Convocation | International Convocation 2018
March 28, 2018
Afghanistan, Canada, China, Croatia, Ghana, Hong Kong, Japan, Kazakhstan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam…
Cate School has a substantial international presence, and the School celebrated its diversity of cultures with International Convocation on Monday night. MC’ed by seniors Marko Pliso and Janice Ng, the evening showcased music and dance from students’ home countries.
The evening opened with “Recuerdame” from Pixar’s film Coco. The film was Pixar’s first to celebrate Mexican culture, and “Recuerdame” has become an iconic tribute to Mexico’s vibrant traditions. Abnner Olivares ‘19 and Jazmin Estevez-Rosas ’18, backed by Sophie Johnson ‘18 on drums and Mr. Knecht on guitar, were accompanied by a large part of the student body as they sang of a father’s love as he is separated from his son. This song, in Spanish and English, was followed by the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way,” an American song, translated into Mandarin, sung by the diverse group of students studying Chinese at Cate. Senior Chrissy Robinson animated both the singers and the crowd. According to the students, the international mash-up shows how music can transcend barriers, a great takeaway from the evening’s event.
The first of two dance pieces was performed by sophomores Maya Fenelon, Georgina Omaboe, Alyssa Queensborough, and Avery Ransom, as well as freshmen Aida Pouye and Deborah Brittain. Celebrating West African culture, the dancers’ stomping feet were accompanied by the beats of the djembe, played by sophomore Tesfa Asmara and Mr. Knecht, this time in the African dunun. As the African dancers exited the stage, juniors Jeffrey Kim and Esther Wang entered to sing “Wings,” originally by the Korean band Mot. After their performance, the program skipped to the Indian subcontinent. Senior Karan Kapur presented an original piece titled “808s from India.” The composition recalled the sitars, tabla drums, and flutes of the classical Indian music of his childhood. Karan layered drum sounds, played on a trigger pad, over the recorded composition. The final song of the evening was entitled “Ni hai yao wo zen yang” by Xue Zhi Qian. Sung in Chinese by sophomore Kevin Tian, the plaintive melody communicated a broken heart, even though the lyrics were not understood by some in the audience.
Senior Jackie Cai and sophomores Carol Cai, Lea De Vylder, Alice Qin, and Neema Mugofwa closed the show with hip pops and hair flips. Blackpink, a South Korean girl group, was once again showcased as the K-Pop dance number that traditionally closes International Convocation. This year the audience heard “As If It’s Your Last” and responded, as always, with screaming.
About Convocation
Convocation is a celebrated tradition of boarding school life at Cate. A series of speakers and performers addresses the School every Monday in the theatre after a formal dinner in the Raymond Commons. The Convocation Series often reflects the year’s inquiry question, which guides the pedagogy for the school year. This year’s inquiry question: Is Truth Universal?