Voices in Harmony, Ready to Soar! · News · Hsinmin Elementary 新民國小

Every summer, long after the final bell has rung, a group of remarkable students does something extraordinary — they show up anyway. Earlier than anyone else. Ready to practice. Ready to pour their hearts into every note.

This July, Hsinmin Elementary's Chorus Club completed the first intensive training phase of summer camp — and the dedication on display was nothing short of breathtaking.

🌟 Highlight 1Arriving Early, Ready to Give Their Best

Before formal practice even began each day, many chorus members were already in the classroom — warming up, helping one another, and building an atmosphere of focused energy. Student leaders took initiative to keep order and cheer on their peers. Teachers were genuinely moved. This kind of spirit — choosing to show up wholeheartedly — is the chorus's greatest strength.

🌟 Highlight 2Building the Foundation: Vocal Basics

Singing requires far more than moving your lips — it starts from your core. All week long, students challenged their voices through unison singing, rounds (canon), and harmony in parts. What could have been repetitive drills became rich, dynamic, and genuinely fun. Teachers drew on a variety of creative methods to keep every exercise alive and engaging.

🌟 Highlight 3Section Practice & A Cappella

The secret to a beautiful chorus lies in how each vocal section blends perfectly with the others. This week's section practice laid the steady foundation for that precision. Students also tackled a cappella (unaccompanied) singing — listening carefully to their partners, calibrating in real time, and building musical chemistry. Their teamwork level soared!

🌟 Highlight 4Tutti — The Full Chorus Unites

The most breathtaking moment of any choral rehearsal is when all voices come together at once. After one week of disciplined preparation, the competition piece is now 80% mastered. Students didn't just sing the notes — they listened across parts, closed their eyes to feel the meaning of the lyrics, and let the melody move through them. The sound was pure, genuine beauty.

"A chorus is never just 'a group of people singing.' It's our hearts beating together. Thank you for this week's hard work, everyone — we've built a wonderful foundation. Rest well, keep practicing at home, and let's come back even stronger for Phase Two!"「合唱從來不只是『一群人唱歌』，而是『我們的心在一起跳動』。謝謝孩子們這禮拜的努力，第一階段我們打下了超棒的底子！」—— 指導老師

We can't wait to hear what this incredible ensemble creates next. Stay tuned — Phase Two is coming! 🎵

中文原文 · Chinese

【凝聚美聲，蓄勢待發】🎵

本校合唱團暑假第一階段集訓圓滿落幕！

上週的校園熱鬧滾滾！學校裡除了尼希米品格英語營的熱鬧開展，我們學校合唱團的團員們，也利用一整週的時間進行了超級充實的第一階段密集訓練！

⬇超自律團員！🌟
好多團員天天提早半小時就來到學校準備練唱！看著大家互相打氣、幹部們主動維持秩序的模樣，老師們真的好感動！這種向心力，就是我們合唱團最強大的武器！

⬇美聲基本功修煉🌟
唱歌依靠「核心」？唱歌可不只是動動嘴巴～這幾天，大家跟著老師一起挑戰自己的聲音，整間教室充滿了各種奇妙的發聲練習。雖說是發聲練習，但是老師運用了各種不同的訓練方式，齊唱、輪唱、和弦分唱，基本的發聲練習變得豐富、有趣極了！

⬇分部檢核🌟
合唱好聽的秘訣，就在於各聲部的完美融合。而分部的練習則是穩定訓練的基礎。另外透過「無伴奏（A Cappella）練唱」，大家要一邊唱、一邊張大耳朵聽旁邊夥伴的聲音，默契指數瞬間飆升！

⬇比賽曲初合流🌟
雞皮疙瘩掉滿地的瞬間最令人興奮的，莫過於全體合流（Tutti）的時刻！經過一週的練習，目前比賽曲目的熟練度已經達到 80% 囉！我們不只把音唱準，更用心聆聽不同聲部聲音的結合。當大家閉上眼睛，用心感受歌詞的意境，齊聲唱出一句句美妙旋律，那美妙樂音，真的太動人了！

🥺💡 指導老師悄悄話：「合唱從來不只是『一群人唱歌』，而是『我們的心在一起跳動』。謝謝孩子們這禮拜的努力，第一階段我們打下了超棒的底子，大家辛苦了！接下來休息的時間，大家要繼續在家裡自主練習、反覆聆聽喔！開學前的第二階段集訓我們再來繼續練功吧！！！

❤敬請期待我們後續的集訓成果！

English Learning Corner

Words About Music & Teamwork英語學習角 · 和音樂與團隊合作有關的小單字

Six key words — tap 🔊 to listen, then try the conversation and quiz.
六個關鍵字，點 🔊 聽發音，再試試對話和小考。

1Key Words

關鍵字 · 點 🔊 聽單字，再點小喇叭聽整句

harmony(n.)

和聲；和諧

Harmony is the beautiful sound that happens when different voices or instruments blend together perfectly.

和聲是當不同的聲音或樂器完美融合時，所產生的美妙聲音。

chorus(n.)

合唱團；副歌

A chorus is a group of singers who perform together, or the repeated part of a song everyone loves to sing along with.

合唱團是一群一起表演的歌手，也可以指歌曲中大家都愛跟著唱的副歌部分。

dedicated(adj.)

全心投入的；盡職的

A dedicated student always gives their best effort, even when it means arriving early to practice every single day.

一個全心投入的學生總是盡全力，即使這意味著每天都要提早到校練習。

rehearsal(n.)

排練；預演

A rehearsal is a practice session where performers prepare and repeat their parts before the real show.

排練是表演者在正式演出前，練習並反覆演練各自部分的練習時段。

melody(n.)

旋律；曲調

A melody is the main tune of a song — the part you hum when you walk away because you just can't forget it.

旋律是一首歌的主要曲調，就是那個讓你走開後還一直哼個不停、忘不了的部分。

ensemble(n.)

合奏；合唱；整體

An ensemble is a group of musicians or singers who perform together — everyone has a part, and together they create something beautiful.

合奏是一群一起演出的音樂家或歌手，每個人都有自己的聲部，合在一起就創造出美好的音樂。

2Try the Conversation

對話練習 · 兩個人一組輪流唸；點 ▶ 可整段播放

🎵 Scene · Two friends talk about chorus club summer training.
情境：兩個朋友聊起合唱團的暑期集訓。

A
How was chorus training this week? I heard you had to arrive really early every day.
這週的合唱集訓如何？我聽說你們每天都得很早到。
B
Yes! It was a lot of work, but our ensemble sounds so much better now. We're really dedicated this year.
對！很辛苦，但我們整個合唱團的聲音現在好多了。今年我們真的很全心投入。
A
What did you practice the most? Was it the melody?
你們練習最多的是什麼？是旋律嗎？
B
The melody, yes, but also the harmony between different voice parts. When all the voices blend perfectly, it gives me goosebumps!
旋律，對，還有各聲部之間的和聲。當所有聲音完美融合時，真的讓我起雞皮疙瘩！
A
How many more rehearsals do you have before the competition?
比賽前你們還有幾次排練？
B
We have Phase Two before school starts. We're already eighty percent ready — so I think the chorus will shine on stage!
開學前還有第二階段。我們已經準備好八成了，所以我覺得合唱團一定會在舞台上發光！

3Quick Quiz

五題小考 · 選出最合適的答案，點 🔊 可聽題目

Q1.When different voices or instruments blend together beautifully, we call the result ______.

當不同聲音或樂器完美融合在一起，我們把這個結果稱為______。

harmony 和聲 ✓ — Harmony is the beautiful, blended sound created when two or more voices or instruments sound together at the same time. 和聲是兩個或多個聲音或樂器同時發聲時所創造出的美妙融合聲音。

Q2.A group of singers who perform together on stage is called a ______.

一群在舞台上一起演出的歌手稱為______。

chorus 合唱團 ✓ — A chorus is a group of singers who perform together. The word can also mean the repeated section of a song. 合唱團是一群一起演出的歌手，這個詞也可以指歌曲中重複的部分（副歌）。

Q3.Someone who always puts in full effort and never gives up, even when things are hard, is ______.

一個即使面對困難也總是全力以赴、從不放棄的人是______。

dedicated 全心投入的 ✓ — Dedicated means committed and hardworking — giving your best effort to something you care about. 全心投入的意指對你在乎的事情盡力付出、認真努力。

Q4.A practice session where performers prepare before the real performance is called a ______.

表演者在正式演出前準備的練習時段稱為______。

rehearsal 排練 ✓ — A rehearsal is the practice run before the real event, where performers work out all the details and perfect their timing. 排練是正式活動前的練習，讓表演者磨練所有細節並讓節奏更完美。

Q5.The main tune of a song — the part you remember and keep humming — is called the ______.

一首歌的主要曲調，也就是你記住後一直哼個不停的那個部分，叫做______。

melody 旋律 ✓ — The melody is the sequence of musical notes that form the main tune of a song — the part that makes a song recognizable and memorable. 旋律是構成歌曲主要曲調的音符序列，讓一首歌變得容易辨認且令人難忘。