Last Friday, WAB witnessed an array of student-led activities and events at the Night Market and the Concert of Dandelions.
Organized by two Grade 11 students Sunny and Mai, the Concert of Dandelions aimed to raise funds for migrant children attending the Dandelion School, with a specific focus on supporting the school's music program. This collaborative effort involved two High School (HS) clubs, Arts Amplifiers, and the Dandelion School Club. Situated in Beijing's Daxing District, the Dandelion School is a non-profit junior high school catering to migrant children in the city.
The WAB Choirs, including the ES Lao Hu Choir, MS Chamber Choir, and HS Choir, performed at the concert. The organizers also invited Violinist Gao Can, an Associate Professor of the Central Conservatory of Music to the stage.
Gao's performance was truly magical as he played the first movement of the Beethoven Spring Sonata, the theme from Schindler's List, and Pablo de Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen on the 1617 "Lobkowicz" Amati Violin. He was accompanied by WAB’s musician-in-residence, Michelle Yip, who has collaborated with the violinist multiple times since 2007. Michelle explained that the pieces were chosen as "we wanted to connect the audience with music that would be familiar and especially with the Zigeunerweisen to inspire our younger musicians."
According to Michelle, Gao has performed several times at WAB as well as given masterclasses to WAB students. The concert was a great success and students raised double their target amount for the event.
Earlier that same evening, the Night Market provided an opportunity for the WAB community to try diverse cuisines while also providing a platform for student clubs to raise awareness and funds for various organizations.
Alice, a member of the HS club Cam, explained that their club revolves around Cartoons, Anime, and Manga. Founded two years ago by Amelia and Angela, Cam Club aims to foster a community for young artists passionate about these forms of storytelling. This year, they partnered with Migrant Children Fund China and plan to donate art supplies to children through this NGO. Amelia emphasized the importance of bringing "more creativity to their lives because we believe everyone deserves that right."
Matheo, the leader of another HS club called LatinX, shared their club's objective of promoting cultural awareness at WAB regarding Latin America and informing people about current events and topics in Latin society. At the Night Market, LatinX raised funds for Aldeas Infantiles SOS, an NGO in Bolivia that supports and nurtures children who lack parental care due to abuse, violence, or neglect. Matheo mentioned that they sold postcards, bandanas, bookmarks, as well as Argentinian and Brazilian treats.
Jovie, a Grade 10 student and co-leader of the Stray Cats club, aimed to raise awareness about stray cats and provide assistance to them on campus. Their club prepared bracelets, necklaces, tiramisu, and postcards for sale at the market.
Through an array of clubs spanning various interests, from culture to food, art to animals, students at WAB showcased their commitment to making a difference. Their endeavors aimed to foster creativity, embrace diverse cultural backgrounds, and extend compassion to everyone around us. We congratulate our students as they pursue their passions and make a positive impact through their work.
