Dear Readers,

Every semester, something happens at this school that most people only half-notice. A musician spends months learning a single piece. A dancer rehearses a sequence until it feels effortless. A filmmaker edits the same cut fifty times. A painter creates dozens of artworks. And then — in the concert hall, the black box theatre, or the gallery corridor — it all becomes visible at once, and for a moment, the scale of what these students have done is almost hard to take in. This spring, I found myself in those rooms often, and every time, I felt the same thing: gratitude that I got to witness it. This edition of The Arts Chronicle is our attempt to make sure others can too.

It has been a semester to remember. Our musicians filled concert halls and represented the school in APAC and AMIS. Our theatre and dance community brought Shrek - The Musical and the annual Passion to life. Our filmmakers travelled all over the world to places like Paris, and our visual artists filled galleries twice — also our distinct honor of hosting a visiting guest artist who reminded us what a life devoted to making things can look like.

None of this would exist without the people who made it. From the bottom of my heart, I want to express my gratitude to Mr. Holland, Ms. Pek, Mr. Pophal, Ms. Amber, Ms. Anneliese, Mr. Snow, Mr. McMillan, Ms. Ivy, Ms. D'Ambrosio, and Ms. Kim — our mentors who don't just teach on a daily basis but genuinely invest their time and passion in to their curriculum. And last but not least, I owe this journal to our admins, Mr. Caskie, Ms. Sun, and Ms. Kaste, for their support of the arts community and of this journal from the very beginning.

This publication was a combined effort, and I want to thank each of the members of the management team for all the time and dedication they put in: our Executive Editors, Senior Editors, Senior Design Editors, Directors in the disciplines Music, Theatre, Dance, Photography, Film, Fine Arts; on top of that, another special thanks goes to our very own Media Council and everyone else who helped the management team curate this edition.

This is our inaugural edition, and with it comes the excitement — and expectation — of setting a high standard. We hope it is the beginning of something that lasts: a record of the creativity and dedication that defines the arts at SASPX, day after day, year after year.

Arts at Shanghai American School is not, was not, and never will be an afterthought. It is, I would argue, where some of the most honest, passionate, and genuine work at this school gets done. We made this journal for the sole purpose so that the hard work isn’t lost in the moment the curtain falls or the gallery closes.

We hope you find something in these pages that moves you or inspires you to pursue the arts at Shanghai American School.

With a heartfelt appreciation and gratitude,

James L. '27, Founder and Editor in Chief

The Arts Chronicle, Spring Edition 2026