Jazz, joy and making music: KAN graduation and alumni events
Alumni Weekend 2024 – from 14-16 June – concluded a vibrant week of graduation celebrations in St Andrews. We hosted five Kaleidoscope Alumni Network (KAN) courtyard receptions outside the Development Office at 91 North Street. These gatherings provided welcome opportunities for our newest alumni and their families to connect and enjoy refreshments against the backdrop of brilliant jazz music.
As has become tradition, the KAN ‘bench of joy’ took pride of place, ready for new grads to pose for pictures, which were promptly printed out at our SquareShare pop-up to provide unique keepsakes from the week.
Guests also collected their free gifts from Kaleidoscope, including a branded travel mug. If you collected yours this graduation week, we’d love to see your pictures of where it ends up. We’ve seen our mugs snapped all over the world, accompanying their alumni owners on all manner of adventures.
From graduation to Alumni Weekend
The celebration seamlessly transitioned into Alumni Weekend, which featured our inaugural Kaleidoscope recital at Holy Trinity Church, St Andrews. We were delighted to welcome Angelia Luo (MA 2024) and Stephanie Huang (BSc 2024) to the stage, captivating the audience with their performances on the guzheng (a traditional Chinese zither) and piano, respectively.
Earlier this year, many at St Andrews enjoyed Angelia and Stephanie’s performances during the Hongpao Society’s Chinese New Year celebration at the Laidlaw Music Centre, supported by KAN. Their return in June was met with equal enthusiasm.
Angelia, pictured on the guzheng, and Stephanie on the piano
Award-winning musical talent
Angelia is a highly skilled guzheng player with 18 years’ experience and Art Speciality Level A in guzheng. In 2018, she won the silver award at the Hong Kong Chinese Culture Festival in Shanghai, and since then has gone on to achieve further successes across China and South Korea. Angelia graduated from St Andrews with a joint degree in Psychology and Philosophy this year.
Stephanie is a dedicated pianist with 17 years’ experience. She holds an ABRSM Grade 8 certification and plays keyboard for the band Sleepless@Fife, as well as performing with other musical ensembles. She graduated in Psychology this year and has balanced her academic studies with her passion and commitment to music.
Collaboration and community
Their recital showcased a beautiful blend of traditional Chinese and modern music, celebrating the rich diversity of musical genres and cultures at St Andrews. Our heartfelt thanks go to Angelia, Stephanie, the Hongpao Society, and everyone who contributed to the success and enjoyment of our recent KAN events.
Stay tuned for future events here as we continue to unite, celebrate and learn from our global alumni community, enriched by diverse experiences and shared passions.