Over the past few weeks, the Arts team have been collating, watching, listening and marvelling at the entries we have received from pupils for this year’s Hiba Arts Champions competition. We’ve had impressive examples of engagement with the arts submitted. Visual art and design technology entries ranged from exquisite drawings and traditional homemade crafts to baking, friendship bracelet making and portraiture. It was very pleasing for arts staff to see many entries of wearable art finished to a high quality too. Music entries included song and instrument performance and art appreciation essays on Chopin and other composers. In performing arts we’ve had celebratory dances submitted, poetry performances and even a music video submitted to accompany an original song entry.
In particular, we have been moved by artwork submitted reflecting on the COVD-19 pandemic. Examples include homages to doctors and nurses expressed in pencil drawings and some striking documentary photography charting the everyday life of a junior high pupil in isolation. A mixed media entry visualised the spread of the virus at speed across China. With so many entries made, our Arts staff had a very difficult choice to make in order to select our winners: what a brilliant problem to have. It has been encouraging to see pupils engaging with technology to produce their arts entries. Impressive digital art skills have been showcased in stop-animation entries, iPad drawings on Procreate and compositions using Garage Band and Logic software: our young artists are equipped to create in an ever-advancing technological world. Art and musicianship thrives on having an audience. Our ensemble musicians have been particularly challenged by not being able to play together over the last four months. Please enjoy a teaser of a performance from some representatives of our school orchestra, directed by Ms Wang, who managed to make the impossible possible during our time apart. This piece is a reminder to celebrate fully the life we see before us, joyous and resilient. They have shown tremendous effort and responsibility in practising their craft, great courage in expressing ideas that sometimes words cannot, continual respect for the community that their art comments on and kindness towards a world currently fighting to find its way out of unprecedented turmoil. I am very proud to announce this year’s recipients of the Hiba Arts Champions awards as follows; Primary
Champion of G1 Shirley，Li House Category:Performing Arts Artwork :Original poetry writing
Runner-up of G1 Susie, De House Category:Visual Art Artwork :Watercolour/pen piece
Runner-up of G1 Yelon, Li House Category :Music Artwork:Guitar, drums, piano/singing performance
Champion of G2 Ena, Li House Category:Arts combo Artwork:Dance with fan, poetry and instrumental medley
Runner-up of G2 Kiki, Xian House Category :Visual Art Artwork :Woven bag
Runner-up of G2 Justin, De House Category: Performing Arts Artwork:Traditional poetry performance
Champion of G3 Brian, Xian House Category:Music Artwork：Piano performance
Runner-up of G3 Feynman, Hui House Category:Performing Arts Artwork:Animated storytelling
Runner-up of G3 Jonathan, Xian House Category:Visual Art Artwork:Character and perspective drawing series
Champion of G4 Jake, Li House Category：Music performance / appreciation essay Artwork：Chopin's works
Runner-up Grace, Li House Category：Visual Art Artwork ：Brush pen drawing
Champion of G5 Ethan, Xian House Category：Visual Art Artwork：Architecture series and performing arts performance (with father)
Runner-up of G5 Chris, Xian House Category：DT Artwork：Fibre mural board Junior High
Champion of G6 Lewis, De House Category：Visual Art Artwork：T-shirt design, oil painting
Runner-up of G6 Judy, Li House Category：Music Artwork ：Piano/ocarina/harmonica
Runner-up of G6 Ethan, Hui House Category：Music Artwork：Music technology composition
Champion of G7 Joy, Hui House Category：Music Artwork：Original song/recording/music video
Champion of G7 Leo, De House Category：Visual Art Artwork：Documentary photography
Runner-up of G7 Georgia, Hui House Category：Music Artwork：Original song
Runner-up of G7 Tony, Xian House Category：Music Artwork：Cello Bach suite In addition to the Champions awards, we wanted to recognise those pupils who have persistently engaged with arts e-learning over the e-learning period. To mark their efforts, we have acknowledged six students across the school who have consistently followed the arts e-learning programme at home. Hiba Arts E-learning Award Jerry，G1 Chujie, G2 Audrey, G4 Mily, G6 Cecilia & Katherine, G5 Congratulations to the Hiba Arts Champions of 2020! Awarded Arts entries will be displayed in school, shared with pupils and published via our school website soon. Winners have been awarded coveted trophies and have earned house points for their house families. What a way to celebrate our return to school! On behalf of the Hiba Arts department: well done, pupils, and thank you for sharing your artistry with our school community. As pupils from grades 1 to 3 returned to campus on 2 June, the Hiba community eventually reunited that we all had awaited this moment for too long. Long time no see, dear pupils!
