A Worldwise Music Spectacle and Football in Phuket
Every week we share with you the successes, milestones and special moments that make our Dulwich Pudong community so unique.
Our students showed the best of themselves in two major events. They attended our annual Worldwise Festival of Music, featuring nearly 250 student performers on stage, and participated in one of the largest football tournaments in the region with 125 teams competing. In this huge international presence, our Dulwich Pudong students showed their grace, elegance and roaring spirit.
2025 Worldwise Festival of Music:
Global Vibes at Dehong Shanghai
One of the most anticipated annual events by our students and all the Dulwich and Dehong schools, the Worldwise Festival of Music (WFM), took place at the Dehong Shanghai International Chinese School from 19 to 22 November.
Twenty-one young musicians from Dulwich Pudong joined nearly 250 students and teachers from 11 Dulwich and Dehong schools worldwide, as well as from the world-renowned Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), to embark on a spectacular global musical journey together.
This year's WFM theme was 'Global Vibes'. Over four days of intensive rehearsals, the young musicians explored how rhythm, harmony and creativity transcend cultural boundaries and individual differences. They saw first-hand how their collective symphony could unite voices across nations.
Students joined one of five ensembles based on their interests and strengths: Symphony Orchestra, Choir, Big Band, Concert Band or Rock Band. Each ensemble performed under expert guidance. Adding to the excitement, students and faculty from RNCM instructed and performed with our participants, offering profound insights into musical artistry and creativity.
The festival culminated in a grand gala concert on 22 November at the Jaguar Shanghai Symphony Hall, one of the city's premier concert venues that has hosted countless world-class artists. Students from across the Dulwich and Dehong schools showcased their musical growth, marking an unforgettable milestone in their learning journey.
BISP 7s Football Tournament in Phuket
Last week, our squads travelled to Phuket to compete in the BISP 7s Football Tournament, one of the biggest and most prestigious school football events in the region.
This year's tournament featured 125 teams across multiple age groups, with schools travelling from Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, India, South Korea, China, Myanmar and Russia. The level of competition was extremely high. Our players saw it as a fantastic opportunity to test themselves against top international opposition.
We were proud to field four teams: our U18 Girls, U18 Boys, U15 Boys, U13 Boys. They all represented the school with outstanding effort, tenacity and teamwork.
U18 Girls – Cup Finalists
Our U18 Girls had an absolutely fantastic run, making it all the way to the Cup Final. They showed tremendous heart, organisation and composure, resulting in them not conceding a single goal in the group stage while scoring eight themselves.
In the semi-finals, the team showed excellent skill in winning a penalty shoot-out, scoring all four penalties before making a decisive save to deservedly send them to the final. In the final they faced the host school, BISP, in a well-contested match that saw them finish as runners-up. Their unity and quality were evident in every game.
U18 Boys – Cup Group Competitors
Our senior boys also delivered a solid group-stage performance. Even with their small squad blighted by injuries, they went toe-to-toe with some notably strong international schools. They lost a couple of games by a single goal, which unfortunately meant they didn't progress to the Cup competition.
They demonstrated discipline and tactical understanding, which allowed them to compete and gain valuable experience against high-quality teams—experience that will serve them well in future competitions.
U15 Boys – Cup Semi-Finalists
The U15s enjoyed an excellent tournament, advancing to the Cup semi-finals. Their disciplined defending, quick transitions and intelligent link-up play impressed many during the weekend.
They consistently went toe-to-toe with the tournament's top contenders, proving their place among the elite youth teams in Asia. Reaching the last four in such a competitive field is a fantastic achievement, made possible by the group's hard work.
U13 Boys – Bowl Semi-Finalists
The U13s struggled to display their technical ability in difficult conditions. The intensity of the competition was a little overwhelming for the group. After a couple of narrow defeats in the early morning matches, the character of the group shone through. Emphasis returned to hard work and team unity and the team pressed on.
Despite results not improving, their effort and attitude did. Their tournament run culminated in an unfortunate 3-2 loss in the Bowl semi-final on day two, in what can only be described as a mud bath. These matches were a powerful lesson that true strength is the character revealed under pressure. The boys embodied this and the resilience they built here will serve them long after they leave the field.
Overall, this year's BISP 7s was an unforgettable experience for our players, both on and off the pitch. We are incredibly proud of how each team represented the school and are excited to see them build on these performances.
