On December 12, School of Music held the final exam (violin & orchestral training) at the Rehearsal Hall as scheduled. Prof. Vera TSU and Mr. Jingye ZHANG hosted the exam while other professors and teachers including Prof. Zhenhong JIN, Mr. Hengjun CHE, Ms. Dingyun HU, Mr. Yuyang HUANG, and Mr. Wenkai MA gave on-site instructions. The exam consists of two parts: the violin exam and the orchestral training exam.

For the violin part, Prof. TSU designated different pieces of music in various styles and levels as per students’ characteristics. Student Xueyao JIANG was required to play George Frideric Handel’s Violin Sonata in F Minor. Though no superb skills are required for this piece of music, intensive, high-level, and detailed-oriented practice is needed. During the exam, Xueyao JIANG successfully interpreted the exquisiteness of Baroque music with her own musical logic. The other student Liuyan XU chose the repertoire of international competitions – Bach Sonata in G Minor (Soft Plate) and Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3. These two pieces of music cultivate the player’s ability to select information from the musical scores and well coordinate her muscles. Liuyan XU rose up to difficulties and played in a calm and steady manner.

For the orchestral training part, Mr. Jingye ZHANG selected Pleyel’s Six Violin Duets and the students were required to play a different voice part. Orchestral training is one of the compulsory courses the students attended this semester which gave them an opportunity to get to learn duet, quartets, etc. With fourteen weeks of training, students started to share their thoughts with each other.

After the exams, teachers acknowledged the progress made by the students and raised new expectations for the next term. Students have made solid progress in the past fourteen weeks, which showcases that hard work will be rewarded. Though there is still a long way to go, teachers and students of the School will work together to rise up to all opportunities and challenges ahead.