A youth choir from Guangdong Experimental High School (SSC) has traveled to the United States for a landmark musical exchange, marking a reciprocal visit two years after the Young People's Chorus of New York City (YPC) toured Guangdong.
The two ensembles joined hands for a string of collaborative shows across New York City, while SSC also delivered standalone performances at Princeton University, Yale University and the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in New York.
The New York leg began with a warm welcome gathering after SSC's arrival on September 30. Side-by-side rehearsals laid the groundwork for headline public shows: an open-air concert at Lincoln Center on October 3, followed by a featured performance at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater the next day.
On these stages, the two groups blended their repertoires spanning Chinese folk-infused choral pieces and international classics. Rachel, a member of the YPC, spoke highly of SSC's performance, expressing her delight at the chance to interact with the Chinese students and forge lasting friendships throughout the exchange.
Beyond concert halls, SSC's schedule took its young singers onto iconic university campuses, where local students and passers-by praised the Chinese group's artistry, shared their thoughts on modern China, and underscored the importance of youth-driven people-to-people ties.
On the final day of the exchange, October 8 (local time), a special choral event was held at the Consulate General of China in New York.
Chen Li, Consul General of China in New York, delivered a speech ahead of the performance. "We often talk about China‑US relations in very big terms, trade, technology, diplomacy. Those are important subjects, but there is a little part of the relationship that is much simpler. People actually meet each other, especially young people," Chen said. He hoped to create more opportunities for young students to see another country with his or her own eyes, and to discover that the reality is usually more interesting than what people see on the screen.
Quan Hanyan, Chairman and Principal of Guangdong Experimental High School Education Group, also shared his views on this exchange event. "Young people are the main force for building China‑US friendship in the future. Our young students can use music as a bridge to build friendship, share Chinese voices and tell China's stories well," Quan stressed.
Live music offers a rare universal language. This cross-ocean musical journey allowed Chinese teenagers to showcase their heritage on an international stage. It also built lasting personal connections between young people from both nations, showing how creative performances can nurture genuine friendship between young people on both sides of the Pacific.
Reporter | Dong Han
Script | Dong Han
Video | Guo Hongda
Poster | Guo Hongda
