On the evening of 22 May 2026, the BNBU Music Department presented its Orchestra and Choir End-of-Semester Concert at the Performance Theatre. As one of the department’s regular end-of-semester performances, the concert brought together the BNBU Choir and the BNBU Orchestra in a two-part programme, showcasing students’ progress in choir, ensemble training, and collaborative music-making over the course of the semester.

The Orchestra and Choir End-of-Semester Concert at the Performance Theatre

The concert continued the department’s semesterly performance tradition, connecting classroom learning, rehearsal practice, and stage experience. As evening settled over the campus, students brought a semester of practice, listening, and musical growth to the stage through the intimacy of choir singing and the rich colours of orchestral performance.

The first half of the concert featured the BNBU Choir, conducted by Music Department faculty member Dr. Mars Siu Hong LEI. The choir opened with three works by Robert Schumann — If I Were a Little Bird, Autumn Song, and Sweet Flower — capturing the lightness, lyricism, and natural imagery of the German Romantic miniature. This was followed by When Music Sounds, in which the choir explored the relationship between text, line, and restrained musical expression. Jin Chengzhi’s I Have a Pocket Full of Stars brought a brighter contemporary Chinese voice to the programme, transforming images of childhood, starlight, and inner reflection into a gentle and imaginative sound world.

The BNBU Choir performs under the direction of Dr. Mars Siu Hong LEI

The second half was presented by the BNBU Orchestra, conducted by Music Department faculty member Dr. Fan YANG. The orchestra began with Fauré’s Sicilienne, offering a graceful opening shaped by flowing melody and chamber-like sensitivity. Mozart’s first movement from the Concerto for Two Pianos in E-flat Major and the overture to The Magic Flute then highlighted the clarity, dialogue, and dramatic energy of the Classical style. Gluck’s Dance of the Blessed Spirits from Orfeo ed Euridice introduced a moment of calm lyricism, while Bizet’s Carmen Suite No. 1 brought vivid orchestral colour, rhythmic drive, and theatrical character to the stage. The concert concluded with Shostakovich’s Waltz No. 2, whose memorable melody and distinctive pulse provided a lively and resonant close to the evening.

The BNBU Orchestra performs under the direction of Dr. Fan YANG

More than a presentation of repertoire, the concert offered students an important opportunity to move from the rehearsal room to the formal stage. The choir’s attention to balance, language, and musical breath, together with the orchestra’s work in ensemble coordination, tone colour, and stage communication, reflected the central values of musical training: listening, collaboration, and expression.

Through concerts such as this, the Music Department continues to strengthen the connection between teaching, rehearsal, and performance. The department will continue to develop its semesterly performance platforms, offering students meaningful opportunities to share their artistic growth, collective work, and creative potential with the wider university community.

Music Department faculty, students, and production team after the concert

Where evening meets music, a semester of practice, listening, and growth is heard on stage.