This year’s APAC Choir was hosted locally in Shanghai. For three days, talented singers from six schools around Asia rehearsed inside Concordia International School Shanghai in preparation for their final performance.
Participating school in the Pacific division this year were the American International School of Guangzhou, Canadian Academy, Taejon Christian International School, Western Academy of Beijing, Concordia International School Shanghai, and Shanghai American School Pudong.
Representing SASPD were Cici Wu, 12, Celine Wang, 10, Daphne Tsai, 12, David Oliveira, 12, Darren Zhang, 11, Anna Girtle, 12, Anna Snow, 11, Amanda Cai, 10, Ana Molina, 10, Emily Dai, 11, Sarah Chang, 11, Andy Cho, 12, Andres Lin, 12, Sandra Chang, 12, Hannah Wu, 12, Taeyoon Kim, 12 and James Wang, 11.
Alongside the students, Dr. Christopher Aspaas was invited as this year’s guest conductor. Having received a Ph.D. in Choral Music Education and travelled plenty as a guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and lecturer, his rich experiences in the field proved essential in putting together the final concert last Saturday.
The public choral concert at Concordia lasted from 19:00 – 20:45 on Saturday, 16th of November. Between students that came to cheer on their friends and parents that came to support their kids, Concordia welcomed a handful of audience members. As a whole, APAC participants delivered beautiful renditions of Kwela Kwela by Tova Olson, Awake the Harp by Franz Joseph Haydn, Floating Moon on Water by Wei-Pin Chen, The Stars are with the Voyager by Christopher Aspaas, Flight Song by Kim André Arnesen, and Way Over in Beulah Lan by Stacy Gibbs.
“They [the other APAC choir students] said the team in the blue dress was the best, and that we aced it.” says Celine Wang, sophomore, when asked about their performance that night.
However amazing this year’s APAC choir was, the team still shed a tear in the end for the departure of long time choir, band, and musical director Mr. Andrew Melton. Having been in the school for 7 years, many would call him the heart and soul of Pudong’s High School music program.
“He teaches so much. Where are they going to find someone like that again?” says Amanda Cai.
Also leaving will be the 9 seniors making up nearly half the APAC choir team.
“It’s hard to see a mitochondria go because they’re the powerhouse of the cell.” says Wang.