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Written by: Kaelyn Hong Yan Ning (24A10)
Photos were provided courtesy of Studio Ardent.
On 7 September 2024, Hwa Chong held its annual, highly anticipated Mid Autumn Festival (MAF) celebration. From the spectacular concert to the delectable food, activities and exclusive souvenirs, the celebration served as a heartwarming and joyous homecoming for both Hwa Chong alumni and current students alike.
At 4pm that evening, the gates of the school opened for hordes of lively students and alumni. Coming back from the September school holidays, friends reunited, causing much laughter to fill the air as they caught up on the past week. Meanwhile, alumni wandered through the nostalgic school grounds, reminiscing and reconnecting with beloved teachers and classmates. From mooncakes to old-school ice cream, bubble tea and Kacang Puteh, everyone queued up eagerly for the many food opinions available; made possible by the kind sponsorship of HCJCA, HCAA and Hwa Chong Parents’ Support Group.
As the day turned into night, the highlight of the night, the concert, began. Starting off the night strong was a beautiful rendition of Wang Yunfei’s “Spring Flowers and Autumn Fruits” brought to us by Hwa Chong’s very own Chinese Orchestra. The melodious tune of the classic, “月亮代表我的心”, soon followed, as Strings Ensemble and Weyoung took the stage. The audience was then treated to two originals. Firstly, “灯火”, a special composition for this year’s MAF, written by Kho Yan Rui and composed by Lo G. Following this was “风语”, a heartfelt love song written by Kim Junyang, Muhammad Aquil Arfa Bin Mohd Yazid and Tian Xinyuan.
The crowd was riled up by our Student Engagement Coordinators as they held an exhilarating and energizing game show, where the audience were challenged to answer many different MAF related trivia questions. Chinese Dance performed gracefully to “城里的月光”, and an exciting demonstration was brought to us by Wushu, both of which left the audience staring in admiration.
As the dark night sky lit up in a mesmerizing sight, with lanterns hanging across the Central Plaza, Hwa Chong came together, arm over shoulder, for SODACHE. The crowd sang favorites such as 细水长流, danced to Beechwood, and cheered to Rock You. Many core memories were formed as students and alumni alike joined together as one Hwa Chong, celebrating the spirit of MAF with the gathering of our Hwa Chong family.
As the evening drew to a close, the crowd gradually dispersed out of the central plaza, with tired but undoubtedly wide smiles on their faces. This year’s MAF celebration was one for the books, and definitely a cherished memory for all that attended.
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