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| Battle of the sounds |
Foreigners who enjoy singing Chinese songs took part in a contest
on Sunday night in Beijing. Entitled "Songs from our Land",
this event was the six annual such contest hosted by Beijing TV station.
There was hard-fought competition among singers from all over the
world, who competed for first place, while expressing their appreciation
of, and passion for, Chinese culture.
In China's capital city, the studio of Beijing TV is crowded with
people of every race, color and creed, all working together for
the final rehearsal of the Sixth Annual Foreigners Singing Chinese
Songs Contest. More than 600 singers from over 50 countries have
participated in the event, and expectations this year are high.
TV Stations from the U.S, Canada, Romania and Russia are also taking
part. Twenty singers out of the original 200-plus have made it to
the finals.
Kim Cassidy always refers to herself as a Chinese daughter-in-law,
though she comes from the U.S. She married a Chinese man who loves
playing guitar because she likes singing Chinese songs.
KIM CASSIDY, Singer from the U.S. said: "I love Chinese songs,
I've been singing them for years. My daughter loves them too, she
hears me and my husband practicing all the time."
Of course, there is a Chinese son-in-law as well. This French man
is going to sing the song called "The Most Beautiful"
to his Chinese wife.
The intense competition makes the show a real "battle".
But these "warriors" compete through song. It is certainly
a most enjoyable method of waging more.
They come from different cultural backgrounds, but they eloquently
express the passion for their adopted Chinese arts on the stage.
Chinese Audience said: "As foreign friends sing Chinese songs,
every note conveys the meaning of friendship."
Music crosses all boundaries of nationalities. If only all the
world's battles could be fought with song, wouldn't it be a better
place?
(People's Daily 01/22/01)
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