The Shanghai International Youth Orchestra bridges cultures
The structure and grace of orchestral music is a welcome contrast to the cacophony of city life. With the Shanghai International Youth Orchestra (SHIYO), life imitates music, and for the first time in Shanghai SHIYO, brings together foreign and local students for truly harmonic performances.

An international city such as Shanghai should abound with opportunities for cross-cultural interaction. However, international schools, while offering stellar academics, often create a divide between foreign and local students. It was this invisible barrier combined with a love of music that prompted Sam Matthews to create the SHIYO. "As a teacher at an international school, I realized there's quite a bit of competition between the international schools, though little interaction and literally nothing with the local schools," he says. "I thought this would be a great way to bring the students together."

SHIYO was founded in September with just four members. The group has now grown to 12, with members from seven different international and local schools.

But perhaps the real magic happens not in concert halls, but within the classroom. Local and foreign students learn from each other, help each other and collectively break cultural barriers by forging friendships from a shared passion. The musicians find this success unsurprising. According to Justin Chiou, a junior at Shanghai American School and violinist for SHIYO, "Music is the universal language. The language barrier can be a problem, but we overcome that through body language." Fellow violinist, ninth grader Leslie Kinnas feels similarly. "What I've gotten out of the experience is interacting more with music and its language, and an understanding of how it can allow people from different areas to know each other."

Matthews identifies advanced training and ensemble experience as areas where the local and foreign students differ, with the difference being an opportunity for growth. “The international students help the local students to feel more natural in an ensemble, and the local students help the international students to improve their fundamental skills," he says. Orchestra practice also offers a great opportunity for students to practice their second languages.

Leslie's mother, Miho Kinnas, frequently attends rehearsal and fully advocates her daughter's participation. "The opportunity to do something like this is really limited, so I think we are very fortunate. My daughter takes music more seriously, and she gets to make new friends. Rehearsal is a great way to spend the afternoon."

Ashley Woo

Details

What: Auditions for SHIYO
When: June 7
Tel: 137-6102-0546
Web: http://www.shiyo.net