Performing Arts Concerts 2020

- January 07, 2021

Comments from evaluation panel:

Collaboration and coordination across all the various performing arts groups was commendable. The outreach went out to the whole school.

Name of Team	Performing Arts CCAs
Title of Project	Performing Arts Concerts 2020
Facilitator	Mae Ho
Team Leader	Theodora Huang
Secretary	-
Members	John Mackintosh Amy Lim-Wong Matthew Lim Wong-Ng Lee Fui Yang Liu Christopher Slatter Mae Ho Tong Soi Mui Li Lin Ni Qing Zhang Ronghua Ting Hann Sy Sarah Choo Lee Xin Ying Huang Huang Nick Ng Elizabeth Cutter
Initiated on (date)	May 2019
Completion date	Planned – March/April 2020 (though subsequently cancelled due to COVID-19)
Objectives/Targets	a) To provide platforms for student agency and creative expression in the arts b) To provide opportunities for collaborative and cross-disciplinary learning c) To facilitate students’ application of domain-specific skills and concepts in wider contexts d) To share quality arts performances and processes with the school community and beyond
Implementation Process	Timeline · 17 May 2019 – Discussion among PA CCA teachers on creative possibilities for the CCA concerts 2020; seeding possibilities for inter-CCA collaboration and/or external partnerships · June to Aug 2019 – Brainstorming of ideas and discussion with respective CCA instructors and student leaders · Sept to Oct 2019 – Consolidation of proposal outlining the suggested model for CCA concerts 2020, including concept and structure of collaborative items · 14 Oct 2019 – Presentation of proposal at Management Meeting · Nov 2019 to Mar 2020 – Allocation of students to respective collaborative items; CCA rehearsals and preparation for CCA concerts 2020, including commencement of some rehearsals for collaborative items · Mid-Mar 2020 – suspension of CCA and eventual cancellation of concerts due to COVID-19 Key features of proposed model / changes from CCA concerts in previous years 1. Typically scheduled in July, the concerts would instead be scheduled earlier in the year in March/April in line with changes in school schedule; taking into account the shorter runway for concert preparation, CCAs have the option of staging a (shorter) individual production of up to 1.5 hours each, or a combined production involving 2 CCAs of up to 2 hours each 2. With the above objectives in mind, CCAs were encouraged to explore opportunities for students to apply their skills in new contexts where possible (e.g. collaboration across CCAs, or co-creation of original works); the proposed ideas/productions were: o Chamber Orchestra item (String Ensemble & Concert Band) – an opportunity for students to explore existing repertoire for music ensemble larger in scope and timbral colours than their own o Accompanied Songs item (Choir & Concert Band) – an opportunity for students to explore, and possibly co-create, new arrangements of familiar tunes with an extended range of instruments and timbres o Mixed Ensemble item (CO, String, Band, Choir) – a platform for students to explore sounds and synthesise their own musical creations in an ensemble setting in response to a given creative stimulus o Guzheng Ensemble & Chinese Dance joint production with collaborative items co-conceptualised by both groups 3. To facilitate planning and logistics of rehearsals and performances, guidelines were given to limit scope of collaborative items and workload of each student participant, and a master schedule provided to coordinate combined rehearsals 4. Besides the ticketed concerts, a series of lunchtime performances were planned to enable a wider audience to catch the highlights of the concerts for free
Extent of Improvement/ Targets met	Though the students were not able to see through the full process given the exigent circumstances, the process of conceptualizing this series of CCA concerts and embarking on this journey opened up the conversation among teachers and students to seek creative possibilities beyond the confines of their respective art forms. (e.g. during circuit breaker / HBL, performing arts CCAs were keen to explore new modes of online performance, including a student-led virtual ensemble project involving all 8 performing arts CCAs and AV Club)