Winners of SFU's Legacy Song contest are Caleb Sung (singing) and Brett Janzen (drums) for their song, Engage the World.

Winners of SFU's Legacy Song contest are Caleb Sung (singing) and Brett Janzen (drums) for their song, Engage the World.

Surrey composer helps create winning SFU song

Pair's tune celebrates university's 50th anniversary.

Sometimes turning 50 has its perks. Like getting your very own song.

It may have taken a half-century of survival, but SFU’s longevity is finally something to sing about.

“Engage the World” was announced as the winning song in the university’s 50th Anniversay Legacy Song contest.

Composed by Surrey’s Brett Janzen and Richmond’s Caleb Sung, the song was among six finalists chosen from 35 entries. A panel of students, faculty, alumni and staff chose the winner.

“I had a great time working on our song for SFU’s legacy song contest, said Janzen. “I’m excited to have had our song chosen to represent the school. I hope it will serve as a unifying anthem for the school as encouragement to the students in their studies and to the staff in their leadership and mentoring.”

While Sung is a fourth-year business student at SFU, a singer, composer and pianist, Janzen is a professional musician, producer and composer. They spent about a week on the song.

“We were elated to win the contest. It’s a great milestone just before I graduate next spring,” said Sung, adding he and Janzen were inspired by the anthem-like qualities of some of the music they perform with their church band every weekend.

They then worked to capture the natural, mountain top location of SFU’s Burnaby campus in the music.

“We hope that this new song will become a part of SFU’s tradition and help foster pride and school spirit for years to come,” said SFU President Andrew Petter.

Runner-up and People’s Choice winners were also selected by online community voting.

SFU film school alumnus Daniel Moxon’s song “We are SFU” was the runner-up while student Brendan Bernardo won the People’s Choice award for “Make a Simon Fraser U”.

 

Lyrics of Engage the World:

On mountain high we innovate

Build questing minds and educate

With striving hearts initiate

 

We honor this our native land

While visions grow we take our stand

Where dreams are held in student’s hands

 

Engage the world

Engage the world

 

Our school will rise above in victory

We’re S.F.U

 

We’re building here community

Where knowledge grows both strong and free

We’ll change the world with unity

 

Engage the world

Engage the world

Our school will rise above in victory

We’re S.F.U

We’re S.F.U.

We’re S.F.U.

 

 

Surrey Now Leader