I have always made myself believe that I am more of a rock person in order to be a cool kid, but deep down, I love orchestra. (Does that mean I get to finally say I’ve got taste?)
In the end, people can never get too far from the things they love. After a long taxi ride, I found myself starting my Sunday evening with the Seeds of Hope fundraising concert.
The Seeds of Hope concert featured over 350 performing students and teachers from different YCIS schools all over China, including Hong Kong, Shanghai, Qingdao, Yantai and Beijing. The RMB 500,250 raised by the YCIS community was donated to Qufu School at the beginning of the concert. The performance, as well as the young performers, surprised me with its professional standards.
The concert started with a performance by the orchestra. A piece called Kangding Qingge starred two students from Hong Kong – Christie Chang and Katherine Kam and teacher Beth Kerzee – added a Chinese flavor to this international concert.
A choral performance after the first intermission also brought us great music. However, YCIS Beijing Jazz Band and Dancers filled the whole concert hall with the roar of their jazz and swing dance. Four boys literally flipped their partners during the performance.
Following the second interval, Johnson Li, an 8-year-old Lang Lang Music Scholarship recipient, played a piano solo. His confidence and all-around cuteness made the audience applaud. Student Isabelle Davis from Shanghai also conquered the audience with her rendition of Let the Bright Seraphim. The concert ended with an original music piece titled “Seeds of Hope” written by Gary Sanderson.
All donations collected from the Seeds of Hope concert will go toward the new Seeds of Hope school in Wan’an.
To see more photos of the concert, go to our gallery.
