Garden of Harmony - Programme

The idea for this performance came from the story series Zen shorts,
by John J Muth.

In these stories, a Zen master guides a group of children through childhood
conflicts by sharing with them, some ancient philosophical tales.

The master’s tales are just a little too abstract for young children to grasp,
so we chose to replace them with stories that are more appropriate to the

understandings of the students here in Early Years.
The stories that have been weaved into the central concept, illustrate

beautifully, the ways in which we can maintain the core values of
positive relationships.



The evolution of the stories as they moved from book to stage has been
something of an adventure.

Each Kindergarten class explored a particular story. Guided by their class
teachers, the students reconstructed the stories, characters and context,
translating all this from English to Chinese, before adding a dash of drama;

recreating each story using their own voice and agency.
As you will experience, the outcome demonstrates that our students are
indeed Inquirers, Thinkers, Communicators, Risk-takers and Reflective.

That’s before we even start to applaud their Creativity, Enthusiasm,
Confidence, Commitment, Independence…need we go on?



Scene One: The Garden of harmony

Stories written and performed by Kindergarten Red

Song – 一同去郊游
Performed by Kindergarten Red Class and Pre-Nursery Class

Original music and lyrics: Aihong Zhang and Xin Zhang

Join us in the Garden of Harmony
and experience the teachings
of our own Zen master, Shifu,

in a wonderful array of song, dance and drama…

The heart of a being cares not about his own(selfish) desires,
but of all that it encompasses from his breadth of heart
君子之心不胜其小，而气量涵盖一世。
《格言联璧》
( Chinese Proverb)

Scene Two: The Rainbow Fish
(original story by Marcus Pfister)

Story adapted and performed by Kindergarten Green

Song – Under the Sea

Performed by Pre-Kindergarten Blue class
Original music and lyrics: Alan Menkin and Howard Ashman,

Lyrics adapted for EY

Rainbow Fish is the most dazzling fish in the Ocean, and doesn’t she know it! But it can be
lonely swimming in the blue depths if you have no friends…

Song – Share

Performed by Nursery Red Class
Original Music and lyrics: Sara Jordan
Lyrics translated and adapted for EY by Sharon Yang and Vivian Wu

A single tree does not make a forest;
a single string can not make music.

独木不成林,单弦不成音
( Chinese Proverb)

Scene Three: Tasting the Moon
(original story by Michael Grejniec)

Story adapted and performed by Kindergarten Yellow

Song – Touch the Sky

Performed by Pre-Kindergarten Red Class
Original Music and lyrics: Alex Mandel and Mark Andrews,

Lyrics adapted for EY

On a star-filled night, the animals gaze at the moon wonder what would it taste like.
Challenged by their curiosity, they devise a plan to help them find out…

Song – Cooperation

Performed by Nursery Blue Class
Music and lyrics Lisa Kane and Vivian Wu

Although the lotus root may be cut,
its fibered threads are still connected

藕断丝连
( Chinese Proverb)

Scene Four: The Greatest Treasure
(original story by Amit Garg)

Story adapted and performed by Kindergarten Blue

Song – Explorers

Performed by Pre-Kindergarten Green Class
Original Music and lyrics: Oxford University Press
Lyrics translated and adapted for EY by Sharon Yang and Vivian Wu

Pick up your map, watch and compass and join us as we explore Shanghai, looking for
that secret place that holds hidden treasures…

Song – 找朋友

Performed by Nursery Green Class
Original Music and lyrics: Lv Lin

Lyrics adapted for EY by Vivian Wu

VOTE OF THANKS

To ALL of our Early Years Staff, who collaborated with students and each other,
to create, produce and present this performance.
From concept to costume,
Movements to make-up,
Purchasing to props…
TEAM EY rock!

Shifu – Lily Ji
Backing tracks arranged and recorded by Nicolas Elguea

Poster design – Paris Gu
Sound and Lighting – Rui Cunha, Xiao Lu

Videography – Al McDowall