He’ll be joined by a lineup of all-star chefs for a blowout at the Hotel Bel Air.

The pink-and-blue tourmaline is a one-of-a-kind collectible with a serious price tag.

These tiny wonders are like no in-ear headphones we have ever heard before.

The collaboration will be available for a limited time at the original Shake Shack and EMP’s Summer House in the Hamptons.

A pilot project to trace the garment and cotton supply chains of seven Dutch brands sourcing from Turkey has been unable to guarantee their products are free from child labour. 

Primark is this week launching its first line of clothing made using 100% sustainable cotton – marking a first for the British value clothing retailer in being able to track its cotton through the supply chain from farm to store.

A new interactive factory wage map has been launched to help firms track Chinese wage rates by city and province in real time.

Trade volumes at Cambodia’s Sihanoukville port are expected to grow thanks to Japanese investment that will see the construction of a new container terminal and improved cargo handling capacity.

Lower customer demand saw Ralph Lauren Corporation post a revenue decline that was in line with its expectations for the first quarter, despite moving to a profit in the period.

Earlier this summer, nearly 100 student musicians from the Orange County School of the Arts traveled to Washington, D.C., to play alongside some of their role models.

During the five-day trip, they were guests of the U.S. Air Force Band, the U.S. Navy Band and “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band. They received behind-the-scenes access to rehearsals and performances in private facilities that are normally closed to the public and participated in workshops and side-by-side performances with the military musicians. Highlights included performing with the U.S. Army Field Band and “Pershing’s Own” U.S. Army Band at the University of Maryland and George Mason University.

Shelby Ogasawara (SO),  Kendall Lowery (KL) and Jason Cohen (JC) were asked to share their thoughts on the experience.

Q: What has it been like to meet, observe and perform with U.S. military musicians? What have you learned from them?

A: (SO) Playing for the U.S. military musicians has been a true privilege. Their criticisms and recommendations have been incredibly helpful. When playing for the U.S. Air Force Band in a clinic, two incredible trumpet players sat to my side and I could hear how much their playing enhanced our sound as a section.

I especially enjoyed when the U.S. Navy Band Commodores, the Navy’s jazz band, played a piece we had prepared for them, “A Dorham Ajar,” to show us exactly how we could improve. I took that to heart, and I spent hours after focusing on how to become a better jazz improviser and altogether musician.

A:  (KL) The passion and professionalism of the musicians in the ensembles was remarkable, and the discipline and respect that characterized the rehearsals we attended was truly inspirational. Although they conducted themselves in a respectful manner, the military musicians were much more laid back than I expected; members of the Marines’ “President’s Own” and the Air Force’s Airmen of Note were cracking jokes just like we do within our own rehearsals for wind ensemble.

The performance of the U.S. Army Band Woodwind Quintet was a particularly enjoyable performance to witness. Each musician seemed to love performing alongside their peers and excited to educate us about their experiences as military musicians. (I learned that) each musician has to complete roughly two months of basic military training before they are able to participate in their respective ensembles. The title of a military musician isn’t misleading: All of the musicians are actively enlisted in the military. This was a very unique aspect of the profession of which I was previously unaware.

A: (JC) What I have learned, along with many of my other friends and musicians on this journey, is more in depth than just the technique and specific workings of a piece. I have learned to ask questions, to seek out the story behind why a piece of music was composed and to explore the emotions the composer intended for us to feel while we play.

Q: How has the trip shaped you as an artist and an individual?

A: (SO) Accompanying any musical experience is an emotional journey. This trip marked the last time that I would play with some of our graduating seniors in this capacity as well as with our music director, Teren Shaffer. (It) made me want to continue developing my trumpet-playing skills, but also to appreciate every minute that I have playing music with great people by my side.

A: (KL) This trip has helped me reconnect with what I truly love about music: its incredible ability to facilitate emotional connections among people who would have otherwise been completely disconnected. After enduring the unavoidable stress brought on by my junior year of high school, I had been feeling a bit burnt out, both intellectually and musically. This week dedicated purely to music-making helped me to reignite my passion for my art.

A: (JC) As an individual, I learned new techniques and tips for improving my personal playing. Any little piece of advice I have received during this incredible experience will be implemented into my trumpet playing. This trip has also shaped me as an artist in a greater way, as it helped me learn that art is interpretive. Being able to hear and feel the interpretations and different emphasis clinicians gave to our pieces opened my eyes to the incredible musical minds that these musicians have.

Q: If you could relive one moment from the tour again, which would it be and why?

A: (SO) I would relive a moment during our workshop with Mr. Anthony Maiello where he stood before us and begged with his entire being for us to put more into the music. In this moment, he stood behind my conductor and told him to demand more from us, and because the trip was so special, it worked. We filled the air with Hearshen’s “Symphony on Themes of John Philip Sousa” and it was one of those instances of beauty that only happens once or twice in a lifetime.

A: (KL) One moment that I would relive would have to be when the wind ensemble participated in a clinic with Anthony Maiello, a professor of music at George Mason University. His incredible passion facilitated one of the most inspirational music-making experiences that I have ever participated in. I have never witnessed someone so truly passionate about their field, and he has served as a true inspiration in the clarification of what I want to pursue within my own life.

A: (JC) I would want to relive the clinic with Col. Larry Lang of the U.S. Air Force Band and the outstanding Air Force Band musicians sitting side by side and giving us advice. This was the moment when I realized how amazing our school is, and how unique it was to go on a five-day musical tour of Washington, D.C., to play with almost all major branches of the U.S. military. We were on the military base playing with some of the best musicians in the world, and we learned a great deal about music interpretation and new artistic values as an ensemble.

CONTACT VARSITY ARTS: 714-796-2258 or varsityarts@ocregister.com