MSU’s global musicians wouldn’t let the miles between them stand in the way of making music together. And for one special hour on a Thursday in December, hundreds of Spartans from all over the world gathered virtually to celebrate their love of music while raising funds to help international student musicians impacted by the pandemic.

The College of Music and International Studies and Programs at Michigan State University collaborated on Global Spartans in Music, a celebration and performance in support of MSU’s international student musicians who have taken a significant financial hit from being unable to perform at in-person events.

“Spartans have a legacy of coming together in the face of adversity,” said Skyin Yin, associate director of International Advancement and event collaborator. “This event was no exception.” 

The virtual event featured exclusive performances from alumni musicians from Seoul, Taipei, Taoyuan and Shanghai, as well as some of the greatest hits from the College of Music’s online catalogue. 

More than 200 registrants from more than 30 international locations tuned in to the live event, with hundreds more viewing the recording after its debut.

“We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the audience of how much they appreciated the amazing talent of our global Spartan musicians, the much-needed uplifting messages, and the strong sense of unity and pride as Spartans,” said Yin.

Aiming to both connect and support, the event helped raise over $10,000 for the College of Music International Student Fund, which will provide international student musicians with paid virtual employment opportunities through arts administration internships and student entrepreneurial projects. 

“I believe it made so many Spartans happy, proud and unified,” said James B. Forger, dean of the MSU College of Music. “It came at a time when all can benefit from such a boost.” 

A Ram Lee, MSU alumna and a featured pianist in the performance, said she was delighted to participate in the virtual concert as an opportunity to give back.

“MSU was not merely a place to learn music, it also encouraged me to be brave and experience more opportunities outside of school,” said Lee. “I was also grateful that I could call my MSU friends to make music together again.”

Since the musicians weren’t able to record together in-person, ensemble members recorded their individual parts first and sent the files to Lee, who then combined them into one cohesive piece. 

“It was a very special experience to play along with the pieces instead of having a live rehearsal,” said Lee. “At first, I thought it would be awkward, but as soon as I started to play, I felt like [my fellow musicians] were talking to me in a different way. It allowed us to share our friendship, love and passion for music. Most of all, I felt we were connected through the music. We are connected through music no matter the circumstance.”  

Jen-Ru Sun, Taiwanese pianist and MSU alumna shared many of Lee’s feelings. 

“For myself, it was undoubtedly a dream come true and a massive compliment to our respectable mentors and supporters,” said Sun.  “Through this virtual concert, we Taiwan Spartan musicians were eager to share our courage, to gather more compassion and to invite more Spartans to express Spartan spirit.”  

While the virtual concert provided Spartans with a brief respite from a challenging year, the impact for international student musicians will be lasting. In the coming weeks, ISP will feature the following performances from the event on social media:

• Mariettas Lied, composed by Erich Wolfgang Korngold and performed by Elizabeth Toy Botero, soprano; Ji Hyun Kim, violin; Sarah Patterson, violin; Christine Beamer, viola; Jinhyun Kim, cello; and A Ram Lee, piano.
• Bang Tshun Hong (Longing for the Spring Breeze) for Violin and Piano, composed by Tyzen Hsiao and performed by I-Hsuan Tsai, violin; and Wei-Liang Kung, piano in Taoyuan, Taipei.
• Arirang Rhapsody, composed by Ji Soo Lee and performed by MiRyoung Kim, violin; Jong Goo Kim, viola; Eunkyung Noh, cello; Lin Chang, double bass; and Minjung Kim, piano in Seoul.

The full show is available on-demand and on the College of Music Facebook page.