A perfect end to an exciting year
A SENSE of anticipation hung in the air as every one of us waited in our seats, smartly decked out in our formal attire.
Meanwhile, melodious music suffused the interiors of the hall as Kenneth Koh of Secondary 3X and Heegan Lee of Secondary 2X took their turns at the piano on stage to enthrall the audience.
Before long, the arrival of the Guest-of-Honour for our inaugural Speech Night was announced, signalling the commencement of the event. He was Mr Ong Kian Min, a Member of Parliament for the Tampines GRC, an ex-ACSian himself, and the father of two of our students.
He gave a very inspiring speech about transforming obstacles encountered in life into steps of success, by telling the story of an old donkey which was nearly buried alive in a well, but managed to escape by repeatedly shaking off the piles of sand shovelled upon it, and then stepping on it to emerge from the well.
Other speakers who took to the stage that evening included our Principal, the Rev Dr John Barrett, who delivered a keynote speech entitled “Looking Ahead”, and student leaders Manav Melwani and Stephanie Chuah, the President and Vice-President of the Student Council respectively.
I am sure most of us felt a sense of warmth in our hearts at the video presentation on the highlights of the year. It was truly a trip down memory lane as pictures of the Orientation, Night of Laughter, Celefest and many other events were splashed onto the screen. What a rich store of memories we have accumulated over the past year.
The highlight of the evening was the prize presentation. Prizes were awarded to students in recognition of their excellent performance in the various subjects. Some notable categories of awards included Best Overall Performance in the Bridging Course, Best Improved Effort, Best Social Contribution, and Best Overall Academic Performance.
For those who did not win any prize, remember, putting in your best effort was the best prize of all. After all, the best is yet to be!
Academic achievements aside, the event also provided an opportunity for the students to showcase their talents. A short play, entitled “Damage Control” was put up by some of our students. It is the first play produced entirely by the ACS (International) family, with Mr Bruno Luse Goh as the director.
The Chamber Choir rendered “Love Changes Everything”, conducted by Ms Carol Ling and accompanied on the piano by Michelle Lee of Secondary 3X.
In true ACS fashion, the evening was brought to a close with the singing of our favorite song, the ACS Anthem, which was led by the choir and sung with gusto by everyone. All in all, it was certainly a most memorable night.
Just as the Orientation Week was the perfect beginning to the opening year of ACS (International), Speech Night was the perfect end to what has been an exciting year for all of us.
Rachel Lim is a student of Secondary 2X at ACS (International).
MSM has high exam success rate
A FEW times a year, Singaporeans scramble to prepare for the Britain-based music examinations, the two main examining boards being the ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) and the TCL (Trinity College of London). These benchmarks serve to affirm the musical competence of music students and teachers in their pursuit of personal development.
The Methodist School of Music (MSM) is pleased to report that the overall success rate for its candidates is high. Last year (2005), out of the 113 students whom we enrolled in the ABRSM, 25 per cent passed with distinction, 35 per cent with merit, and 35 per cent with a pass.
The MSM is grateful for the hard work and commitment of its teachers who strive to nurture the potential of each student under their care. A number of these teachers and students are active in the music ministries of the local churches. They serve as organists, pianists, singers and in other capacities in the worship teams.
Ms Melissa Goh achieved a distinction at the Diploma exams (ABRSM) this year. An organist at Paya Lebar Methodist Church, she gives her thoughts about lessons, exams and church ministry:
“ … The confidence that organ lessons bring towards service playing is, to me, quite necessary. The increased awareness about music helps in bringing out the meaning and mood of the hymn involved, done through playing styles and changing the organ stops accordingly. About taking exams, I never really realised the importance of them until I look at it from hindsight. Exams serve as a source of motivation and a yardstick for me to gauge my development as a musician …”
May Ms Goh and others like her continue to use their gifts to glorify God and edify the Body of Christ. Thanks be to God for His continued guidance and favour.
Dr Evelyn Lim, a music lecturer at the Methodist School of Music, was its Acting Principal (November 2005-January 2006).