Rong-Shing and I 榮星合唱團與我

By I-Hsiu Lee（李怡修） 作者為兒童隊7期團員 曾任紐約市洛克斐勒大學物理學助理教授 1992年辭去工作,現為全職主婦
Rong-Shing was a very special part of my childhood. Like most school-age children of my time, my childhood consisted mainly of school and homework. Like some fortunate children, I was able to take piano lessons as an extracurricular activity. Unlike most children of my time, however, I had the privilege of being part of Rong-Shing. The twice-weekly chorus practice culminating in the twice-yearly concerts, the special recording sessions for two records, and the trips to Japan and the Philippines were among the experiences which I shared with friends at Rong-Shing, and which few outsiders would be able to understand or appreciate. It was at Rong-Shing where I had my first experience with music-making in a group. The dedication and devotion of the teachers, the rigorous training we were given, and the high standard expected of us left an indelible impression on me. Since I graduated from Rong-Shing, I have been involved in a variety of amateur musical groups. I could not help but measure these groups with the yardstick of Rong-Shing. None even came close. It was not until my daughters entered the Juilliard pre-College a few years ago had I found another group comparable to Rong-Shing. It is hard to overestimate the influence Rong-Shing had on me. Rong-Shing brought so much beautiful music into my life and left it there to do its work in me. I especially remember singing many sacred songs in Latin, not understanding any of the words. However, the music lifted my spirit, awakening in me a sense of awe and transcendence. Even as a young child with no religious background, I was able to get a glimpse of the world beyond the immediate and the present through the music I sang, despite the fact that I did not understand the lyrics at all. To this day, I cannot cease to be amazed by this experience. Thanks to Rong-Shing, music has always been an important part of my life since I was a young child. Now, it has become an important part of my children’s lives; and I know that it will become an important part of their children’s lives as well. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who made this possible, especially Professor Lu, whose tireless dedication to Rong-Shing has always been an inspiration.