As a tribute to the Shanghai Expo 2010, the Shanghai World Expo Music Festival kicked off with an opening ceremony on July 4th at the Exposition Square on the Puxi side of the Expo Park. The event has attracted more than 30 musical groups from universities all over the world.
The party brought together thousands of students from China and abroad who share a love of music. It's their common language… where passion and perfection intersect.
For expo visitors, the student musicians offer everything from symphonies to choral performances to jazz and rock. And there are some unusual ensembles. These 16 students make up the University of Arizona's HarpFusion, one of the top harp ensembles in the world. Some started learning to play the harp when they were only 4 years old.
This group plays everything from classical to rock and roll. The four rock lovers met while studying at Oxford University and formed a band they call Strobolight.
The pieces performed by the Sydney Conservatorium of Music's Modern Music Ensemble have both a classical touch and an innovative approach. It's a creative and vibrant group, particularly active in presenting new music by Australia's leading composers.
Many of these young musicians have toured all over the world. But for most, its their first time visiting China and the Shanghai Expo.
All those young people say they're impressed with the cultural and artistic diversity of the Expo. And one of their rewards is getting a better understanding of the event and the city.
It's been said that when the passion for music is shared among all nations without any boundaries, we see the best part of humanity on full display. This is certainly an example.