2nd Student New Song Festival

♬Whenever we have any hate in us, let’s think of eternal kingdom of God. The sea of glass! Silky waves are dancing in the wind! Can you imagine?♪

The beautiful lyrics of the New Song echoed, carried by the students’ pure harmonies. On January 12, students participating in the “2nd Student New Song Festival” took the stage at the New Jerusalem Pangyo Temple with enthusiasm, displaying their talents. Their performance reflected the dedication of a month’s worth of practice in preparation for the festival.

Building on last year’s success, this year’s festival saw a continued wave of enthusiastic participation from students. Auditions, which was held in early December at churches nationwide, attracted a diverse group of applicants, including those with prior choir competition experience and even students who had attended the festival as audience members the previous year. Following the auditions, ten choirs were formed, each representing a different Church Association. The students chosen as choir members gathered weekly at their respective Church Association’s representative church to practice diligently.

On the day of the event, approximately 2,900 audience members, including choir members from 10 Church Associations, students, parents, and guidance teachers from the Seoul metropolitan area, Gangwon, and Busan, gathered at the venue with eager anticipation. An additional 3,100 viewers joined remotely, watching the live broadcast from the representative churches of each Church Association and enjoying the event together.

At approximately 12:30 p.m., the host signaled the start of the festival, and the venue erupted with the enthusiastic cheers of the students. The event opened with a lively Brass Ensemble performance, featuring bright renditions of “Do-Re-Mi” from the movie The Sound of Music and a classical medley. Following the ensemble, student choirs from each Church Association took the stage, performing in turn. True to their creative team names, such as “Very Clear” and “Starlight Harmony,” each choir delivered performances marked by cheerful and clear voices.

As each choir member took the stage, the audience greeted them with enthusiastic applause. On the large screen, videos highlighting the rehearsal process and messages of support from young adults were shown. Although the members appeared slightly nervous at first, the overwhelming encouragement from the crowd lifted their spirits, and they smiled brightly as they poured their hearts into the performance. While maintaining focus on their individual parts, they harmonized seamlessly, attentively listening to one another. After each song, including “Beautiful Is Today” and “All the Earth, Rejoice,” the audience responded with applause, waving glowing support sticks and signs. The event concluded with a vocal ensemble, further uplifting the students.

Kim Garam from Pyeongtaek, who attended at the invitation of a senior, expressed his thoughts: “Watching my friends perform in front of such a large audience inspired me and gave me the confidence to believe I, too, can accomplish anything. I’m excited to share this wonderful experience with my friends.” Deaconess Lee Hye-young from Donghae, whose son participated, remarked, “Since joining the New Song Festival, my son has become more motivated and smiles more often. This experience helped him overcome the challenges at school and provided a valuable opportunity to prepare for the new semester. I hope this event continues to be held.”

Participants unanimously agreed that the month-long rehearsal period provided a valuable opportunity to learn communication and the importance of mutual consideration. Choi Sol-min from the “Shining Star” choir explained with a bright smile, “At first, I thought I just needed to focus on doing well myself, but as we practiced, I realized how crucial it was to listen to others and adjust accordingly. Through choir, I learned humility.” Bae Ra-ila from the “Starlight Harmony” choir added, “My choir members reached out to me first, asking if I needed help with anything, which made it easy for me to take part. When I become a senior, I want to do the same and kindly help my friends or juniors.” Deacon Park Jong-won from Incheon, the conductor, noted, “At first, the students were focused on producing their individual voices, but as they came together, they gradually created harmonies. Through this process, they learned to be considerate and united.”

The Church of God offers a range of vacation programs, including student camps, ASEZ STAR volunteer activities, and character education, to help students develop their character, foster altruism, and grow into responsible members of society beyond the classroom. In December, the ASEZ STAR club from a high school in Seongnam, which has been dedicated to volunteer work both inside and outside of school, was honored with the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) Social Service Award in the youth category.

After experiencing the joy of unity through choir, the students returned to their respective churches, eager to make the new year more meaningful and special, with their friendships deepened.

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