Arts Kaleidoscope
Pao School held the Arts Kaleidoscope at the Jaguar Symphony Hall on May 22, a celebration of the performing and visual arts at YK Pao School. This large cross-campus event involved over 300 students, who had prepared for over two months for the special night, dedicating countless hours to rehearsal sessions.
It drew an audience of over a thousand people, including students, teachers, and parents. Among those in attendance were Chairman Professor Anna Pao Sohmen; Executive Deputy Chairman Philip Sohmen; official representatives of Shanghai, and other distinguished guests, making an appearance to demonstrate their support for the school and its students, while celebrating its deep reservoir of talent.
Whole person education is in the heart of the YK Pao School approach. We believe in the importance of music and arts as a key part of the whole person education. What we do want is for the students to learn how to work towards their goals, to learn how to work together, and how to listen to each other to create memorable performances and to build confidence. We also believe that the arts are about learning, about culture, and about humanity itself, and something that is very important in this age that they are.
—— Executive Deputy Chairman Philip Sohmen
Upon first entering the symphony hall, the audience was greeted with performances from the three campuses. During the Arts Kaleidoscope, high school IB Drama students performed 'A Dance with Fate' and the Chinese Drama Club performed 'Holy Crab'. Middle School Drama students performed two pieces: 'Donkey Pot Pie' and 'Get Happy/Happy Days'.
At the entrance to the event, those attending had an opportunity to tour the Art Gallery, which featured student-created works in various media, from markers and acrylics, to ceramics, mixed media, clay, glass, and even digital photography. This exhibition complemented the theatrical side of the evening, further deepening the impression of dedicated student creativity.
For many visitors, however, the highlight was the Arts Kaleidoscope concert, including 19 distinct pieces across a variety of musical genres. It began with the Zhoushan Percussion Ensemble and the Dragon Dance Team, who set the tone for the night with the 'Dragon Music Overture'. Chinese songs included 'The Golden Peacock Dances Lightly'. 'I Want to Sing', and 'Celebrate the New Year'.
Western pieces ranged from 'What a Wonderful World' and 'Let's Get Loud' to Edvard Grieg's 'Piano Concerto in A Minor'. The concert included folk songs, choral works, orchestral pieces, ensemble works, and a special contribution from the parent-led Pao Community choir. To conclude the concert, every participant, from singers to ensemble players and members of orchestra, came together on stage to perform a rousing version of Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy', as a surprise grand finale.
The Arts Kaleidoscope is part of Pao School's commitment to whole person education, through which students are guided to develop themselves beyond the classroom. The efforts and talents of all the performers, audience members, and staff who contributed to this highly-successful event are sincerely appreciated.
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Tonight, I would like to extend a special thank you to all the teachers for your hard work. It’s evident that you’ve invested a lot of effort to deliver such a fantastic performance in such a short time. We hope that you can continue to showcase your talents in the world of music and that we have the opportunity to share the joy of music with everyone.
—— Chairman Professor Anna Pao Sohmen
