On 30 June, the Menuhin Hall was bathed in soft light, with strings awaiting their first note. The Senior High School Graduation Ceremony and Concert for the Class of 2026 of The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao was held with great solemnity. The 30 graduates delivered an impressive report: 29 students received 83 offers from top overseas institutions across five countries, with total scholarships exceeding US$4.2 million; one student earned the national top ranking in the trumpet entrance examination of the Central Conservatory of Music. The School excelled on both domestic and international fronts. From music performance to music production, from dual majors in arts and sciences to computer science, the diverse range of specialisations charts boundless possibilities for the future. Under the theme “In the Name of Youth, Answering the Call of the World,” the ceremony gently drew to a close a precious chapter of school life, while simultaneously sounding the overture for a longer journey ahead.
The ceremony was co-hosted bilingually by Ms. Zhang Wanzhe, Head of the Comprehensive Music Studies Department and Associate Professor of Vocal Studies, and Fu Wandi, a Grade 7 cello student. Amidst the warm applause at the opening, the joyful news of President Lu Siqing’s election as Vice Chairperson of the 10th Chinese Musicians’ Association was shared with all present.
Words of Mentors – The Warmest Luggage Before Departure
In his address, President Lu Siqing reviewed the outstanding achievements of this year’s graduates, extended his congratulations to all graduates and his gratitude to parents and faculty, and offered three words of advice as they set off on their journey: Treasure your motherland and be cultural ambassadors with roots – whether in New York, Vienna, or London, the rhythms of the Yellow River and the poetry of the East shall forever flow through your music. Stay curious and be lifelong explorers – the doors of top institutions are not the finish line, but the gateway to a broader artistic universe. Pursue self-directed development – by interacting with the world, hone your communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills, which are the cornerstones of core competence in the 21st century.
Professor Yu Mingqing, cello professor and Head of the Cello Department, a veteran who has been with the School since its founding, distilled over fifty years of artistic performance and teaching experience into five pearls of wisdom: Opportunity always favours the prepared mind; mastering one craft is the greatest success; true performance unites heart and hand; be a performer with scholarly depth and a scholar with performer’s technique; character travels farther than talent.The yellowed old photographs he shared traced his youth and perseverance, allowing all present to grasp the profound foundation of Menuhin’s philosophy of “holistic education”: beyond technique lies the cultivation of character and the formation of a complete personality.
Honour and Legacy – Applause Crowns Growth
President Lu Siqing presented each graduate with their certificate, shaking hands and posing for photographs. The captured moments preserved not only the honours, but also the steadfast growth nurtured during their time at Menuhin Qingdao.
Ms. Liu Shunshun, representative of the Dongrun Philanthropic Foundation, announced the winners of the “Dongrun Xingchen Outstanding Graduates” and the “Dongrun Xingchen Beneficial Teacher Award”. Li Junjie and Wang Zikang (piano majors), Luo Zhiyuan (viola major), and Bai Yongxuan (cello major) received the Outstanding Graduate title. Ms. Wang Ziyue, piano teacher in the Keyboard Department, was awarded the “Dongrun Xingchen Beneficial Teacher Award” for her dedicated, individualised teaching; her students have gained admission to numerous top music schools worldwide, and she is regarded as a mentor and friend by her students. The Dongrun Philanthropic Foundation has long been committed to supporting youth education, and the two awards established specifically for our School bear witness to the mutual reinforcement of philanthropic endeavour and musical aspiration.
Graduate representative Luo Zhiyuan delivered a speech entirely in English, sharing three unforgettable moments: the hot soup and fruit brought by her tutor when she fell ill; the listening and tolerance learned during chamber music rehearsals; and the moving experience of music transcending language during the School’s performance tour in the UK. These three moments encapsulated her growth and warmth at Menuhin Qingdao.
Teacher representative Wang Ziyue wrapped her mentors’ advice in humour with five suggestions: sleep well, don’t procrastinate on your thesis, attend more concerts, strive for clarity of mind, and live each day fully. She encouraged the graduates to be brave and to forge their own unique paths.
Parent representative, mother of Zhang Zhuoqun, expressed the heartfelt sentiments of all parents in the simplest of words. Zhang Zhuoqun received eight offers from the UK and the US, ultimately choosing the School of Music at Texas Christian University with a four-year scholarship totalling US$266,080. She remarked that growth is not about parents paving the way for their children, but about believing that they are capable of charting their own course.
It is also worth celebrating that the Alumni Association of The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao was formally inaugurated at the ceremony. Jing Haoran, a 2025 graduate now studying violin at the Manhattan School of Music, was elected as the inaugural President; Li Hao (Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, Singapore) and Wang Qianwen (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire) serve as Vice Presidents; and Li Minglun (classical guitar at The Juilliard School) serves as Secretary-General. The Alumni Association is both a warm harbour and a connecting bond – no matter how far they go, Menuhin people will always be one family.
Finally, the “Ten-Year Promise – Witnessed by Alma Mater” time capsule sealing ceremony took place. Each graduate placed a letter addressed to their future self ten years from now into the capsule held by Music Director Thomas Rosenkranz. Those hopes and commitments will rest quietly here, awaiting their future unsealing.
Graduation marks a milestone, but growth has no end. From the character cultivation embedded in the “holistic education” philosophy, to the educational pathway of “specialised learning and diversified development,” Menuhin Qingdao has endowed every student with more than technical proficiency – it has given them the ability to live with beauty, the confidence to engage with the world, and the composure to walk alongside themselves. May the young graduates of the Class of 2026, carrying the strength bestowed by Menuhin Qingdao, stride boldly into a broader life ahead!