From 19 to 22 November 2025, the four-day 2025 Worldwise Festival of Music (WFM) successfully concluded at Dehong Shanghai and the Jaguar Shanghai Symphony Hall. This also marks the first time that Dehong Shanghai has hosted a Worldwise event of such scale as the organizer.
This event, under the theme of "Global Vibes," brought together 250 students and teachers from 11 Dehong and Dulwich schools around the world including Shanghai, Beijing, Xi'an, Suzhou, Singapore and Seoul and the world-renowned Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), to jointly embark on a music creation journey that transcends culture and geography in Shanghai.
Behind this year's WFM theme "Global Vibes" lies the concept that music is one of the most common and shared universal languages. Our students and teachers come from different countries and regions, with different cultural backgrounds. But when we gather to play music, we naturally speak the same language. They collaborate not only musically but also share stories and ideas through communication, and the friendships formed extend far beyond the festival itself, destined to resonate in the days to come.
——Edgar Zillmann, Head of Events and Educational Partnerships, EiM
When Dehong students opened the ceremony with the power of dynamic drums, the melodiousness of the piano, and the clear tones of handbells to welcome guests, and when the RNCM band ignited the atmosphere with two highly accomplished pieces, a cross-cultural musical dialogue quietly began—and this was just the beginning of the global vibes.
Movement of Co-creation: Igniting the Spark of Creativity through Musical Encounters
Young musicians, based on their interests and strengths, joined one of five major ensembles: the Symphony Orchestra, Choir, Concert Band, Big Band, or Rock Band. Each ensemble brought together students from diverse cultural backgrounds, age groups, and musical foundations—including both performers with professional training and artistic understanding, and enthusiastic explorers new to music. Music teachers from the sister schools and the RNCM team, serving dual roles as mentors and performers themselves, provided guidance and support to the students within each ensemble based on their professional expertise, collectively fostering an atmosphere that integrated teaching, rehearsal, and creative exploration.
The group I brought includes rhythm section players, string players, brass and woodwind players, as well as singers. It is a powerful experience to see musicians who are only a few years older than you and are already performing at a conservatory level.
——Andy Stott, Head of Popular Music, RNCM
During the intensive collaborative rehearsals, the pieces evolved from initial unfamiliarity to growing fluency, while the students transformed from strangers into a group with deep tacit understanding. Repeated sectional practice and careful blending of parts not only enhanced the overall coordination of the performance but also fostered meaningful friendships amidst the rise and fall of the melody. Here, music demonstrated its unique power as a universal language transcending cultural and regional boundaries, turning the theme of "Global Vibes" into genuine, shared emotion.
When the children first met, it was natural that there was a bit of shyness, and perhaps some apprehension about the upcoming collaboration. However, as they began to play together and work towards completing a piece, their true and confident selves gradually emerged. I believe this is the unique charm of music.
——Tom Watkins, Music Director, Dulwich College (Singapore)
I noticed that the scene of students helping each other when they encountered difficulties in playing was particularly touching. They carefully marked challenging spots in their scores with pencils and patiently assisted each other with tuning. These small details are a vivid embodiment of the collaborative spirit. In my view, understanding and practicing the essence of ensemble is at the very core of this WFM.
——Paola Conte, Music Teacher, Dulwich College Beijing
Over the course of the festival, the creative energy accumulated through days of practice and collaboration was unleashed in its entirety on the third evening during the Rock Night. The Dehong Shanghai campus was instantly transformed into a vibrant live house venue. The five rock bands took the stage one after another, delivering powerful waves of electric guitar and resounding drumbeats, while the interplay of lighting and sound effects created a captivating audio-visual spectacle. The audience responded by singing along, moving to the rhythm, and dancing, collectively elevating the excitement of the WFM to its peak. This event served not only as a passionate final rehearsal before the main stage performance but also as the most intense and brilliant display of tacit understanding and enthusiasm built among all participants.
Cultural Immersion: Feeling the City's Pulse along the Huangpu River
Amid the intensive music rehearsals, experiencing authentic Shanghai culture became an unforgettable chapter of the WFM. Teachers and students from around the world gathered at the Huangpu Riverside for a round-table dinner, savoring classic Shanghai cuisine and experiencing the city’s history and warmth through their taste buds. They then embarked on a night cruise, gliding along the shimmering waters as the glittering skyline of Lujiazui and the historic architectural ensemble of the Bund faced each other across the river. Here, the classical and the modern engaged in dialogue, while the East and the West blended seamlessly, sketching Shanghai’s unique urban portrait.
For many students visiting Shanghai—or even China—for the first time, this night cruise was far more than sightseeing. Not only did they see the city’s iconic landmarks, previously known only through images, but they also felt the pulse of this international metropolis amid the gentle river breeze and the play of lights on the water. This was a vivid extension of “Global Vibes” beyond music—cultural blending is not limited to the resonance of harmonies; it takes root and sprouts silently through every shared experience.
What impressed me most during the WFM was the night cruise on the Huangpu River and the stunning view. Since it was my first time in Shanghai, looking out from the deck towards the Lujiazui skyscrapers—especially the towering Oriental Pearl Tower—under the night sky was truly spectacular. As our boat sailed gently along the river, the panoramic nightscape of the Bund unfolded like a magnificent painting before my eyes. It was an incredibly impressive experience and made me genuinely fond of this city.
——Josiah Yin, Dulwich Hengqin
Finale in Brilliance: Resonating Globally Under the Spotlight
The 2025 WFM culminated successfully with a grand closing concert at the Jaguar Shanghai Symphony Hall, where young musicians presented the fruitful achievements of their four-day intensive collaboration, drawing a splendid end to this musical journey.
The concert kicked off with the rock band's powerful performance of "Smells Like Teen Spirit," its energetic rhythm instantly igniting the atmosphere. Subsequently, the five major ensembles took the stage in turn: the passionate waves of the rock band, the distinct pulse of the big band, the harmonious blend of the choir, the full resonance of the concert band, and the majestic force of the symphony orchestra—all woven together into a musical tapestry that transcended national boundaries. The audience, at times immersed in elegant melodies and at other times clapping along to the rhythm, became completely captivated by the moving charm of the music.
The five ensembles converged in the finale, jointly performing the song "From Now On,", elevating the entire performance to its climax. The strings flowed like great rivers surging forward, the brass shone with the brilliance of a breaking dawn, and the layered voices of the chorus rose in harmony. The majestic melody reverberated throughout the concert hall. As the final note faded, the audience responded with long and enthusiastic applause.
I was incredibly excited because this was my first time participating in such a large-scale band. Through this experience, I realized that music is not just about performance—it is a force that connects people. There are tens of thousands of languages in the world, but music is a universal language. When the music plays, we all understand each other’s intentions.
——Nicolas Wang, Dehong Shanghai
This year's WFM gives everybody a chance to learn from different cultures, share musical ideas and collaborate in a truly global community. It shows our students that music crosses borders and that when we come together, we can create something far greater than we can alone. It's been wonderful to watch them, challenge themselves, support one another and develop both as musicians and global learners.
——Rebekah Mulliner, 2025 WFM Director, Head of Performing Arts, Dehong Shanghai
Over the course of this four-day musical extravaganza, students from the Dehong and Dulwich families fully unleashed their artistic talents, forged precious friendships across borders, and profoundly experienced the transformative power of collaboration and exchange. The WFM stage shone brightly because of the passionate participation of every young musician. The seeds of love, collaboration, and understanding planted in their hearts through music will undoubtedly accompany them as they step into a broader world.
Ms. Caroline Xu, Executive Principal of Dehong Shanghai, stated in her closing address, "We are immensely honored to have served as the host, driving such a creative and collaborative music event. Music is not merely an art form; it is a vital component of education. It helps students shape their character, broaden their horizons, and build emotional and cognitive connections that transcend cultures."
The Worldwise Festival of Music has built a bridge for children to dialogue with the world through music. Moving forward, Dehong Shanghai will continue to leverage the rich resources of Dehong and DCI networks, enabling every student to gain nourishment from interactions within the Dehong and Dulwich family and to explore their potential and achieve growth within authentic, globalized contexts. We are committed to creating a vast stage that connects the world, ignites creativity, and challenges individuals, lighting the infinite imagination of our children for the future. Here, they will high-five with their dreams, resonate with the world, and together play the magnificent movement of the future.
