Winter concerts

The renowned educator Lev Vygotsky once said: "Music education is not about creating musicians, but about creating people first." Through the just-concluded winter concert, let's explore the relationship between performing arts and the shaping of children's character. Why do DAIS and Huamei encourage students to start learning music and instruments from scratch?

In Huamei, music and art, which are mandatory art courses for secondary students as an option of two, are required for every student to take at least two years of either music or art classes. Music classes include chorus and band, plus three more: AP Vocal Theory, Guitar, and Theater Performance. One of these courses, AP Vocal Music, is an in-depth study of music. Guitar and drama performance are among the elective courses. The choral course is also popular with students, many of whom benefit greatly at the end of the two-year program, whether they have a musical foundation or not. Most of the students who choose the band course have some performance basics, but there are also students without any basics. Ms. Ashley Mims, who is from U.S. leads the beginner band class, Beginning Band, and students fall in love with playing under her guidance.

At the beginning of each semester Ms. Ashley Mims sends out an email to the new students surveying them about their instrumental learning background. In the email, she encourages students to try new things, challenge themselves, step out of their comfort zone. Even if they don't have advanced technics, she still encourages them to try joining the beginning band if students are interested stepping out their comfort zones. This is exactly the kind of education our school has always promoted.

We believe that the significance of holding a concert lies not in "showing off one's skills," but in providing a stage with applause and flowers, where students who dare to challenge themselves can receive everyone's encouragement and praise. Offering a Beginning Band course for students in middle school, and using the form of a concert to showcase their stage of learning, is also intended to convey an important message to all students: dare to challenge yourself. You do not need to compare with others. As long as you make progress compared to your yesterday self, you are the most shining star on the stage.