Student Musicians from Dwight Schools around the World Gather at Carnegie Hall to Celebrate a Pioneer in Global Education

On Tuesday, February 13, 2018, 240 students from New York, London, Seoul, and Shanghai will unite in Carnegie Hall to honor the man whose exceptional career has made this moment, and countless others like it, possible. As Chancellor of the prestigious Dwight School for 50 years, Stephen Spahn is distinguished as the longest-serving head of school in the U.S. To celebrate his notable contributions to the world of education, students will perform "A Sky Full of Music," the largest annual concert in the school's 146-year history. The sold-out concert will take place in the iconic, 2,800-seat Stern Auditorium.

"Our community can think of no greater way to honor the man who has impacted thousands of lives around the world than with a cross-campus celebration that brings together Dwight students from three continents in the universal language of music," said Alistair Hamilton, Dwight's Head of Performing Arts. Mr. Hamilton conceived, and will conduct, the concert with music directors from Dwight's global campuses. "A Sky Full of Music" will feature classical, jazz, pop, and traditional Chinese and Korean pieces connected to the celestial theme performed by students in grades 4-12. A choir of faculty, staff, alumni, and parents will also perform.

"This concert will demonstrate Dwight's spark of genius educational philosophy, which has reached around the world, in action," said Chancellor Spahn. "Spark of genius is a talent or passion that I believe every student - every human being - has within and it is our job as educators to find and nurture that spark. Igniting a student's spark of genius engenders a sense of mastery and confidence, opening up pathways to all other learning. The students performing will share their musical sparks to light up Carnegie Hall."

Under Chancellor Spahn's visionary leadership and desire to bridge international boundaries, Dwight was the first independent school to establish a campus abroad in London in 1972. Additional firsts in global education followed: Dwight was the first school in the Americas to offer the comprehensive International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum for students in preschool-grade 12; the first model IB School in South Korea; and the first independent Chinese-foreign collaborative high school approved by the Ministry of Education. Dwight's first campus in the Middle East will open in Dubai this fall.

Dedicated to making an IB education accessible to students everywhere, Chancellor Spahn also launched Dwight Global Online School, a campus in the cloud for grades 7-12. "No matter where in the world a Dwight student lives, we personalize the educational journey for each one. This is a hallmark of a Dwight education, along with innovation. We equip students with the knowledge, entrepreneurial skills, and experiences needed to succeed in the rapidly changing world and collaborate to solve global challenges," said Chancellor Spahn.