German youth chorus hits perfect notes of cross-cultural harmony during China visit

KUNMING, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Amid blazing flames and cheerful melodies echoing through the night, 80 students and teachers from a German chorus group sang and danced around the crackling campfire together with local residents in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The vibrant scenes unfolded in the city of Chuxiong during the torch festival, a traditional event of the Yi ethnic group, where the Burg Chinese Chorus participated as part of their summer camp in China.

The chorus is scheduled to travel to Chuxiong, the provincial capital Kunming, as well as Beijing from July 15 to 28.

As part of the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union (EU), the summer camp is jointly organized by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation under the Ministry of Education and Yunnan University, aiming to help German youths improve their language skills through singing.

The chorus members will learn over 60 Chinese songs during the event to get ready for their performance in a youth choir concert in October in Germany, as part of the anniversary celebrations, according to Duan Libo, dean of the College of Education at Yunnan University.

Founded in 2014, the Burg Chinese Chorus is a non-profit organization, offering the "Learn Chinese by Singing" program for German youths. To foster people-to-people exchanges between China and Germany, the choir has been actively engaged in strengthening the friendship between the two countries through language and cultural initiatives.

"Each Chinese song we select is first translated into German, with explanations of the cultural background. We sing both the German and Chinese versions," said Zhang Yungang, head of the chorus.

Marlen Zimmermann, a teacher who is part of the chorus, said that some students initially struggled with Chinese. "At first, I worried they wouldn't adapt, but music worked its magic. After just a few Chinese music classes, they became more willing to speak, making great progress."

Although chorus member Lena Klonis-Jansen had never set foot in China before, she had heard much about the country from her grandmother, 92.

In the 1950s, her grandmother, then a young opera singer, came to China for a performance tour and later filled Lena's childhood with vivid stories about the country.

"My grandma was thrilled to hear about my trip to China and can't wait for my experience here," said the 17-year-old.

During their Yunnan visit, the German artists immersed themselves in local cultures and customs by visiting museums and historical sites, learning tie-dye techniques, and attending the torch festival and other activities.

Oskar Teichert, another chorus member, said the torch festival was far beyond his imagination. "We held hands, danced and sang around the fire with people we didn't even know. I will remember those moments for years to come," he said, adding that some of them also visited a local night market to experience the culture through its flavors.

According to Zhang, experiencing the torch festival and tasting local snacks are also part of "classes" for the students.

"The summer camp is far more than a simple cultural exchange event, but offers a valuable chance for the students to truly learn and understand China," he added. ■