Together in harmony

Handing down the skills

Hand signs are important in the Kodaly method. They function not only as a visual aid to accurately vocalize each tone, but also as a way to communicate between teachers and students.

"It's amazing to see that the (Hungarian) teachers never yell at students," Chen Chenxi, a local music teacher from Anren, says. "They don't need to. If there is any problem in rehearsals, students can also give feedback through their hand signs, so the method, with less talking, will preserve our vocal chords in the future."

Meanwhile, the emotional attachment formed between teachers and students in the warm, cozy environment during the rehearsal has proved to have strength and influence beyond the music room. For one thing, it seems conducive to improving students' communication skills.

"I used to be very timid," Pan Peiru, a student in the chorus, says. "But the teachers have helped me to have more confidence on stage, and with a common interest in singing, I have a lot more to share with my classmates."

"A choral group is like a miniature society, and the project can improve children's social competence," says Szonja Buslig, head of the Beijing Hungarian Cultural Institute, of her observation. "Inspired students can also do better in other classes."

In places like Anren, where many parents work in big cities, the children are often left behind to live with their grandparents. They sometimes retreat into themselves and become unsociable.

"In Hungary, joining a chorus is one of the few things children will feel most proud of," Buslig says. "I believe that it can also create more joyful moments for Chinese children, who will be proud of themselves."

It echoes how Li Kemei, director of Beijing Deqing Foundation, once explained her motive for launching the program. "The biggest gap in education between big cities and rural areas does not exist in English or math, but in fine art," she says. "And chorus can also develop an esprit de corps and harmony among different members, which will be beneficial throughout their lives."