big screen, and that showed a special digital movie to the music. So it was a good event for a family with small children to be relaxed and enjoy a concert.
At last the fireworks started past 9 o’clock though my second children had already slept. We wondered where fireworks were launched, but it was the opposite site of the stage. Fireworks were launched at a lower point than usual fireworks, so we could see it very clearly. The fireworks were launched to the music and three music songs were played. The favorite song was the theme of Star Wars and considerable fireworks were launched at the end of the song. My wife said that seeing fireworks and listening to orchestral music at the same is luxurious. That would be a good memory for us.
I think an American attitude to the national anthem is quite different from that of Japanese. The National anthem of Japan is rarely sung even on the National Foundation Day that is corresponding to the Independence Day. That’s probably because some people associate the national anthem of Japan with the Japanese militarism in the past. Anyway singing a national anthem all together for celebrating the Independence day was an envious thing for me.