On the evening of July 25, 2025 Chengdu Sister Cities Youth Music Festival, themed “Park City in Music”, kicked off at Eastern Suburb Memory Chengdu International Fashion Industry Park.

 

 

The opening ceremony boasted an impressive lineup. Young artists from international friendship cities of Chengdu across 14 countries and regions (including Canada, Australia, Chile, Brazil, Republic of Korea, Russia, Malaysia, Singapore, Seychelles, and Kenya) gathered in Chengdu to experience firsthand this park city pulsating with musical vibe.

 

 

The event commenced spectacularly with a rendition of “Chengdu in the Global Spotlight” performed by young artists from multiple nations, who, hailing from Gold Coast and Melbourne in Australia, Victoria in Seychelles, and Krasnodar in Russia, traversed mountains and seas to encounter the captivating Eastern rhythms of the millennia-old Pipa (a Chinese string musical instrument). Simultaneously, a special guest made its charming debut: Rong Dudu, mascot of 2025 Chengdu Sister Cities Youth Music Festival.

 

 

Gathering of Global Cultures: As an open metropolis, Chengdu attracts cultures from around the world to converge. Soph T., Singapore’s most dazzling new star in the Mandopop scene, captivated the audience with her highly distinctive voice and unique musical perspective through her work “Be the 1”. From the heart of Africa in Nairobi to Chengdu, distance proved no barrier to the soaring melodies, nor language a wall to shared dreams. Confucius Institute Choir, University of Nairobi, renowned as the “National Guest Choir” for its diplomatic performances, ignited the crowd with a passionate rendition of “Dream Chaser”. Meanwhile, young performers from School No. 10, Yekaterinburg, Russia, and UFPE LEED, a dance troupe from Recife, Brazil, delivered two spectacular transcontinental showcases of dance and music.

 

 

Unity in Diversity: Chengdu’s local music continuously intertwines with global musical cultures. Maskačkas spēlmaņi, a band from Riga, Latvia, brought Europe’s century-old musical heritage. Ying May Supermarket, a band from Macao, China, infused the stage with the vibrancy and humor of Macau streets through “comedic music”. The performer Zoe Yee from Edmonton, Canada, delivered a dynamic medley, bringing melodies of different styles into exciting collision. The following act, Japan’s XieXie Band, used their artistry to build a bridge of cultural exchange between China and Japan.

 

Growing Together in Harmony: As a quintessential example of famous historical and cultural cities in China, Chengdu consistently fosters the collision and fusion of national and global cultures. Music producer Zhu Yunbian from Hong Kong, China, known as the “Erhu Prince”, has repeatedly brought traditional Chinese music to international stages and contributed the soundtrack that propelled Ne Zha 2 to become the world’s top-grossing animated film. Young dancers from Gimcheon, Republic of Korea, performed the classic Korean traditional dance, “Sogo Dance”. Pájaros Kiltros, a band from Castro, Chile, wove the echoes of mountains and seas into their melodies using violin and accordion. Seychelles National Choir from Victoria graced the stage once more, presenting a choral piece brimming with tropical island charm...

 

Together in Chengdu: Mark Balas (Markos) from Melbourne, Australia (the “Cultural Capital of Australia”), and Deyiling Zhang (Yanling Zhang) from Chengdu, China (the ancient city of millennia-old civilization), joined forces with all international and local performance troupes to sing the theme song “We Are One Symphony”, drawing the grand opening ceremony to a heartwarming close.

 

Beyond the opening ceremony, the main venue will host supporting events like open-air concerts. At the East Stage of Eastern Suburb Memory, performance troupes of young artists from international friendship cities of Chengdu and local artistic groups will deliver a three-day immersive spectacle blending Chinese and international arts for Chengdu citizens.

 

Edited by Zhang Yuanlin

Source:Chengdu Discovery