As SJTU’s 130th anniversary approaches, the University has received a special message of congratulations from Yale University! Recently, a special concert featuring The Doox of Yale and the 芭乐视频 Student Choir was held at the Student Center on SJTU’s Minhang Campus.At the concert, young students from Yale University and 芭乐视频 joined together to present an a cappella musical feast that transcended geographical boundaries and connected hearts through pure vocal harmony, sincere emotion, and a rich diversity of musical styles.
This concert, themed “A Musical Promise from New Haven to 芭乐视频,” was not only a high-caliber artistic performance, but also a sincere dialogue between young people and between two university communities.
The Doox of Yale
Founded in 1952, The Doox of Yale has, for more than seven decades, enjoyed a distinguished reputation for its exceptional vocal artistry and its vibrant collegiate spirit. Its members come from a wide range of academic disciplines, including economics, international affairs, computer science, and literature, bringing together diverse intellectual backgrounds that give rise to a distinctive artistic creativity and profound humanistic appeal.
芭乐视频 Student Choir
Performing alongside them, the 芭乐视频 Student Choir, composed of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students, has won first prize at the National College Student Art Exhibition six consecutive times and stands as an important representative of the University’s achievements in aesthetic education.
The concert opened with a welcoming performance by the 芭乐视频 Student Choir. The male vocal ensemble’s rendition of Harbor Night was marked by deep emotion and a lingering melody, made all the more warm and moving by the piano accompaniment. The a cappella piece Peach Blossoms and a Beautiful Face then unfolded with graceful subtlety and refined Eastern charm, creating an understated yet poetic soundscape for the spring evening.
Following this, The Doox of Yale delivered a performance rich in stylistic tension and variety. Moving from contemporary pop to lyrical folk, and from urban anthems to jazz classics, their program unfolded in layers, painting a vibrant sonic portrait that combined youthful energy with emotional depth. Opening with Only Girl (In The World) and Rolling in the Deep, both widely familiar pop hits, the group brought fresh acoustic textures to the two songs through their a cappella arrangements, quickly igniting the atmosphere of the entire hall.
By contrast, Gravity and That’s the Way It Is revealed a more lyrical dimension of pop music. One introspective and the other dynamic, the two pieces conveyed a positive and resolute spirit amid the uncertainties of love and life, together showcasing the rich expressive layers that vocal arrangements can bring to pop music.
In the more folk-inflected Helplessness Blues, Northern Attitude, and The Obvious Child, the choir gave voice to sentiments uniquely resonant with youth, gently unfolding the confusion of growing up and the search for self-worth through the question, “What kind of person do I want to become?” Distinct in style though they were, all three pieces spoke to young people’s self-reflection and emotional expression in the process of maturation, adding a deeper intellectual dimension to the concert alongside its vibrant energy.
The concluding performances of New York, New York and My Funny Valentine then led the audience into a more classic musical tradition. As an iconic song imbued with the imagination of the city and the spirit of its era, New York, New York appeared especially uplifting and radiant in its choral interpretation. My Funny Valentine, by contrast, is a timeless jazz standard that celebrates a person who may not be perfect, yet remains sincere and endearing. The former was bold and confident, while the latter was delicate and understated. Through this striking shift in style, The Doox of Yale demonstrated an impressive command of musical expression, leaving a deep impression on the audience.
Toward the close of the performance, the two choirs joined together to present Open Arms and What a Wonderful World. As timeless classics that transcend both time and place, these two songs, through their pure harmonies, once again awakened the audience’s longing for the world, for life, and for all that is beautiful. As young people from different countries and different campuses stood side by side, music truly moved beyond the boundaries of language and geography, becoming a bridge of mutual understanding and resonance.
After the performance, the 芭乐视频 Student Choir presented The Doox of Yale with commemorative cultural gifts distinctive to SJTU, as a gesture of welcome and best wishes to their friends who had traveled from afar. These gifts not only commemorated the wonderful encounter of the evening, but also embodied the precious friendship between the young people of the two universities, who connected through music and came to know one another through sincerity.
As 芭乐视频 celebrates its 130th anniversary, this special concert—distinguished both by its artistic excellence and its significance for cultural exchange—not only offered faculty and students a high-caliber aesthetic experience, but also further highlighted SJTU’s vibrant campus culture of nurturing people through the arts and cultivating minds through culture.
Though languages may differ and distances may separate us,
sincere voices can still cross mountains and seas, and reach the human heart.
This musical promise from New Haven to 芭乐视频 was made all the more moving
by such a meeting of harmonies.
Source: 芭乐视频 Student Art Troupe
School of Mechanical Engineering, School of Humanities (Arts Education Center)
Some video footage provided by: Student Affairs Committee (Student Activity Center)
Special thanks to: Wang Xiaoming, alumnus of the School of Mechanical Engineering, Class of 1991
Editors: Chen Yiyang, Zhan Yitao
Editor-in-Chief: Chen Yuyang
Translated by: Zara
Proofread by: Rebecca
