On the evening of July 13, Harmony from Melody Summer Camp Concert was held at Huaqiao University’s (HQU) Xiamen campus. The music feast, co-organized by the university’s Office of International Exchange and Cooperation and College of Music and Dance, showcased the talent of young musicians from China and the United States, and promoted cultural exchanges between the two nations.

At the concert, students from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) and Carleton College joined HQUers to deliver an impressive performance with Chinese traditional instruments like bamboo flute, suona (Chinese horn), sheng (Chinese pipe instrument), vertical flute and guzheng (Chinese zither). Among the highlights were Dazao, a folk ensemble of northern China, Dear Old Dixie, a representation of American Bluegrass music, and Full of Joy, a Chinese music ensemble. Their talent and passionate performance earned them rounds of applause and overwhelming praise from the audience.

After the performance, MTSU student Christina Bonsi Harat shared her feelings, “I felt quite at ease on the stage. But deep down, I was incredibly thrilled to perform with my Chinese friends. I’m deeply thankful to Ms Han for this unforgettable experience in China.”

“This performance showcases the knowledge and skills we’ve acquired here and throughout our studies.” Cline from Carleton College expressed her pride in contributing to such an amazing concert.

President Wu Jianping and Vice President Wang Xiuyong attended the concert. Wu exchanged gifts with Han Mei, Director of the Chinese Music and Culture Center at MTSU.

A total of 16 students from MTSU and Carleton College participated in the Harmony from Melody Summer Camp at HQU, one of the first batch of YES (Young Envoys Scholarship) programs. Since its launch on July 8, the campers have taken courses on Chinese folk music and songs and learned to play traditional Chinese instruments such as theerhu, bamboo flute, percussion, guzheng, and pipa. They’ve experienced dragon dancing and lion dancing, and sample cultural heritage crafts, like Peking opera masks, bamboo and rattan weaving, and paper quilling. They’ve also took culture trips to the neighboring cities of Quanzhou and Zhangzhou.

The exchange camp has received wide coverage. Chinese and English reports of the event, along with accompanying images and videos were featured in leading Chinese news agencies such as Xinhua News, China News Service, China News and China Daily, and was reprinted and reposted on over a hundred domestic and international media platforms including the Associated Press (AP), Reuters, People’s Daily Overseas Edition, people.cn, chinaqw.com, China Economic Net, Canada’s 600 News, and Sing Tao TV.

President Wu Jianping and the Lead Teacher Han Mei Exchanging Souvenirs

The Performance Scene

(Editor: Wei Linying)