novelraw Chapter 81: Targeted Original Music Competition Arrangements!
Chapter 81: Targeted Original Music Competition Arrangements!
Hong Kong Island Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The "Inter-School Original Music Exchange Competition" has arrived as scheduled.
The backstage area was a mess, but Hanji International, though bustling, was very orderly.
"Excuse me, excuse me, thank you."
Then you see Philip Kadoorie personally carrying several exquisite takeout containers, squeezing through the crowd.
He was followed by several Peninsula Hotel employees, pushing one of those hotel food carts.
Li Shuo was leaning back in a folding chair, resting with his eyes closed, and didn't even lift his eyelids when he heard the noise.
Joey Yung sat to the side, clutching the sheet music that had been worn out from looking at it so much over the past few days. She looked up at it.
Philip placed the lunchbox on the dressing table: "Peninsula Hotel takeout... Everyone gets some! It's made with really great ingredients, Boss Shuo, ask me what it is."
Li Shuo opened his eyes and glanced around: "Kobe beef...!"
Philip's expression instantly turned to astonishment: "Wow~ Boss Shuo, you're amazing! It's Kobe beef! It was flown in from Japan today, and I had the hotel's head chef make it into a set meal and send it over! You... you're incredible, how did you do that? Teach me!"
Li Shuo looked at the "child" with some concern...
There's a note on the side of the box; it even has the chef's name on it!
As Phil was speaking, he noticed that Li Shuo was looking at him with the eyes of someone looking at an idiot, and several music club classmates around him also turned their heads, their expressions suppressing laughter.
Joey Yung kindly took one of the lunch boxes and pointed to the note on the side of the box.
Philip then chuckled awkwardly, "Ha... I was just trying to lighten the mood a bit because I was worried everyone would be nervous... Isn't it funny?"
Li Shuo said expressionlessly, "Haha...hahaha, alright, let's eat."
The lunchbox looked quite nice; the Wagyu beef was grilled to a glossy sheen, served with black truffle sauce, and a small pinch of gold leaf on the side.
Philip mysteriously pulled up a chair and moved closer.
"Boss, I just confirmed the news about the new guest that I told you about a few days ago. Tsk tsk, he's even more important than I thought."
Philip whispered, "Goodness, the Archbishop of Cantres actually came in person. But then again... such a big event as the Anglican Church of Hong Kong becoming the 38th province, the first bishop Kwong Kwong-kit, and that bigwig in Hong Kong's education sector, Father Tik Hang of Wah Yan College, also attended."
Li Shuo picked up a piece of beef: "The bigger the origin, the better..."
He thought to himself that since he had taken on this task from Director Ms. Chen, he had to win the championship to help Hanji International School save face.
Upon receiving news of the judges and guests that day from Philip, and combined with his recent understanding of the church atmosphere in Hong Kong schools, Li Shuo decisively prepared a three-part program consisting of two songs and one aria.
Hearing Li Shuo's confident words, Phil unconsciously raised his voice a few decibels, filled with admiration.
"But I think the most amazing one is still the boss. As soon as you received the news, you were able to produce three pieces like that, especially your violin playing... wow... it was absolutely incredible! Hahaha!"
The students from the music club all looked this way.
Especially the boys, when Li Shuo first took over the music club, they were mostly skeptical.
But after ten days or so of rehearsals, it seems that Li Shuo, like Philip Kadoorie, is now convinced.
Philip got a little carried away and wanted to say something, but Li Shuo glared at him and he quickly calmed down, burying his head in his food, but the eagerness on his face was hard to hide.
After finishing their meal, he hurriedly pulled Li Shuo towards the backstage area.
"Boss, look!"
Li Shuo was pulled to the side of the stage curtain by him, and Philip carefully opened a gap and pointed outside.
Li Shuo glanced over and saw that the front row was a sea of black, all dressed in black robes.
Besides the few important figures from churches around the world or in Hong Kong that Philip mentioned at the beginning.
The back rows were occupied by bishops from all over the world, as well as a few dressed in white who looked like they were from the Vatican.
Phil added excitedly, "Oh, right, the parents' seats for all the music club members are over there."
He pointed in a certain direction, but his expression quickly fell.
"...Um...there are so many empty seats."
Li Shuo turned to look at him and saw that he rarely showed a hint of disappointment.
"My dad's position is also vacant; he's probably busy with company matters again..."
Li Shuo didn't say much this time, but patted Philip on the shoulder.
"I asked Ms. Chen to handwrite the invitation, so I should be able to attend. Let's wait a little longer."
These invitations from parents weren't actually arranged by Li Shuo. They were the result of the music club members excitedly approaching Philip after their rehearsals, and Philip himself was the most enthusiastic.
"Have you mastered all the moves?"
Li Shuo looked at Philip, who was dressed in a tuxedo, and asked.
The latter immediately straightened his back.
"Don't worry, it's not much harder than the Tai Chi you taught me for cutting a watermelon."
Li Shuo's lips twitched.
This guy, as the president of the music club, can't play any instruments and sings off-key, but he's enthusiastic, popular, and has spent money on the music club for three years, buying all kinds of equipment himself.
Li Shuo simply put him in the command position, and personally choreographed a set of movements for him to practice.
Fortunately, Philip has a good sense of rhythm, and after more than ten days of rehearsals, he's actually gotten quite good at it.
"Alright, just swing it around as much as you want, the more imposing the better."
"clear!"
Li Shuo then looked to his right, where Joey Yung stood, wearing a simple white dress, her eyes slightly unfocused.
During the ten days or so of rehearsals, she didn't mention the payment once. Not only did she not mention it, but she also followed Li Shuo around every day, acting like Philip's two bodyguards.
One called him "boss" and the other called him "Teacher Li".
"What are your plans for that song of yours?" Li Shuo asked, looking at her.
Joey Yung came to her senses, as if she had made up her mind.
"I want to buy it myself, is it possible to pay in installments first...?"
Li Shuo's lips curled up.
Joey Yung quickly explained, "I just transferred to Emperor Entertainment, but if Emperor Entertainment comes to negotiate, this song..." She frowned slightly, "...might not be mine anymore."
Li Shuo was certainly aware of the young woman's situation.
At this point, she's still a marginal figure at the new company, and the higher-ups here still think she's not pretty enough.
Ye Peiwen and He Jiali, who were in the same cohort, were the key candidates for training.
If she actually submits this song, it will most likely be snatched away and won't end up going to her.
The young lady is quite smart.
Li Shuo nodded.
"Alright, let's not talk about money anymore. I'll give you the song license for free, and we'll find some time to sign a contract later."
Joey Yung was taken aback, then gave him a wary look.
Free is the most difficult thing to explain.
Several thoughts flashed through her mind, could it be that he wanted to... but she immediately dismissed them.
He's so handsome, talented, and from a good family, how could he possibly be interested in a young female singer like her who was dropped by her record company because she's "not pretty"?
Joey Yung chuckled self-deprecatingly, shaking off the jumbled thoughts.
"Well... thank you, Teacher Li."
Seeing the change in her expression, Li Shuo roughly guessed what she was thinking, but he was too lazy to explain.
"Get ready, it's about to begin."
The match is in progress.
Li Shuo stood backstage, listening to the performances of seven or eight schools, his expression gradually becoming subtle.
Well... it turns out that the proportion of people with church school backgrounds in Hong Kong Island is quite large now.
One after another, they went on stage, and they mostly sang Cantonese songs that guided people to do good. The songs were also flat, slow-paced, and the lyrics were all about "the Lord loves the world" and "love one another".
Some schools simply had recitations accompanied by music, which reminded Li Shuo of the pastor's daughter played by Karen Mok in the movie "Young and Dangerous," and the feeling of her father preaching in the church. It was just a little more lively than the chamber orchestra that Philip had previously organized.
Occasionally there are one or two outstanding students, but they are from non-church schools, and they play some popular music, which at least makes people listen.
He kept track of the time in his mind, and finally it was their Chinese International School Music Club's turn to perform.
The organizers placed Hanji last, whether intentionally or unintentionally, is unknown.
Firstly, we know that Hanji's performance in previous years has not been very good. Secondly, this time Hanji Music Club has a really big lineup, bigger than ever before - a choir of thirty people, plus a band of more than twenty people, for a total of more than fifty people.
But this person is useless. Without original compositions, just playing classical music, even if you say you have some minor arrangements, you won't get a good ranking.
After the performances by about ten schools, the audience was already a bit tired.
Some experienced individuals were actually preparing to go to the restroom, planning to come back and see if they could take a photo or say hello to those important figures before leaving.
Phil looked out through the curtain one last time, but when his gaze swept over the area he was somewhat afraid to look at, he froze.
The seats in the parent section, which were previously empty, are now almost all full.
Men in suits and ties, women adorned with jewels, some looking down at the program, some whispering to each other, some holding up cameras and aiming them at the stage.
Most importantly, his father, Michael Kadoorie, was sitting there properly.
Phil stared at it for a while, gripping the baton with even more force than before.
The lights went out.
In the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Concert Hall, a spotlight shines on one person in the center of the stage.
The black suit, with its sharp tailoring, was custom-made and shipped to Hong Kong Island from the old "Paul Stuart" shop on Madison Avenue in New York.
The buckled collar accentuated the youthful vigor. Standing behind the timpani, under the spotlight, his 185cm frame cast a long, slender shadow, his shoulders straight and his waist perfectly proportioned.
Li Shuo held the mallet in both hands, his eyes slightly lowered.
The audience fell silent.
The bishops in black robes in the front row were already somewhat tired; after all, even the most devout person would lose focus after listening to more than a dozen programs. At this moment, the change in lighting caused them to subconsciously lift their eyelids.
At the conductor's platform, Philip Kadoorie took a deep breath and raised his baton.
"Thump."
The first note of the timpani.
The string ensemble poured in, and the Hanji Choir began to sing.
Latin.
"O Fortuna (Oh, Destiny)"
Velut luna (Like the Moon)
Statu variabilis (Changeable!)
The sound surged from the throats of thirty people, echoing beneath the concert hall's dome.
The white-haired bishop in the front row was taken aback.
He recognized the piece, but it felt somewhat unfamiliar.