Activities and Sport Weekly Update: Nov. 22

APAC Season 1 Arts
Orchestra @ WAB, Beijing
APAC Orchestra students travelled to Beijing on November 13 – 17. They had been rehearsing 7 advanced pieces of music since August, and spent three days at WAB under the tutelage of conductor Mark Gibson (University of Cincinnati). They performed a shortened program to rousing applause to Elementary pupils on Friday 15 November, and performed their full concert on the evening of Saturday November 16. Concordia students represented their school superbly, by leading their sections and being well-prepared. Bravo to all involved!

Choir
The APAC Choir for Concordia comprises of our Chamber Singers. This is a group of 16 High School singers who audition to be a part of the marquee choir at Concordia. The choir is under the direction of Mr. Tom Ford who is in his third year as Director at Concordia. However, Mr. Ford is no stranger to APAC Choir: this is his eleventh year at an APAC school having previously directed the group at Seoul Foreign School.
The choir this year consists of 4 sopranos, the highest female voices, 4 altos, the lower female voices, 3 tenors, the higher male voices and 5 basses, the lowest male voices. When an audience thinks of a choir, it is most often this type of voicing they are familiar with, combining voices that span the vocal ranges.
APAC Choir this year was held at Taejon Christian International School in Korea and took place from November 13 to 17. The guest conductor, Jonathan Bligh from Australia, chose 6 pieces for the festival mass choir to master during their time together and the Chamber Singers also sang two pieces they had prepared for this festival. They were accompanied by Ms. Yifan Shi. We are very proud of the way our student singers represented Concordia at the festival both in musical excellence and with exemplary behavior.
Please be sure to take the opportunity to hear the Chamber Singers and the other High School Choirs during the seasonal Christmas Concert on December 13th as well.

Dance
The CISS APAC Dance Team recently traveled to UNIS Hanoi for the 2024 APAC Dance Festival, where they were one of five APAC Dance Teams to perform. The festival’s theme, "Move to Inspire," was beautifully realized through the team’s six-minute performance, Into the Light. Choreographed by Coach Stas Kliukov with student choreographers Alannah S., Annie L., Ayana C., and Charlene L., the piece was rehearsed under the guidance of CISS Dance Director Kara Harvey. The performance not only showcased the dancers’ exceptional technique, but also demonstrated their deep commitment to pushing boundaries and performing with passion and purpose.
CISS APAC Dance Team made their mark at the festival, representing Concordia with pride and spirit. Their performance not only captivated the audience with its technical precision but also conveyed a powerful message of perseverance and unity. The dedication and teamwork displayed by this talented group of dancers left an indelible impression on all who attended. Congratulations to the CISS APAC Dance Team for their incredible efforts and for making our community proud!

 

 

Indonesian Basketball Exchange
Concordia hosted the Development Basketball League (DBL) from Indonesia as part of their tour of China. With JV Boys and Varsity Girls and Boys games held at Concordia, our players were exposed to a different basketball culture. Playing sports is an incredible vehicle to get to know people from other cultures, and to develop friendships. Thank you to Concordia Athletics Coordinator Mr. Dazhu Yang for facilitating such experiences for our student athletes. 

 

Shanghai Swimming League
Swimming isn’t just an individual sport, it’s a team effort through and through!
Last weekend, SSL Round 2 wrapped up at the DCSPD campus, with 49 Concordia swimmers diving in and giving it their all. They pushed boundaries, showed incredible strength, and brought home a stack of medals in both individual and team events.
One standout moment came from 8th grader Bella W., who debuted in the challenging 200-meter butterfly and finished 4th. She didn’t stop there, Bella also shattered the school record with a 2nd place finish in the 100-meter breaststroke for the 13-14 age group. Way to go, Bella!

A big shoutout also goes to team captain Brandon Z., a 9th grader, who set an inspiring example of perseverance. Despite being under the weather, Brandon helped the team secure 6th place in the medley relay and set a new school record. That’s true leadership in action!
Additional highlights of our swimmers are listed below:

CONCORDIA SCHOOL RECORDS

9-10 age group Angela H. 100 Free/50 Back

13-14 age group Julius L. 100 Free/400 Free

13-14 age group Bella W. 100 Breast

11-12 age group Girls 200 Medley Relay: Angela H., Karyn X., Sophia L., Zoey J.

13-14 age group Boys 200 Medley Relay: Julius L., Brandon Z., Henry Z., Nathaniel H.

 

TOP THREE PLACES- DCSPD Results
Individual

9-10 age group Girls 50M Breast:  Elaine J. 3rd Place.

9-10 age group Boys 50M Back: Max G. 2nd Place.

11-12 age group Girls 50M Free: Sophia L. 2nd Place.

11-12 age group Girls  50M Fly: Angela H. 3rd place .

13-14 age group Boys 400M Free: Julius L.  1st Place.

13-14 age group Boys 100M Free: Julius L. 2nd Place.

13-14 age group Girls 100M Breast: Bella W. 2nd Place

15&Over age group Males 400M Free: Kobe C. 3rd Place.

Relay
11-12 age group Girls 200m Medley relay: 2nd Place: Angela H. / Karyn X./ Sophia L./ Zoey J.

Before SSL Round 2, Concordia’s coaches introduced new strategies focused on helping swimmers grow. The gold team honed in on three themes: crafting personal competition plans, maturing as athletes, and redefining what success means in competition. These strategies clearly paid off as our swimmers hit the pool with determination and a strong sense of unity.

The energy on the pool deck was contagious, Concordia athletes cheered each other on, connected with swimmers from other schools, and showed resilience both in and out of the water. It’s moments like these that build not just competition experience but friendships that will last a lifetime.

SISAC Table Tennis
Last Saturday saw both the Girls and Boys Varsity Table Tennis teams in action at the SISAC (Shanghai International Schools Athletic Conference) tournament. Despite the absence of several key players due to conflicts with APAC Choir and Orchestra, the boys team of Sean J., Chris C. and Connor J. fought their way to a second-place finish, just behind rivals SAS-Puxi. On the girls’ side, Concordia found success in both the team and individual competitions. The team of Rachel P., Jessica S. and Sieun I. took home another second place trophy, and, in the individual tournament, Jessica S. reached the championship match before losing to a very strong opponent from Hangzhou International School.

As the second half of the season gets underway, Concordia is looking forward to several very competitive multi-school tournaments. First up is HISAC (Hangzhou International Schools Athletic Conference) on November 23^rd, and then the team travels to Beijing on December 5-7 for the ACAMIS championship. Following the Christmas break, we host the annual Phoenix Classic on January 10-11, and then the season culminates with the APAC Championship held January 20-22 on the Pudong campus of Shanghai American School.

We encourage parents, teachers, students and friends to come out and cheer for the teams as we pursue our very first APAC Table Tennis Championship. GO PHOENIX!

 

Wellness Program