Seeds of Hope Concert: Passion That Keeps Us Moving Forward

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06 Mar, 2025

19 : 03

Among the many activities organised by YCYW, the annual Seeds of Hope Concert has a very special place.

Since 2011, YCYW has held the concert in various cities across China. As one of the key fundraising events for YCYW's "Seeds of Hope" charity, the concert provides a stage to showcase the talents of students and teachers, as well as the cohesion of all YCYW campuses. It epitomises YCYW's educational ideals and humanitarianism.

On the evening of 1 March, the 2025 Seeds of Hope Concert took place in Guangzhou. The 2024-2025 academic year marks the tenth anniversary of YWIES Guangzhou's presence in the city. Therefore, the concert was also a special tribute, expressing our heartfelt gratitude and respect to all those who have supported the school's development during the past decade.

That night, 250 teachers and students from YCIS and YWIES campuses across China performed with 12 students from Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture. Together, they presented a performance that blended the beauty of Chinese and Western music and resonated with the audience.

"Our students are active creators of change—they transform their talents into meaningful opportunities."

The idea for the YCYW Seeds of Hope programme originated in 1996, and it has been in operation for over 20 years since its establishment.

The programme began as an on-campus fundraising effort to support reconstruction after earthquakes. It has developed into a systematic charitable programme that connects character education for students with public welfare assistance. In her speech at the concert, Dr Betty Chan Po-king, CEO & School Supervisor of YCYW, reflected on the original goals for the establishment of the programme.

"Our students are active creators of change—they transform their talents into meaningful opportunities. Whether they are organising memorable concerts like tonight's, crafting art for charity auctions, or leading innovative fundraising projects, they apply their skills to inspire generosity and garner crucial support," she said.

Through the Seeds of Hope programme, YCYW students engage in genuine interactions that expose them to social diversity, helping them grow into kind, upright, and caring individuals. This vividly embodies YCYW's mission to "Align with Love and Charity".

During the past decades, the programme has supported the development of more than ten schools. This year, in cooperation with the Shanghai CEDAR Charity Foundation, YCYW welcomed three new Seeds of Hope schools in Liangshan: Pangxie Village Primary School in Aqi Township, Xichang; Muer Mountain Primary School in Zhangmuqing Town, Xichang; and Mingtian Primary School in Langhuan Town, Xichang.

Mr John Liu, Head of Careers and University Guidance and Student Development at YCYW, oversees the organisation's service-learning projects. According to him, through the Seeds of Hope programme, YCYW has donated a music classroom to Mingtian Primary School and funded a year's service stipend for the school's volunteer music teacher. The next phase of the project will provide further support to the three schools in promoting their unique culture. In April, YCYW students will also visit Liangshan to carry out service-learning projects.

Mr Liu visited Liangshan last October to communicate with the teachers and students of the three primary schools. From an educator's perspective, he observed the children's love for learning and art, and learned about the local teachers' hopes for education.

"Not all things are equitable. I think these teachers, like every wonderful teacher, just want to give their students an equal chance to shine and be their best," he said.

At the Seeds of Hope Concert, 12 students from Mingtian Primary School, dressed in traditional Yi ethnic clothing, delivered an inspiring Yi yueqin performance. The clear and resonant sounds of the Yi yueqin, and the children's bright smiles, captivated the entire audience. They had arrived in Guangzhou on 26 February to exchange ideas and rehearse with the students of YWIES Guangzhou.

Coco, a sixth-grade student at YWIES Guangzhou, recalled that the students from Mingtian Primary School were initially a bit shy in the new environment. However, the warmth and friendliness of the teachers and students from YWIES Guangzhou helped them gradually to relax. In just a few days, the students discussed many topics, ranging from their daily lives to the challenges of learning a second language.

The Yi language choral performance relflected the friendships and rapport that had developed during those few days. When the formation of the choir changed from being half YWIES Guangzhou students and half Mingtian Primary School students to an interspersed arrangement, the connections and harmony became very tangible.

For Xiao Sha, a student at Mingtian Primary School, the evening's performance held another significant meaning—performing for her mother.

Xiao Sha's mother and Xiao Sha’s father work in Mianyang City, Sichuan Province, and can return home to be with their children only once or twice a year. The parents can usually view their child's performances only through school live streams or photographs. When Xiao Sha's mother learned that Xiao Sha would be performing in Guangzhou, she asked for time off from work to come and watch the performance, even though she had to return to Mianyang early the next morning.

"Seeing her perform and be so focused on stage made me proud and happy for her," Xiao Sha's mother said.

The heart of the Seeds of Hope is uniting those different people and bringing those ideas together.

In accordance with YCYW's philosophy of integrating the best of Chinese and Western cultures, showcasing the beauty of both Chinese and Western music has always been a hallmark of the Seeds of Hope Concert.

At this concert, erhu virtuoso Ms Tsz-ching Tung and the YCYW Chamber Ensemble performed the majestic "The Galloping Steeds". Members of the YWIES Guangzhou Chamber performed the classic folk song "Song of the Flower Drum of Fengyang" using both the guzheng and Western instruments. The Hong Kong and Guangzhou Combined Primary Choir performed a medley of African songs and "Colourful Clouds Chasing the Moon," both characterised by strong regional influences. A series of wonderful performances was thus staged, showcasing the integration of Chinese and Western musical elements.

What is particularly impressive is that the students and teachers from various YCYW campuses had less than three days to rehearse together before the concert.

Dr Anton D. Luiten, the new Director of Music at YCYW, was one of the arrangers of the concert's programme. He witnessed the great passion and dedication of the students. "The students are extraordinarily focused and they love presenting music. I think they particularly like to see the collaboration happening and experiencing different cultures. I would say that they are open to new experiences, and they have a wonderful, open heart for looking at different viewpoints and different perspectives," he said.

In his view, the heart of the Seeds of Hope Concert is that it's uniting different people and bringing all those ideas together.

This year is the second time that Tiffany, a Year 10 student, from YCIS Hong Kong has participated in a Seeds of Hope Concert. Tiffany has been playing the violin since she was four. She is now one of the concertmasters of the Hong Kong Children's Symphony Orchestra, as well as the concertmaster of the YCIS Symphony Orchestra. On state, she was confident and completely immersed in the music.

Despite her extensive experience as a performer, Tiffany still cherishes the opportunity to perform at the Seeds of Hope Concert because she has been able to meet peers from different locations and campuses and make many friends.

"Making music with everyone is really fun. I really enjoy the laughter and joy during the collaboration," she said shyly off stage.

Hope becomes the rhyme and the reason of our dreams. — Lyrics from "Hope"

Among the performers that evening, were three YCIS Hong Kong alumnae returning to the Seeds of Hope Concert stage after many years—Ms Hilda Lam, Ms Katherine Kam, and Ms Nicole Tong. Because of their shared passion for music, they formed the a cappella group VOCE in 2010, even though they were in different grades. In 2012, when Ms Kam graduated from YCIS Hong Kong, they sang "Hope" together on stage.

At the 2025 Seeds of Hope Concert, they returned to perform "Hope" again, this time with three younger students. Speaking about performing with the younger students, Ms Hilda Lam said, "The best thing about the creative arts is that there are no limitations, no boundaries. It just allows you to fully be who you are with strangers. And just maybe after one rehearsal, you can form friendships and bonds that last a lifetime."

Ms Kam and Ms Tong were touched by the energy of the younger students, their concern for others, and their future aspirations. They hope to become supporters for the young students as they to pursue their dreams.

Together, we can sow the seeds of hope. — Lyrics from "Seeds of Hope"

As the melodious tune of "Seeds of Hope" played, the 2025 Seeds of Hope Concert came to a close.

Just as the reading of a book begins with the eyes and hearts of its readers, the journey of Seeds of Hope began with each member of the audience that night. The performances, imbued with the performers' passion, touched the audience deeply. We hope that this passion and hope will resonate in the hearts of every member of the audience member and spread even further.

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