The inaugural BASIS International & Bilingual Schools China Network Band Event was held at BASIS Bilingual School Shenzhen‘s (BBSZ) campus from April 13 – 14, and was a wonderful success. More than 150 musicians and teachers from seven campuses across the country gathered at the BBSZ campus. Through the sunny spring days, they played moving melodies together and added a unique charm to the spring season.
From the Network Band Event
Three excellent concerts were presented over the weekend by musicians from various BASIS schools, fully demonstrating the unique charm of each team. The repertoire was diverse and innovative, ranging from graceful melodies of classical music to the soulful Detroit Motown classics, from the pop hits that thrilled the crowd to the enchanting film scores, even the ingeniously rearranged traditional Chinese melodies all showcased the students’ talents. Original compositions from students were also included alongside the masterpieces from around the world, presenting a variety of musical styles for the audience.
The audience moved with the beat on “I Will Survive” and were also immersed in a dreamlike world created by the piano and cello duet “Golden Hour.” Many rounds of applause were earned for the Harry Potter theme.
When the students weren’t rehearsing or performing, they were learning from our teachers on how to write pop songs, compose, play guitar, dance, conduct, music theory, and improving their music reading skills.
All of the teachers worked very hard to prepare their students for this weekend and it was very apparent in their performances. At BASIS Bilingual School Shenzhen, the orchestra worked together with music teacher Mr. Andrew Slingerland to select music in January of this year.
For many, though, the most memorable moment of the weekend came when all seven campuses came together to learn two songs and combined the power of over 150 students for a mass ensemble performance. BASIS International & Bilingual Schools Chengdu band teacher Mr. Jakubiec arranged two pieces for the group: “Jupiter” for a powerful symphonic orchestra experience, and “Viva La Vida” for the passion and rhythm.
From Our Teachers
Mr. Alexander Normansell
“It was such a wonderful opportunity to come together across the network and share our students’ creativity with different campuses. Not only did my students really enjoy the lightsaber conducting of one of the music teachers while listening to Star Wars, but also enjoyed listening to compositions by other students their age. Mr. Normansell and the rest of the BASIS International School Shenzhen music department want to thank everyone involved for such a fantastic network band event!”
Mr. Alexander Normansell, Band teacher, BASIS International School Shenzhen
Mr. Andrew Wangemann
“This event was a great opportunity for students and teachers to learn from and be inspired by others. Masterclasses covered a variety of interesting and useful topics and each school’s performance was unique.”
Mr. Andrew Wangemann, Band teacher, BASIS International School Guangzhou
Mr. Gary Tubbs
“What a well-organized celebration of music and learning! It is such an amazing opportunity for all of our students to be exposed to such a wide variety of performances, and to learn from so many different teachers from the network. My hat goes off to the organizers and all the staff that made the event happen. Bravo!”
Mr. Gary Tubbs, Band teacher, BASIS International School Park Lane Harbour
Mr. Istvan Jaszberenyi
“Thank you for the invitation, my students had a great time, witnessed eye-opening performances and they had a chance to deepen their music learning at the network band event. I am sure all of them got new friends and memories for life at the event.”
Mr. Istvan Jaszberenyi, Band teacher, BASIS International School Hangzhou
Mr. Troy Jakubiec
“It was a privilege to be part of such a well-organized event. Our students have had eye-opening experiences that they will remember for years to come.”
Mr. Troy Jakubiec, Band teacher, BASIS International & Bilingual Schools Chengdu
Mr. Max Ubaev
“As newcomers to the school community, we were thrilled to take part in the Network Band Event. My students and I found great joy in engaging with others who shared our interests, The masterclasses provided invaluable experiences for my students, and I was honored to lead the united orchestra comprised of schools from the network.”
Mr. Max Ubaev, Band teacher, BASIS International & Bilingual Schools Wuhan
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