They Let it Shine

This year, Great Grace International School hosted the International Honors Music Festival here in Budapest from March 19–23. Our school was delighted to send 30 talented students to participate alongside nearly 200 young musicians from all over the world. 

 

 

This was the largest Honors Music Festival to date, with over 140 voices in the choir and 75 in the orchestra. Eleven schools participated, all of them members of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), representing schools from Germany, Spain, Albania, Russia, Hungary, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Ecuador, and Korea. Throughout the week, students engaged in hours of intense rehearsals, but their days were also filled with morning worship, small group devotionals, games, sightseeing around the city, and time spent bonding at the shared hostel with students from other international schools.

 

 

 

The Friday night talent show, a crowd favorite each year, lit up the room with the sound of laughter and applause. ICSB Ensemble performed William Tell Overture with the orchestra students acting as horses or members of the crowd watching the race. Their creative delivery earned them second place.

 

 

The week culminated in two incredible concerts: one held on March 22 at Budai Ciszterci Szent Imre Gimnázium and the second on March 23 at Gazdagrét Holy Angels Parish. These performances showcased the students’ musical skills, dedication, perseverance, and unity.

 

 

The orchestra was led by Dr. Christopher Bade, Professor of Music at Taylor University. Among all the beautiful music the orchestra performed, three iconic and challenging pieces stood out: Hungarian Dance No. 5 by Johannes Brahms, The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss, Jr., and Allegretto from Symphony No. 7  by Ludwig Van Beethoven. They also played highlights from two hit musicals, West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by Andrew Lloyd Webber, both arranged by Micheal Sweeney. Lower and Upper School School Music Teacher, Laura Danneker beamed with pride as she shared her experience of watching our students engage with such pieces. 

It was a highlight for the students to play such famous and challenging music.

 

 

The choir, led by G. Phillip Shoultz III, Cantor at Westwood Lutheran Church, sang a wide range of genres, from the hauntingly beautiful "O Magnum Mysterium" by Morten Lauridsen to spirituals like "True Light" by Keith Hampton, a choral reimagining of the popular song "This Little Light of Mine." The choir portion of the program was broken into five movements: first, inviting the Holy Spirit, then proceeding to ask Him to transform, renew, be our light, and "lead us into peace." The penultimate piece,  "We Shall Overcome," stood out as the choir performed Mr. Shoultz's own arrangement of this anthem of the Civil Rights Movement. Drawing from his own heritage, Mr. G. Phillip Shoultz guided students both musically and historically through these Spirituals—enlightening them on each piece's origins and emotional weight. As a result, the choir gave a profoundly deep performance with a visible impact on its audience.

 

 

More than just a music festival, this event celebrated culture, collaboration, and community. Our students returned with memories that will last a lifetime and a deeper understanding of what it means to be Global Citizens, Christ Followers, and Faithful Stewards—key aspects of our  Expected Student Outcomes.

 

 

Between the beauty, the variety, and the focus on the work of the Holy Spirit, this concert was a multifaceted worshipful experience. As our students set aside time to cultivate their musical skills, grow in their faith, and expand their world, together, they let this little light of theirs shine ever so bright.