Young singers from China and the United States are transforming melodies into bridges of understanding at the 2025 China-U.S. Youth Choir Festival in Fuzhou. Over 200 participants from both countries are sharing stages and cultural insights through collaborative performances, workshops, and city exploration tours.
The event, now in its third edition, comes amid renewed focus on cultural diplomacy between the world's two largest economies. Participants learn traditional folk songs from each other's repertoires, with the Fujian Symphony Orchestra providing musical accompaniment for joint performances.
"When we sing together, the harmonies erase differences," said Zhang Wei, a 19-year-old vocal student from Shanghai. His American counterpart, Emily Carter from Chicago, added: "We're discovering how music translates emotions everyone understands."
Organizers emphasize the festival's role in fostering long-term connections, with participants homestaying in local families and visiting historic sites like the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys district. The program concludes with a gala concert at Fuzhou Strait Culture and Art Center, featuring fusion arrangements of Chinese and Western classics.
