Music Faculty Member Judges Hong Kong Schools of Music Competition
By Melyssa Allen
Instructor of Piano Dr. Margaret Evans has been on Meredith's faculty since 1994. She has been an active adjudicator throughout the United States, but this spring her musical knowledge took her to what she calls "a different world" when she was invited to serve as a judge in the Hong Kong Schools of Music 57th Annual Competition.
"Hong Kong defies easy description; with such incredible contrasts packed into such a small area, one finds it impossible to define in only a few words," she says. "Quite a multi-layered society, one sees extremes all tumbled together in the closest proximity: the highest technology (ahead of the U.S.) versus primitive traditions; Eastern versus Western influences; staggering wealth versus utter poverty; great luxury versus awful squalor."
The Hong Kong Schools of Music Competition is "the largest music competition in the world in terms of number of participants," Evans says. More than 170,000 young musicians competed in the month-long event, which is open to pre-college aged Hong Kong residents. Dr. Evans judged for nearly three weeks.
Music study is very popular in Hong Kong, with most if not all children learning some sort of instrument. Evans "noticed the society's great appreciation not only for music itself but for the benefits of the study of a musical instrument. Beyond enrichment of [a person's] inner life, it teaches life skills of self-discipline, focus, the pursuit of excellence, and the ability to work independently. Music, musicians, and music study are held in high esteem!"
As one of 29 judges, Evans heard up to three categories each day in sessions that lasted three hours each. Special scholarship divisions were co-adjudicated. She co-judged junior and senior Concerto divisions with the Dean of London's Trinity College of Music, and the Junior Exhibitor division with faculty from Juilliard and Interlochen. She says that getting to know the other judges, who hailed from the United States, Great Britain, China, Mexico, South Africa, Germany, Canada, Russia, Japan and Israel, was a highlight of the trip. "We experienced that the love of music really does bring people together in a wonderful way," she says.
Evans was pleasantly surprised by many of the performances. "I was afraid I might hear a primarily mechanical approach [from the students] and there was indeed some of that; but I heard deeply expressive playing as well. Three students were particularly memorable," she says: "an 8-year-old and a 9-year-old who played with such joy and artistry far beyond their years, and a 13-year old who played with rare maturity."
Several aspects of this competition differed from U.S. events. Here, the norm is a private audition of competitor before a judge; but in Hong Kong all auditions were open to the public. Every student listened to every other student. Judges wrote comments and also assigned a numerical grade. At the end of each session, before announcing results, each judge was expected to address the audience and describe what was good, what needed improvement and why the particular winners were chosen.
"Fortunately, a Chinese translator was provided," Evans says. "While awaiting the results, the tension could be cut with a knife. Parents were often highly invested in the score received…and because the competition was sponsored by Schools of Music, the students felt especially proud when members of their school won, thus bringing prestige and honor to the entire school."
Since her return to Meredith, Evans has continued to reflect on her journey to Hong Kong.
"I learned so much experiencing the Hong Kong way of doing things," Evans says. "I learned much about how music is taught and the way teachers are trained, quite different from our system. And the children were delightful. Since my return to the States I have received email from several students, teachers, and parents. I am glad to have had this fascinating opportunity."
Faculty/Staff Experience Meredith Abroad
By Melyssa Allen
For the third summer, a group of four Meredith College faculty and staff had the opportunity to join students in the Meredith Abroad program for one week in the United Kingdom. Participants this year were Kaye Rains, Carla Ross, Cindy Edwards and Sylvia Horton.
The trip, which was partially funded by Meredith College, is designed to provide travel abroad experience to staff and faculty who have limited experience traveling outside the United States.
An event on campus inspired Horton, Graduate Studies admissions coordinator, to apply.
"I have always dreamed of traveling and I attended a lecture during our Staff Development week [where] Deborah Tippett talked of pursuing your dreams and seizing the moment," said Horton. "So I immediately came back to my office after the talk and applied."
Rains, the office manager in the Office of Marketing & Communications, said the trip helped her gain a sense of the study abroad program because they were able to attend parts of the classes held for Meredith students and joined the students on trips to locations outside of London.
In one of the classes she attended, Rains said that Betty Webb talked to the study abroad participants about the situation following the July 7 terrorist attack in London, which occurred just one day before the faculty/staff group was scheduled to leave for their trip.
"She said to be aware, but not to let it mess up the trip," Rains said. "One difference was that we rode buses more than the subway, but that also allowed us to see much more of the city."
Cindy Edwards, professor of psychology, said her favorite part of the trip was seeing the impact of study abroad on the students.
"The change in their level of self confidence, global awareness and sense of themselves is just phenomenal," Edwards said. "This really is a life changing experience for them."
One of Horton's favorite memories of the trip was attending services at St. Paul's Cathedral.
"The Sunday morning ceremony at St. Paul's after the Thursday bombing…was so moving," she said. "It made me realize how much a tragic event brings a nation together and strengthens the resolve to carry on."
Carla Ross, associate professor of communication, had visited London 21 years before, as a graduate student. This time, she was interested to "see how things had changed and stayed the same in 21 years." As the new director of faculty development, Ross plans to promote and encourage study abroad for both students and faculty.
Rains also encourages her fellow staff members to apply for the trip in the future.
"I had never been anywhere outside of the U.S. before and there's no better way to learn how to travel than with Betty Webb," Rains said. "I wouldn't trade this trip for anything…after you've been on one trip, you always want to go back."
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In June Garry Walton, dean of Meredith's School of Humanities and Social Sciences and professor of English, spent time in China guest lecturing to faculty and students at Yunnan Nationalities University in Kunming, China. He traveled with a team of six instructors from Charlottesville, Va., including faculty members from the University of Virginia who also taught classes at the university. His wife, Sally, and son, Leigh, accompanied him. Once they arrived in China they were met by the Waltons' other son, Jonathan, a Fulbright scholar who is currently living in Nanjing.
"That gives you a sense of how far it is," Walton said. "Part of the fun for us was riding the train across southern China and seeing the countryside outside our window. We read the fifth volume of the Harry Potter saga aloud as entertainment during our 56-hour train ride."
Walton arrived unsure of what to expect from his students. In China, English majors focus more on language than on literature, though upperclassmen take one course in British literature and one in American. Walton taught four classes of 30 students each using five sonnets by Shakespeare, Milton, Wordsworth, Frost and Heaney as examples.