Music exchange connects youth across cultures

Standing on stage beside her Chinese partner, 16-year-old Andee Rentschler felt tears welling in her eyes.

She and her fellow singers from One Voice Children's Choir, a Utah-based choir in the United States, were performing with students from Huashan Middle School in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Though they came from different countries and spoke different languages, their voices blended as they sang We Are Together.

"I love singing in unison with my Chinese friends, with my partner standing beside me," Rentschler said.

The lyrics seemed to express exactly what she was feeling: "We are together, hand in hand, forever by each other's side. Across mountains and seas, our song carries warmth. We are together; love knows no borders. Different languages, the same hopes."

"I love the meaning," she said. "Even if we live far apart, we still have the opportunity to come together."

Rentschler was among 60 young musicians from China and the United States who gathered in Xinjiang from July 12 to 20 for an event under the China-US Youth Music Exchange Program.

Organized by the China Education Association for International Exchange and hosted by Huashan Middle School, the nine-day program included performances, cultural exchanges and activities ranging from cooking to calligraphy.

It was the third time the school had hosted the program. Zhang Wenzhi, its Party secretary, said the exchange helps students understand other cultures while remaining connected to their own.

"Through firsthand experience, we hope they can step onto a bigger stage and reach out to the world," Zhang said.

For One Voice, the Xinjiang exchange was the latest stop on a longer musical journey through China. Over several visits in different years, the choir had traveled to Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an in Shaanxi province, Fuzhou in Fujian province and Shenzhen in Guangdong province, performing Chinese songs such as Wish and It's Great to Know You.

"Music really is a universal medium through which we can connect," said Tanner DeWaal, CEO and artistic director of One Voice. "Our goal is to create positive interactions with people and promote a world that is hopeful and friendly for all humanity through music."

DeWaal said that belief was confirmed as soon as the Chinese and American students began rehearsing together.

"We turned on the backing track, and everyone came in together and sang in tune," he said. "American students were singing in Chinese, and Chinese students were singing in English. That created a powerful connection."

The rehearsals also allowed the students to learn from one another.

Yang Wenbo, a student at Huashan Middle School, said he admired the American students' enthusiasm and sincerity.

"Their instructor told them they never know which pair of eyes in the audience might be watching, so they must stay focused and treat every performance sincerely," Yang said.

"I think they have brought those words to life through their actions. The more time you spend with them, the more inspired you feel to approach life with enthusiasm and care," he continued.

Beyond the rehearsals, friendships formed through simple gestures.

For Ma Qiyue, a Hui student at the school, it began with a hug. "At first, we were unfamiliar with one another because of our different cultural backgrounds," she said. "The Chinese students were relatively shy, but our American friends spontaneously hugged us. After that, we genuinely wanted to become lifelong friends."

As the students grew more comfortable together, questions about their cultures became part of their daily conversations.

Kang Yuke, another Huashan student, helped the visitors understand local customs. When people began dancing during a celebration, she explained that dancing is an important part of life in Xinjiang and is common at festivals, community gatherings and Uygur weddings.

By the end of the program, the initial shyness had given way to friendships that were difficult to leave behind.

"On the last day, when it was time to say goodbye, both my partner and I cried," Ma said. "We hugged each other tightly and looked forward to seeing each other again."

Through shared songs and simple gestures of friendship, the young musicians found that distance and language did not have to keep them apart.

Contact the writers at Zhangpeirong@i21st.cn