Music gets new meaning

Children practice different musical instruments during a 10-day music camp in Beijing. The non-professionals will give a performance at the Beijing Concert Hall on Monday. FENG YONGBIN/CHINA DAILY

When 9-year-old Liu Huaizhong got his first clarinet three months ago, he was drawn to the sound instantly, which propelled him into one-on-one classes twice a week.

"I am happy to see him enjoy the instrument. I sent him to join a chorus but he wasn't interested," says Liu's mother, Ren Daqing, a 48-year-old math teacher in Beijing.

"But I was worried about one thing. Since he learns and practices alone, I am afraid he will lose interest. I hope he can share his music with children his age and they can play together."

The mother's wish has been fulfilled with an unusual youth orchestra and a 10-day music camp which began on Sunday in southern part of Beijing.

Liu is one of the 170 who make up the recently formed Orchestra Kids, a project initiated by Chinese-American conductor and music educator Hu Yongyan.

The orchestra is unusual because all the students, ages between 6 and 20, are not professional musicians.