International Youth Band China Tour Held at Beijing Academy
On September 20, 2026, the International Youth Band China Tour (Beijing), themed Together Toward the Future, Moving Toward a Better Tomorrow, was held at Beijing Academy. Hosted by the China Center for International People-to-People Exchange, Ministry of Education, and the Beijing Chaoyang District Education Commission, the event brought together nearly 200 students, teachers, and delegation members from the United Kingdom, Russia, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong SAR China, Macao SAR China, and other regions.
Through music and the arts, participants developed new connections and deepened mutual understanding. Traditional Chinese music shared the stage with Western musical traditions, creating an evening of cultural exchange among young people from different backgrounds.
I. Gathered in Beijing, United by Friendship
At 6:00 p.m., the Together Toward the Future, Moving Toward a Better Tomorrow Welcoming Ceremony began. Guests included Zhang Xueren, Deputy Director of the China Center for International People-to-People Exchange, Ministry of Education; Shen Xinyi, Deputy Director of the Beijing Chaoyang District Education Commission; Xia Qingfeng, Party Secretary of the Beijing Academy Education Group and Principal of Beijing Academy; and John Logan, Head of Brass, Timpani and Percussion at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. They were joined by delegation members from the United Kingdom, Russia, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong SAR China, Macao SAR China, and other regions.
In his address, Zhang Xueren welcomed the visiting guests on behalf of the organizers. He described music as a universal language capable of reaching people across linguistic boundaries. Wind ensemble performance, he noted, depends on individual musicianship as well as close coordination among performers. The same principle applies to international exchange: each participant brings a distinctive voice, while mutual respect and collaboration allow those voices to come together in harmony.
Zhang also thanked the Chaoyang District Education Commission, Beijing Academy, and Zhuojiao International for their work in organizing the event. He expressed his hope that students would use music to build connections and leave the exchange with rewarding experiences and lasting friendships.
Shen Xinyi spoke of her hope that music would help young people from China and abroad deepen their understanding of one another and develop lasting friendships. She also expressed her expectation that the event would support continued exchange in arts education and broader cultural learning.
Principal Xia Qingfeng welcomed the visiting teachers and students and introduced Beijing Academy's educational philosophy and education group model. He expressed his hope that the event would create further opportunities for deeper and broader exchange among young people from China and around the world.
John Logan reflected on the power of artistic exchange: "Artistic exchange is like rain falling unexpectedly in a desert, awakening inspiration and a love of art. We come from different countries and cultural backgrounds, yet music has brought us together here. I am grateful to Beijing Academy for creating this opportunity, allowing that rain to reach every young person and giving inspiration and passion the chance to grow."
II. Music in Harmony, Hearts in Resonance
The Welcoming Ceremony continued with performances by youth ensembles from China and abroad, presenting music from a wide range of cultural traditions.
At the close of the evening, all performers joined together for Auld Lang Syne. The familiar melody brought the event to an emotional conclusion as students from different countries sang side by side, celebrating a friendship formed through music.
III. Experiencing Chinese Culture and Its Enduring Appeal
Before the evening performance, students joined a range of cultural workshops across Beijing Academy. Working in mixed groups, students from China and abroad collaborated on hands-on activities and gradually became more comfortable with one another. Within 40 minutes, initial introductions had developed into lively conversations and shared laughter.
Hou Xuemeng and Li Jiang led Dragons Across the World: Rhythm of the East, a dragon dance workshop that introduced students to Chinese dragon culture through coordinated movement. Tao Jing offered Bamboo in the Breeze: A Handwoven Round Fan Workshop, guiding students through basic bamboo weaving techniques, including foundation weaving and an alternating over-and-under pattern. Wang Ye taught Describing Degrees of Delight: The Language of Marginal Utility, in which students sampled colorful jelly beans to explore changes in utility and practiced describing their reactions precisely in English.
Lyu Yuan introduced the history of traditional Chinese printmaking and guided students through monochrome and multicolor printing of traditional door guardian images. Tan Yi presented Cabbage Magic: A Homemade Acid-Base Indicator, using red cabbage extract as a natural pH indicator and inviting students to observe changes across red, purple, blue, and green. Dong Zhiyu organized a basketball game centered on screening and team coordination, with mixed teams of Chinese and international students working together throughout the activity.
Li Ruoxuan led a Tai Chi fan workshop, introducing students to the balance of strength and fluidity found in Tai Chi. Zhang Danmeng and Xu Mengjie presented Moonlight at Zhongqiu: Exploring Chinese Language and Culture, using spoken games and creative writing activities to help visiting students understand the cultural significance of the full moon and family reunion during the Zhongqiu Festival. Ren Qiuming began with the Four Treasures of the Study and introduced students to several brush techniques, the tonal range of ink, and the artistic use of blank space before guiding them in painting a panda in Chinese ink.
Each workshop offered participants a hands-on way to engage with different aspects of Chinese culture.
IV. Friendship Through Letters, Connections Across Youth
After the workshops, students took part in Letters Across Distance. They wrote messages to their new friends, recording their first impressions, hopes for the friendship, and good wishes for the future. Through handwritten words, students expressed thoughts that crossed linguistic and cultural boundaries.
The exchange of letters gave students time to reflect on the connections they had formed during the day and added a personal dimension to the upcoming evening ceremony.
V. Student Reflections
Tang Chenxi
On September 20, I volunteered during the exchange with students from Pui Ching Middle School Macau. Although we spent only a few hours together, the range of activities gave me a much clearer sense of how rewarding exchange between different communities can be. I also met many new friends.
We learned Tai Chi fan together, which was a first for me as well. At first, the movements looked fairly simple, but once we began following the instructor, I realized that every movement required control, rhythm, and coordination. Although we came from different places, everyone practiced seriously and helped one another with the movements. That made the atmosphere especially welcoming. The workshop gave me an opportunity to experience traditional Chinese culture while also helping me become more familiar with the students from Macao SAR China.
Another part that left a strong impression on me was Letters Across Distance. We wrote messages to one another on small postcards. We had known each other for only a short time, yet those handwritten words captured genuine memories from the exchange. In an age of digital communication, a handwritten postcard feels especially memorable. Years from now, I may look at mine again and remember the friends I met that day and the Tai Chi fan routine we practiced together.
The Together Toward the Future, Moving Toward a Better Tomorrow exchange introduced me to new friends from Macao SAR China and gave me a deeper understanding of intercultural communication. I hope to have more opportunities like this in the future, experiencing different cultures while also sharing Chinese culture with friends from farther away.
Zhou Xuanji
On September 20, I served as a host for Beijing Academy's Welcoming Ceremony during the International Youth Band China Tour (Beijing). Rehearsals brought several challenges. My classmate and I practiced repeatedly, learned the Cantonese pronunciations of three guests' names, and adjusted our script in response to changes at the venue. The experience gave me valuable practice in hosting a live event.
The performance that impressed me most came from the Scottish bagpipe delegation. As the bagpipes began playing Leigemoer, the auditorium filled with a powerful rhythm and a bright, uplifting melody. The distinctive sound of the pipes carried both weight and clarity, with an unmistakably Scottish character. The music seemed to open out across the entire auditorium, bringing to mind the broad landscapes of the Scottish Highlands. Everyone around me seemed completely absorbed in the performance.
Soon afterward, the Russian singers from the Russia-China Symphony Orchestra performed Kalinka. Their voices were lively and expressive, bringing youthful energy to the familiar Russian folk song while preserving its distinctive warmth and exuberance.
At the end of the event, everyone joined together for Auld Lang Syne. Its familiar melody celebrated the friendships formed among young people from different countries and brought the exchange to a memorable close.
Huang Zixun
As the sun was setting, I welcomed students from Hong Kong SAR China, Scotland, Russia, and other regions as a volunteer. From the moment we met, everyone was friendly and enthusiastic. Language differences remained, yet people kept smiling and waving to one another.
I mainly worked with students from Hong Kong SAR China and accompanied them during the bamboo fan workshop. As we learned the weaving techniques together, we talked about school life and exchanged stories about the places where we lived.
The evening performances were another highlight. Groups from different countries performed music connected with their own cultural traditions, and the Scottish music especially impressed me. As I listened, I could almost imagine myself standing in Scotland. We spoke different languages, yet music gave everyone a common way to communicate. Each group shared its enthusiasm and goodwill through its own musical tradition.
Cheng Xiyue
The moment the spotlight came on, everything around me seemed to fall silent.
I stood onstage holding the microphone. The audience was still, and the voice of my co-host beside me sounded unusually clear. At that moment, I realized that I was doing more than hosting an event. I was standing in the light and saying welcome on behalf of everyone here.
I was nervous. Then I heard the Scottish bagpipers warming up backstage, the students from Kazakhstan speaking softly to my left, and a Beijing Academy student waiting in costume who looked over and smiled at me. The nervousness changed. I felt as though I were carrying something precious, careful with every movement and excited at the same time.
When I spoke about crossing mountains and seas, the words came from my own voice, yet they seemed to belong to something larger. In that moment, I felt that I was representing this campus and this city, extending a hand of welcome from China.
Later, I stopped thinking about the script. I heard the audience hold its breath when the dombra began. During the chorus of Kalinka, I heard someone softly humming along. Near the end of Auld Lang Syne, I saw someone wipe away a tear. I stood near the edge of the spotlight and watched it all happen, grateful simply to witness it.
After the event, the stage lights went out. Somehow, the light from that moment still feels present in my memory.
Wu Yutong
I was honored to participate in this cultural and artistic exchange as a member of the Beijing Academy Jinfan Dance Troupe. As the lead dancer in the Mongolian dance Banquet Song, I had the opportunity to perform onstage while also learning through direct exchange with other young artists. It became an experience I will remember for a long time.
Dance gives people from different countries a shared means of expression. During the event, my fellow dancers and I spent time with members of a youth arts troupe from Kazakhstan. We demonstrated the movements and rhythms of Mongolian chopstick dance, while they taught us elements of their own traditional dance.
The Russia-China Symphony Orchestra Youth Choir and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland wind and bagpipe delegation also performed during the event, allowing different artistic traditions to share the same stage.
One of the most memorable parts for me was Letters Across Distance. We exchanged handwritten postcards, each carrying the thoughts of a new friend from far away. At the end of the performance, everyone sang Auld Lang Synetogether. A younger girl from Russia stood on tiptoe to hug me and said "I love you" in Chinese. I will remember that moment for a long time.
Art gave us a way to share what we love, and dance gave us a way to build friendships. I look forward to the day when we meet again.
The successful Beijing stop of the International Youth Band China Tour reflects Beijing Academy's continued commitment to international education, people-to-people exchange, and greater international engagement in education. Through music, young people from China and abroad met one another, developed deeper mutual understanding, and built new friendships. The experience also broadened students' global perspectives and gave them opportunities to learn from different cultural traditions.
Beijing Academy will continue to create diverse opportunities for international exchange, enabling more young people to connect across cultures, deepen mutual understanding, and build friendships across borders.
This AI translation is provided for reference only. Please verify with original Chinese version.