Young voices echoed through Fuzhou's historic Three Lanes and Seven Alleys this week as the 2025 China-U.S. Youth Choir Festival launched with an unexpected musical celebration. Members of Tacoma Youth Choir from Washington state joined forces with Hong Kong's Creative Cadence ensemble in a spontaneous rendition of "We Are the World," drawing crowds and smartphones alike.
The cross-cultural collaboration saw 120 singers aged 16-24 transform the Ming Dynasty-era neighborhood into an open-air concert hall. "Music erases borders," said 19-year-old vocalist Li Meiying from Fujian Normal University. "When we harmonize, we're speaking the same language."
Organizers emphasize the festival's timing amid evolving global dynamics. "This isn't just about perfect pitch – it's about building pitch-perfect understanding," noted festival director Zhang Wei. The event continues through next week with workshops at Xiamen University and a finale concert at Fuzhou Strait Culture and Art Center.
Cultural observers highlight the strategic choice of Fujian Province – a hub for overseas Chinese connections – as reinforcing people-to-people diplomacy. The province has hosted numerous cross-strait cultural exchanges in recent years.
