UNIQUE &CATCHY: Music student Grace Foo (second from right) and her band performing their song themed ‘Be That Eagle’ during the UCSI University Song Competition Showcase.

UNIQUE &CATCHY: Music student Grace Foo (most left) and her band performing their song themed ‘Be That Eagle’ during the UCSI University Song Competition Showcase.

WINNING PIECE (From left): Music student Grace Foo receiving a token of appreciation from UCSI Group founder and chairman Dato’ Peter Ng during the UCSI University Song Competition Showcase.

KUALA LUMPUR: Held in mid-March this year, the finals of the ‘UCSI University Song Competition Showcase’ was a vibrant and eclectic mix of student compositions but it was Grace Foo’s unique piece – themed ‘Be That Eagle’ – that elicitedthe loudest cheers from the crowd. 

Organised by the School of Music, the competition served as the avenue to not only hone the musical talent of aspiring songwriters like Foo but to also search for the song most suited to represent the University. 

According to head of School of Music Prof. Dr. P’ng Tean Hwa, the winning song was ‘one step above the rest’ and was also the ‘audience’s choice’. 

“We liked the lyrics – it had a very nice poetic quality – and the tune was very catchy. There wasalso very good balance in the way the song was performed,” he said, adding that the essence and spirit of the song really came through. 

UCSI Group founder and chairman Dato’ Peter Ng echoed Prof. Dr. P’ng’s sentiment, agreeing that the song was ‘excellent’. 

“I liked the song’s originality, power and energy. It was modern and contemporary,” he said. 

“I also really liked that both students and lecturers were in practice, striving together to accomplish a project like this one in such a positive manner. I think this is something a Praxis university would be proud of.” 

In line with the Praxis concept, the competition necessitated the School’s Music students to apply their theoretical knowledge to practice and submit a recording of their song. 

All entries were examined by the School and the top five entries were finally shortlisted. 

Although lecturers were roped in to help composersfinetune their song in terms of melody and lyrics, the songs’ originality were retained. 

For Foo, she drew inspiration from the University’s Coat-of-Arms and that was how she came up with the eagle imagery in her composition. 

Spending just a couple of days to compose the song, the bubbly teenager enthuses that ‘songwriting is her passion’. 

“I love songwriting and I wanted to write something that inspires and instills a sense of belonging among the UCSI community,” she grins. 

“(This is why) I created a punchy, gospel rock-themed song.” 

Notably, the chosen song will be polished further with the composer before the final version is recorded. 

The song will be recorded in the current format – gospel rock style – and later on in another choral arrangement to be used for more formal occasions.