Student and teachers at YCIS Shanghai Regency Park and Century Park campuses were delighted to welcome the international performance group, Spatial Forces Duo, for a clarinet performance this term. The ensemble consisted of US professors Dr Christy Banks, and Dr Jessica Lyndsey, who have been performing around the world for many years at schools, universities, and conferences, in ways that provide a vivid, full-sensory experience for their audiences.

The duo performed a wide selection of contemporary pieces that conveyed different meanings through the sounds of their instruments. In one piece titled, Wings, the melody of the instruments portrayed birds in flight, while another piece, Bad Toy, related the story of a child receiving a new toy that didn't work properly. The duo also performed a piece titled, Naja, by Mr Rusty Banks, a composer who accompanied the group during their visit to the school. By incorporating snake-like sounds to convey its theme of cobras, this special number fit in well with the performer’s focus on telling stories and exploring emotions through music. YCIS Shanghai Primary Music Teacher, Mr E.J. Swider, explained how, using only the sounds of the music, “Students were able to use their imagination to explore the different stories and sensations, and by applying what we’ve discussed in class related to moods, emotions, and events, to create mental images that matched the music.”

The comprehensive music programme at YCIS Shanghai teaches children to read music, to develop instrumental and vocal skills, and helps students learn how to interpret music in a variety of ways, challenging them to understand how music relates to their world in a broader context. For more information about the music programme at YCIS Shanghai, please click here.