At the 11th World Choir Games, which came to an end on Nov. 7 in host cities Antwerp and Ghent, Wenqin Chorus of Zhejiang University achieved Excellent in the category of “Adult Choirs” among more than 300 outstanding choirs around the world. 

This year, the World Choir Games, the world’s largest international choir competition, were held in a hybrid format for the first time in their history. No fewer than 22,000 spectators witnessed the unique vibe that characterizes the so-called Olympic Games for choirs off- and on-line, enjoying a great festival of music and songs. 

Due to the pandemic, the Wenqin Chorus joined this artistic event online. Under the guidance of faculty members ZHOU Zhenyu, LI Zhiqiao and LIU Bin, the Chorus staged three choral works with different charm.

The performance started with “Segalariak”, a Spanish Basque-style song with rhythmic vitality and jovial spirit. The next piece was “Su San under Escort”, adapted from the excerpts of the traditional Chinese Peking Opera “Yutang Chun”. The choral performance brought new flavor to this touching story and re-interpreted a cultural classic on the international stage. With the last piece “Unclouded Day”, the Chorus members swayed with the dynamic rhythms, singing the heart out.  

The Wenqin Chorus is one of the six sub-troupes in Zhejiang University Wenqin Arts Troupe, funded by Ms. YAO Wenqin in 2001, a late alumna of Zhejiang University. Over the past 20 years, the Chorus has clinched numerous awards, including the first prize in the National College Students' Art Show for the five consecutive years, and the gold prize in the 1st Tokyo International Choir Competition. 

Writers: CHENG Lifei, LIU Yuxian, LIN Weiwei 

Editor: TIAN Minjie